Evening star., 1936-12-03
The jefferson Memorial.

The site near the Tidal Basin, tenta-
lively selected for the proposed Thomas
Jefferson Memorial authorized by the
last Congress, has the advantage of con-
formity with the Mcmillan plan of 1901.
This plan projected a development-to
be known as Washington Common
between the Washington Monument and
the river. This area was to be devoted
chiefly to the recreational uses of the
people, but was to be adorned by a
great memorial" fit for the company
1t would keep with the memorials to
Washington and to Lincoln. whether
the memorial" said the Mcmillan report,
shall take the form of q Pantheon, in
which shall be grouped the statues OF the
illustrous men Of the Nation, or whether
the memory Of some individual shall be
honored by q monument Of the first
rank may be left to the future; at least
the site will be ready"
But the site is not ready. To make it
ready may represent task and produce
results that suggest most careful con-
sideration before final decision is
reached. Chairman Boylan of the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission
has very wisely postponed a final deci-
sion until some time in January In
the meantime, the Park and Planning
Commission, the Army engineers and
others concerned will, Of course, be
called on for criticism and suggestion.
Some difficulty is anticipated in reach
ing suitable bed rock for foundations
of the memorial, conceived now as
large structure, at the proposed site.
Alterations of the Tidal Basin might
have the effect of reducing the volume
of water necessary for flushing Wash
ington Channel. The relocation of roads
necessary for modern automobile traffic
may offer some obstacles. The sur
roundings-the railroads and the two
ugly bridges across the river, the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing-will remain
as they are for many years, no matter
what future plans may be.
But there Is another consideration
represented in the fact that another
great memorial, erected anywhere in this
vicinity might serve to detract from the
glory of the Lincoln Memorial And that
would never do. Is there not such q
thing as crowding too many great
memorials in this section of the Capital?
Is it not time to turn attention to other
parts of the city and to avoid the mistake
of an overdevelopment, which is al
ready true, in the opinion of some
critics, Of the Avenue Triangle?
There is Of course, q symbolical sig
nificance in the site-as visualized by the
earlier planners. The Capitol and the
Lincoln Memorial we're to be balanced
by the White House and this projected
monument in washington Common"
In the language Of the Mcmillan report:
Regarding the Monument as the cen.
ter. the Capitol as the base. and the
White House as the extremity of one
arm of Latin cross, we have at the
head of the composition on the banks
of the Potomac memorial site of the
greatest possible dignity. with second
and only less commanding site at the
extremity of the second arm.
But is Jefferson to be commemorated
by a monument on "less commanding
site" than that now occupied by the
Lincoln Memorial? And will there be .
temptation to overcome inferiorities Of
this site by q more commanding struc-
ture? Any architectural competition In
this relatively small area would be has-
ardous, both to the Lincoln Memorial
and to the Jefferson Memorial. Mr..
Boylan and his colleagues on the COM
mission are doubtless fully conscious Of
their great responsibility and will take
every precaution against an unwise or
unfortunate selection of site for what
is to be one of the. Capitals greatest
monuments. The considerations sug-
gested here may not represent objections.
If they do, there may be ways of over
coming them. The main thing, of course,
is to anticipate, instead Of repent, oppor-
tunity for error.