Evening star., 1926-04-09
VILE MAKES PLEA
FOR WAR MEMORIAL
In Radio Address, Urges
Washington to Support Po-
tomac Park Project.

Warning that wars fought and won
are TOO soon forgotten. and that II
had been the habit Of the American
people after every war to ignore the
necessity OF prepa redness,' Frederic
William VILE. in radio address last
night fr'om WRC. said the public ap-
peal 10 oe launched next week for
building the hes ttiful District of Co
Iumbis War Memorial in Potomac
Park. should 60 straight to the heart
and pocketbook of every ma n. woman
and child in Washington"
1T is q rena rka bic fact" said Mr..
VILE. that our glorious city Is one Of
the few allied capitals throughout the
world that have reared no enduring
monument to the patriotism nd valer
of their own representatives in the
struggle that preserved democracy.
This week marks the ninth ami
versary Of our entry into that crusade
the contest 10 which. as history In
bound to record. American blood and
treasure contributed the decisive blow.
II is unfair TO say that America won
the war. But it is not unfair or in.
accurate to say that the war might
not have been won without VS..
Marble Temple Proposed.
not too late. T." build srble temple
on the banks of the Potomac which
shall he perma nent tribute to the
26 900 sons of the District Of Column
hia who answered the republics call
in the hour Of peril.
Two hundred and fifty-eight Of
those gallant gentlemen made the
supreme "a crihcs. 1T in intended to
inscribe their names upon the marble
ceiling Of the memorial temple.
Within the temples corner stone will
repose the names OF all who served.
living or gone.
Opportunity is now provided for
MS. their beneficia ries. to commemo-
rate tho priceless service rendered by
District soldiers and sailors in 1917
and 1905.
The memorial is to stand in a
grove of trees close 10 the rejecting
basin. From that spot there are en-
trancing vistas stretching away fo
the Lincoln Memorial the Tidal Basin
and the Arlington shores of Virginia
Music TO Homer Heroes.
Outdoor military hand concerts
will be played within the temple from
time to time-esch diapason Of
mslodious gratitude TO the men In
whose honor the temple. shimmerinE
In graceful Doric outline is to stand
as long "a time endures
"A fund ~ S2o". .60a is needed We
are community of nsaIiy half a mil
lion souls. The money ought To he
forthcoming. not in a week. hat in
aaE. At the suggestion "f the Presi-
fent and the ca ahinet. Government Of
fees will depart from their rules and
authorize their chief clerks TO receive
subscriptions for :he memorial from
Government employees.
In building the temple we shall
serve double purpose. We shall not
only pay solemn tribute to the men
who fought i'm order that liberty
should not perish from the earth. hut
We shall also do onr individual hit
toward enriching the archit eetural
splendor ot Washington.
we should. in INV epinion. rejoics
At the privilege of building this tom
ME for yeI anathsr reason. That Is
that II viii serve as perpetual re.
minder thst once there was such q
hing as World War: that we en-.
tered il Tor terribly vital rea SON.
s. nd thPt tho victory which We helped
TO achieve was stupe ndous event In
the history Of America and Of Civili1a
tion at large.
People Prone to Forget.
"Since time immemorisl men and
women have been accustomed 70 for.
act wnrs as soon as they are over
and won. Danger ones averted is
da niger speedily "elegated to the limbo
Of the commonplace and upimporta NJ.
That Is one or The rea sons why sfter
avery war II has been the hs hit of
the American people 10 ignore the
necessity of prepa retlness. LOSERS nf
wars have longer memories
III ! couid have my way I would
embia Zon upon the portal Of our heau-
tifut District memorial the words.
Lest We Forget
The memorial. i: seems 70 me *
neceSs AIRY les. We get whaI 1t was
our men fought for: lest we forget
what II WAS they went through les1
we forget what 1t WAS that they
achieved and Leaf We forget wha'
might have heen had they not done
their fun part as Americans and men.
Let ire District World War Me.
mortal he visible. eloquent and eter-
nal evidence that we of their own
genera tion did not forget why our
fsthers sons a nj brot hers fou rht a nd