Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-01

n
II nifcant as any ever staged in
4 i this country will take place this
wear on foreign soil. Because
that date means much to Americans 1t
has been selected for the opening OF the
Library Of Louvain University, rebuilt
by Americans to become anew shrine
OF scholarship, a monument to the
idealism OF the United States and a
confirmation in substantial stone and
brick of the adage, Truth crushed to
earth shall rise again.
Iouvain Library has risen again as
those who saw its priceless treasures
paint the sky rcd With their flames III
1914 or who later saw the hopeless ruin
Of the ancient structure which had
housed them never hoped to see 1t. The
old Cloth Weavers' Hall. completed in
l345 and utilized as the university
library from 1892 TO 1914. is indeed
gore, as are the manuscripts dating
back 10 the twelfth century. which were
It's pride But on another site the
highest in the old town, has risen a
new structure.
II has risen through the spontaneous
sympathy Of American educators. the
quick response Of American colleges. the
gifts Of school children. of policemen
and Of city firemen and. above all.
through the dominating energy and de-
termination of Herbert Hoover and his
assistants and the organizations to
which they were able to appeal success
fully for funds when the first quick
flush Of sympathy on the part of the
public had yielded 10 other demands.
Dr.. Nicholas Murray Butler, president
Of Columbia University. sponsored the
project. II was thought then that it
might be accomplished for S500000
Through the efforts Of a committee
which included Bishop William T Man
ming Cardinal Hayes. Darwin P. Kings
ley. Thomas w. Lamont. Herbert Put
nam. Justice Victor J. Bowling. George
Barr Baker and Henry S. Haskell ap
proXimately this sum was obtained
Colleges and universities were organized
for the campaign; library STATS and
Woren'S clubs took ii up. school chill
6ren contributed. the Police Department
Of New York gave $4,000. Benefit per-
formanceS we're given in several the
alters. The heroic Cardinal MERCER of
Malines visited the United States in
1912 and gave impetus to the campaign.
DLANS were made by Whitney War
ren and building was started. The
corner stone was laid by DR.. Butler
Then came uneasineSs. Building op
erstionS were costong more than had
been expected, In November, 1924. DR..
Butler had raised S50l ,925. but 1t was
apparent that the sum was far from
being sufficient The late Cardinal
Mercier wrote Of his fears for the prof.
eCt. At least as much more would be
required. The first enthusiasm of giving
had been exhausted. More than 10
years had passed since Louvain'S sky
famed red, and indignation and SYM
pathy had cooled. In January, 1925,
Mgr. Ladeuze. rector Of the university.
appealed to Herbert Hoover. to whom
Europe so often had appealed and never
IN vain.
Mr.. Hoover said he would take 1t up.
It might be difficult at this date TO
raise the money, he said, but he would
try. On December IS. 1925, it was
announced that Si.125.000 had been
raised. Heroic efforts were required on
the part of Mr.. Hoover and his aSSo-
ciates Mr. Hoover himself obtained
contributions aggregating 1922 900.
A feature of the celebration on We'd
nesday will be the unwilling of bust
Of Mr. Hoover in the new building.
The building also has bust of another
national benefactor, Cardinal MERCER
The bust OF Mr.. Hoover has been made
by Suzanne Silyercruys Farnam. wife of
Haven. Conn She is the daughter of
Justice Frantz Silvercruys. president
Of the Belgian Supreme Court. She was
q nurse in the World War at the age Of
is years. and later was worker In the
food administration In Belgium under
Mr. Hoover. She took up sculpture while
confined to her bed as the result of an
accident and developed remarkable
talent
She and her husband have sailed TO
be present al the ceremonies in Louvain.
Another who will be present and will
receive new honors from the Belgian
government, which already had deco
rated him twice. is Edgar Richard.
mining engineer. paper manufacturer
and water power developer. of New
York. who has. most unostentatiously,
been Mr. Hoover's right-hand man In
European relief work since 1914. Sep
tember of that fateful year found Mr..
Rickard in England, where he echoed