Evening star., 1945-04-12
Is Patriotic GROUPS
Pledge Support 70
Veterans Shrine Bill
Delegates Also to Study
Possibility Of Monument
For Heroes of This War

twenty-five District veterans and
patriotic organizations have pledged
their support to the bill introduced
in the Senate last month by Senator
Pepper, Democrat, of Florida pro-
viding $5,000,000 auditorium here
as national shrine to veterans Of
World Wars I and II.
The organizations also will inves.
tigate the possibility of erecting,
through public contribution, a SIM
pie monument to District veterans
of World War II.
Delegates of the organiza tons
met last night at the American Le-
gion Club to discuss the memorials
and to plan the eleventh annual
commemorative observance for
World War veterans at 4::30 pm,
May 13, at the District World War
Memorial in Potomac Park. Tho
United States Marine Band will play
from 4:30 to S pm. Frank B. Noyes,
chairman OF the memorial commits
sion, will be introduced.
Wreaths to Be Placed.
Wreaths will be placed by repre-
sentatives of all the organizations.
Names OF the speaker and of the
Arrangements Committee will be an.
nounced later
George Keyser, representing the
Catholic War Veterans, moved that
the group back the bill for a ma
tional shrine here after William G,
Rose, Samuel Barrow and Milton
Groome of the 29th Division Asso-
citation, and Patrick Campbell and
Nevil Thompson of the Veterans Of
Foreign Wars had stressed need for
Ia permanent, useful auditorium
such as suggested by Senator Pepper,
The delegates decided, however,
not to abandon the suggestion for a
separate memorial to District vet
Grams of World War II to be erected
near the District World War Me-
mortal in Potomac Park. At a pre-
vious meeting in February the group
had studied plans for an $4,000
marble "exedra" type of monument,
drawn by Frederick H. Brooke ,archi-
tect.
William H. Hargrave, chairman Of
the meeting, announced that Maj.
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, chairman of
the National Park and Planning
Commission, had later indicated the
proposed monument might dwarf
the existing one and that Mr.. Brooke
is now working on other plans.
To Check Last Details.
Several of the organizations al.
ready have voted formally for the
District monument and all of them
will attempt to take a vote before
another meeting May II to discuss
the memorials again and to check
last details of the commemorative
observance May 13, it was decided.
| Mrs. H. H. McCarteney. represents
ing the Blue Star Mothers of World
War II, added that the returning
District veterans should have a
chance to decide the type of monu-
ment they would like for their
fallen comrades" Mrs. Mary B.
Corwin, representing L'Aumonier
Rationale. ct 40. emphasized that
plans for the District monument
should be carried through to provide
simple solemnity" that the audi
torium, eehoing with meetings and
music, could never provide, no mat.
ter how useful it will be.
Haywood N. Saunders, past de.
partment commander of the American
Legion, said the organizations must
decide what they wished to do about
! tho Dicfripf
stick to their decision without "fric-
ton Unity he said, is the groups
only chance to get both the national
shrine-auditorium and the District
monument