The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-13

s,Jennings Bryan will long be re-
membered-and Al.
The committee chosen by Arch
bishop Spellman TO select a suit
able memorial for Al Smith chose
a hospital. And It will not be call.
ed the AL Smith Hospital. for AL
would laugh at that. II will be an
addition to an already existing
institution, ST. Vincent's. down in
Greenwich Village. where Katie
died. II will be a large addition,
costing millions OF dollars. but II
will never be greater than the hos
pital itself, nor will AL Smiths
name be larger than st. Vincent's.
There is a curious fact about Al
Smith: he never became a great
man but he always remained a gooo
man. He never forgot Oliver 81.
or the Fulton Fish Market or the
little {people, as the Archbishop
said, who were his life. He had
no side. An ardent churchman, he
knew no bigotry, and so his wing
OF the hospital will be open TO peo-
pie OF all religions. all creeds, all
colors. as st. Vlncent's is now in
all its wings and departments. AL
could not understand why the diff
ferences among people were stress
ed more than that there are just
people, good and bad, smart ana
foolish, OF all shades OF political.
social and religious beliefs and
ideas And as Bernard Baruch said
at the dinner to launch the cam
paign for the memorial. whenever
someone started TO talk about hates
and bigotries and how Al suffered
from them. he had only one thing
to say: Cut It outl"
Well. so AL is not TO have a sta
tue with an ugly brown, derby w
top II off. Nor will they rename
Central Park for him, which would
have struck him as silly. Nor will
they rename an avenue or street
for him-to be changed perhaps
when some other politician seeks
to seize eternity by the forelock.
The high schools may retain their
names and the rivers theirs. AL
would not deprive any boy OF his
allegiances nor geography OF its
continuity.
mol The committee decided,
quite wisely, to follow the pattern
Of his life, to erect in his honor q
charitable institution. hospital.
place where the sick and poor
could be succored, perhaps with a
little OF AIS gentleness and thas
sweet harshness that was eternally
in his gruff voice and rough man.
ner AL would have wanted some
thing natural. and what can be
more natural. among decent peo-
pie, than private charity;
And that is something else TO
say about AL Smith. He never bo-
came so modern that he could be-
lieve that human beings should be-
come dependents OF the state. nor
did he believe that any person
should be deprived Of the oppor-
tunity to improve his character by
sharing with others. And 40. AT
who never was a rich man. devot.
ed much OF his years to private
charity Other men who had SUI
fered defeat retired to sulk or
scheme revenge. Al found a ri"h-
ness IN life in private charity. u
heading collection drives. in serv.
ing on committees and organiza!
tons. so that. he became In the
hearts OF New Workers. the first Of
It's citizens. surely the best be.
loved. And when he died. every.
one grieved, for a good man had
| gone.
There Is no question but that
whatever dollars are being sought
by the memorial committee will be
forthcoming. Jim Farley will give
the work OF collecting his far Gus
roganizing efficiency. But II will be
AL Smiths spirit that will carry
the work along. not for himself,
but maybe for the hospital where
his Katie died.
Copyright 1045, for Daily Press)
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