Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-31

How long the inscription Destroyed
by German fury, restored by American
generosity" will remain on the facade
of the rebuilt library of Louvain seems
an open question to American COM
m~entators. Tanning war hatreds at this
late date is viewed as a futile gesture,
but Whitney Warren, the American
architect whose inSistence o the legal
right to place the inscription, is not
held responsible for its vengeful mes
sage.
Seeking to correct an erroneous i'm
preston on h part OF many that Mr..
Warren phrased the inscription, the
posed by the famous Cardinal Mercier.
It was handed to the American archi-
tect, who designed the building that
was to replace the burned structure,
with the request that 1t should be placed
prominently on the facade of the new
library as a safeguard against future
happenings of the same sort. He be-
lieved it would be a spiritual lesson"
The Chattanooga News also touches
upon this subject, saying: I'VE regret
that the news dispatches make 1t appear
thought of the inscription. It was not"
says the News, as 1t explains further:
THE distinguished Belgian committee
which accepted Americas gift did so
with the express stipulation that the in
Scription be included, although they
made 1t much stronger than at present.
Whitney Warren pledged himself to use
the amended inscription. His promise
to Cardinal MERCER was in the nature
Of Q pledge to a dying man." concludes
this paper, which, however, agrees with
others that "the building is a better
monument without the inscription"
1.-THE inscription is a true one" says
the New York Evening Post, and chad
it been put in place just after the war,
backed by the authority of Cardinal
Mercter's living presence, it would have
been a vivid and an interesting record
of war feeling" but this paper doubts
that such an Indictment Of German
ruthleSsness might be beneficial to the
with this Is the thought of the Green
Bay Press-Gazette, which says: Ger
man madness and American generosity
are terms which might have been &C.
ceptable during the World War or i'm
mediately afterward. Today they sound
crude and bitter"
Stating that 1.-THE original library was
destroyed by the German guns beyond
question" that it is AN historic fact
and a most regrettable one," the Ann
Arbor Daily News still contends that
10 IuO 1ChoOh 1OI SAHcI lCdIlS W SPONSOR
the carving In stone Of an insult to the
German Republic and to every man.
woman and child dwelling in that
country"
That the words echo "a war bitter
ness that must be abandoned for the
u Of peace" is the opinion of the
Richmond News-Leader, and the Roa-
noke Times declares sit will not serve
the ends Of international friendship to
ffoYnf SI1Nh on fncNrintjO0 IN thu foaac
Of all who visit Louvain." That "prob-
ably Germany is now ashamed Of the
destruction of Louvain" is the SUCCESS
ton of the Albany Evening News, which
thinks surely the old feeling should
best be left under the ashes Of the old
library"
That mature public opinion does not
want wars hates and diScordS accen-
tuated n perpetuated" is the conten-
ton of the Danbury Evening News, and
the St. Louis Times protests that the
inscription sis offensive. The Great War
is over. The balsam of f~orgetfulness is
mending its wound The world is
growing into accord and r u amity
with steadfast purpose. It would be an
incredible, enduring insult to a great
nation to let the wonderful new library
at Louvain perpetuate Its diScord," con-
this paper.
1.-The wording, indeed, is as offensive
to American good taste as 1t is to Ger
PRIDE" says the Ithaca Journal
News, as it declares that American
generosity needs no written advertise
ment on the facade Of a building. If
American generosity did, indeed, make
possible the rebuilding of the Louvain
the fact will speak for itseIf-a
good deed needs no billboard to pro-
claim It," /
So. too. the Savannah Press which
the hope that since the en-
tire undertaking is an American ven-1
ture for friendship there should be no