Evening star., 1926-04-04
DEBATE REVIVED ON PLAN
FOR TOMB OF UNKNOWN
Congress Delays Action on Completion:
as Some Urge Elaborate Mausoleum
F., and Others Want Plain Inscription.

/ the World War" The above inscrip
! ton. it was pointed out, would be
sufficient to call to the attention OF
every passerby it's halloWed purpose
and to protect it from both thought
less and deliberate dissertation.
Other Plans Opposed.
There appears. indeed. to be
strong school of thought against COM
pletion oc the tomb, beyond. perhaps
such an inscription. Chief Justice
Walter I. Mccoy OF the District of
| Columbia Supreme Court is one OF
| the leaders in this school. He has
written to the Secretary of War an
| expression of the views held by him
self and "a considerable number of
people who feel very strongly about
| the matter of monument in mem
ory of the Unknown Soldier
This feeling lis based. principally,
on the fear that to erect a monu.
ment would mar the present simple
ity of the surroundings. which. they
think, should be maintained. IF no
monument is erected" Chief Justice
Mccoy explains, there will be no
chance for erection of an inartistic
monument, to which danger we are
constantly subjected here in Wash
ington."
While these discussions are under
way in patriotic circles. the wheels
of Congress continue to grind exceed
ingly slow. The prospects of passage
at this session of legislation neCes-
Sary to pave the way for formal con-
sideration of plans for completing the
tomb appear to be very slim.
Report Urges Completion.
At the beginning of this year Presi-
dent Coolidge transmitted to Congress
the annual report of the Commission
on the Erection of Memorials and En-
Memorial Amphitheater for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1925. recommend
ing completion of the memorial at a
cost not to exceed $50,000.
The report called attention to the
fact that there has been considerable
adverse newspaper criticism of the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the
Arlington Memorial Amphitheater on
account of its present unfinished con-
dition," and that these criticisms
have been widely disseminated
throughout the country"
At the time the body of the Tn.
known was inferred, the report eX-
planned, the lower part of the me-
was anu TIE
casket placed therein, with the idea of
completing the memorial when Con-
gress should make necessary pro
vision therefor.
Holds Criticism Justified.
The report was considered by the
House committee on the Library, of
which Representative Robert Luce of
Massachusetts, is the chairman, and
the committee subsequently an
nounced to the House it's belief that
the criticism of the unfinished con-
dition of the memorial is justified"
1t was accordingly recommended that
House joint resolution No. SO, to au-
thorize it's completion, be passed.
Several attempts have been made
by Mr.. Luce since to obtain the ap-
proval of the House on this resolu-
tion. The most recent effort, less than
a Fortnight ago, resulted in objec-
tions by two members of that body,
with consequent relegation of the
to the foot of the calendar
There it seems doomed to slumber
away for some time to come, its
horizon of the future beclouded with
grave doubt.
Meanwhile the acts of desecration
alleged to have been daily occurrences,
but discounted entirely by the War
Department, can threaten no more the
sacredness of the spot where lies
Americas s hero. His comrades in the
flesh will see to that.