Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-09
Raul Scores Plans
For Freedom Wall

Size Of Shrine
Will Be Cut
Ralph Kaul. Arlington Coun-
ty Board chairman, today
scored plans for a gigantic
Freedom Wall memorial he said
would dwarf the Lincoln Me-
mortal.
His attack before a House
Interior subcommittee prompt
ly drew a promise from Harry
Thompson. National Capital
Parks associate superintendent.
that the monument plans were
being reduced both in size and
height. Even without reduce
ton. the 90-foot wall would be
considerably lower than the
Lincoln Memorial which meas
ures Ill feet, ne said.
The exchange highliehted
conflicting testimony on the
proposal before the
Public Lands Subcommittee
headed by Representative
Oracle Pfost. Democrat Of Ida
no. Six witnesses opposed and
six supported the memorial
called for in a Senate-passed
bill.
Mr.. Raul also demanded that
the committee:
Hand the Arlington County
Board power to veto final plans
for the monument. slated to 60
up on the wooded Potomac
River tract in Virginia on an
axis with the Capitol and Lin
coin Memorial.
Would Delay Construction
Amend the bill to postpone
construction until the full s24
million cost is in the hands Of
sponsorship National Free
dom Shrine Foundation and the
National Monuments Commits
sion. Private subscriptions are
planned to raise the sum.
Give high priority" to the
use of the site on the former
Nevius tract for an extension of
Arlington National Cemetery.
as urged by the Veterans Of
Foreign Wars.
MY main objection is to the
height and size of the memo
rial" Mr.. Kaul stressed. It am
pleased to learn that the size
Of the monument grows smaller
with each hearing"
New Plans Revealed
Originally, the roofless wan
of columns was to measure 90
feet high. 500 feet long, and
$50 feet wide.
Mr.. Thompson said new
measurements were not yet
available. But architects al
ready have cut the height to
81 feet above the ground and
decided to depress the struc-
ture another five feet into the
ground. Parking for tourists
would be provided beneath the
park land, he said.
I'VE want to get this memo
rial lower and lower and we
will try every way possible to
do just that" Mr.. Thompson
promised the committee.
The cemetery expansion pro-
poSal was forwarded in a tele-
gram from Omar B. Ketchum,
who heads the national VFW.
do you think your Virginia
constituents would rather look
over a monument or a ceme-
tery?" Representative Asphalt,
Democrat Of Colorado. and
sponsor of the bill. asked Rep
resentative Broyhill. Republic
can Of Virginia. the leadoff
witness.
Asks Consultation
Mr.. Broyhill said II it we're
question of looking over"
he would say the monument.
But he was afraid Virginians
would be looking into a blank
wall" he said. in urging that
the Arlington Board be con-
suited on the final design.
Representative Broyhill made
{ clear. however. that he fav-
bred construction Of the monu-
ment on the Arlington knoll.
Also championing the me-
mortal concept were Kenneth
d. Wells Of the Shrine Founda-
ton: John Harbeson. consult
ing architect: David E. Finley,
chairman Of the fine arts divi-
sion. and Harland Bartholo-
NEW, chairman Of the National
Capital Planning Commission.
+, The NCPC, in a letter out
lining its position. asked for an
amendment to make sure the
commission would review me-
mortal sketches.
Claiming the monument
would bar the river vista were
Mrs. Charles M. Clegg Of l4l2
Twenty-seventh street NV:
Albert Woodward and Courts
land c. Stark. both of Arling-
ton. and Hugh B. johnson, Ar
lington architect.