Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-22
Mall and the WoH

approve the erection OF a
huge monument at the Vir-
ginia end Of the Mall. which
will seriously minimize the
Importance Of the Lincoln
Memorial and the Marine
Memorial and will forever be
a distraction and in COM
petition with the Capitol it.
self.
In 1850 and again in Janu-
airy 1858. the Veterans OF
Foreign Wars and the Fine
Arts Commission. requested
that the land be added u
Arlington National Cemetery
and thus continue to provide
a quiet and green backdrop
for all the monuments we al
ready have on the Mall.
Did you know that the Act
OF August 81. 1854 re-
quires that the National
Capital Planning Commission
and the Commission Of Fine
Arts approve the plans for
this huge granite wall and
thereafter" the plans shall
be submitted to Congress and
legislative authorization?
The Interior Department
on August 7. 1857. advised
Congress that the plans had
already been formulated with
the approval Of these two
commissions and the COM
mittees OF Congress then re-
commended the enactment OF
legislation authorizing the
erection Of this huge building
on a very inappropriate site.
These two commissions have
now advised Congress that
they have not approved the
plans for this monument.
Was the Department OF the
Interior so anxious TO ad-
minister the monument that
It misrepresented the COM
pliance with the requirements
OF the Act OF 1854 or was the
department the victim OF
misleading information
There will be Federal funds
involved. in the future. on
the rejecting pool. gardens.
transported trees. upkeep and
the buying up OF more land
back Of this granite wall.
VIII YOU. please. as a fair
newspaper. alert the Congress
as 10 the consequences OF this
bill. tell people all over the
country as to what will hap
pen 10 their Capital and warn
the taxpayers OF what is in
the future?
Reader.
To me 1t seems ridiculous
that any member OF Congress
would approve OF such a USE
less expenditure of $24 mil
lion to build a Freedom Wall,
no matter where II is To-
Gated. or from whom the
money Is voluntarily" sub
scribed. To say IL Is to be
collected from school children
makes 1t even more ridicu-
lous. With the high cost Of
living. the need for funds by
all charitable institutions. and
the needs OF our Government
for defense projects. 1t seems
that much better use can be
found for S24 million than
such a useless project. The
money must come from the
pockets Of our citizens. no
matter II Il Is collected by
school children, who must Of
necessity get the money from
their parents.
The failure Of the George
Washington Memorial Associ-
alton to collect even 81 mil
lion for their memorial build
ing. the eyesore Of the hole in
the ground for so long. show
the waste of money for such
projects.
Finally. what possible good
could such a wall create? Few
people would see the wall.
and II they did they probably
would think Of the waste Of
S24 million when most all
our citizens are constantly
asked for contributions TO
causes to relieve pain or suf-
fering.
The money must come out
OF the pockets Of the taxpay-
ers. and the economy OF the
country. How can Congress
explain this waste Of money
TO the voters?
Veritas
In all the news stories and
letters from interested par
ties concerning the proposed
Freedom Shrine. one void is
apparent - transformation.
The facts presented at the
recent hearing OF the House
Committee OF Interior and
Y,.a,,lar Await. go nAass,a.s