Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-23
In Memoriom of FDR

"NoO SOOAAA1S al n 4OONO
out upon the graceful curv-
ing shores of the Tidal Basin,
and the soft ethereal beauty
of our famous japanese
Cherry trees that flank the
waters edge; a fluid, restful
vista, blending with the pat
tern of our Nations Capital.
If we allow a monstrous
movement" of towering,
sharp pointed slabs to be
placed in this park, it will be
as shocking as putting
"Whistler's Mother" into a
fringed-twist dress and mod
ern hair-do.
BY the way what do those
slabs represent?
Eleanor Page Fox.
II II Il y
Franklin Roosevelt was,
above all else, interested in
the people, the rank and file,
the man and woman, prob
ably entirely IMMERSED in ap-
probation of art as expressed
in the modern version of it.
Why then, select for mem
orial to him something en-
tirely alien to the ideas of
most of us, a something
which seems to the great ma
jority a monstrosity, entirely
beyond our capacity for en-
joyment or even interest, pos
sibly something appearing to
us grotesque, almost hum
orouS?
A memorial for any public
person should be, and more
particularly for this man, a
humanitarian, something for
everyone to enjoy, to under
stand, not just for the en-
lightened few of those who
understand, or who might be
willing to ponder over and
attempt to elucidate a mean
ing so obscure as to hardly
merit the effort.
Mary Armat.
There has been a great deal
of discussion over an appro-
pirate memorial for F. Roose-
welt. Some insist on the cree
ton of a "whatzit". Others
prefer to construct a who
dunit." But one and all, the
plans require large sums of
money, the expenditure of
which is certainly not appro-
pirate for a Nation in debt
$500 billion. Nor is the ex-
penditure appropriate for the
President who, during his four
terms in office, did more than
any other to bring the Ma
ton to the verge of bank
ruptcy.
I have a plan which will
cost nothing directly, yet as
sure a fitting memorial to
F. Roosevelt and probably re-
suit in appropriate memorials
for all Presidents to come. It
is simply this: Let us dedi-
cate as a memorial to each
President that portion of
our national debt incurred
during his administration.
Since the American people
have clearly indicated that
they prefer to spend the
money now and leave it to
their descendants to pay, it
appears that memorials such
as these will be permanent.
Thus, The Star for July 4,
1852 might contain an item
something like this: The
United States Treasury to-
day proudly announced the
payment of $50 on the Frank
lin Delano Roosevelt National
Memorial Debt, thus reducing
same to $185.847, 1923, 101.10.
Arthur w. Dew.
n II \
There is a very simple way
to end the controversy over
the proposed Roosevelt men,
orial.
In a recent issue of Life
magazine there was an ar
ticle about some man who
Yields together parts from old
cars and thus creates great
art" for which there seems to
be a crying need.
Why not have him weld to-
gether five or six huge stacks
of old car parts, and paint
the whole thing rec, white
and blue? This would not only
be a stirring tribute to Mr.,
Roosevelt equal, at least, to
the present proposed mem
oriaD, but it would help
clean up the junk yards, be
art" of unparalleled beauty
and be just terribly patriotic
Gall that red, white and Glue
paint, va knowD.
Kay Knepper.
For a people without any
culture, without any learning
and without any money, the
contemporary design for q
memorial to Franklin D