Chap. 405.—An ACT to create a war memorial commission; to prescribe the
powers and duties of the commission; to provide tor the erection of a memorial
of a monumental or non-utilitarian type to the patriotism and valor of the
soldiers, sailors, marines, and women from Virginia who served in the World
War; and to appropriate moneys to carry out the provisions of this SB 03]

Approved March 20, 1924.

Whereas, the general assembly in nineteen hundred and twenty-
two, by joint resolution, created a commission to consider and report
to the regular session of nineteen hundred and twenty-four, some
suitable means of memorializing the patriotism and valor of the soldiers,
sailors, marines and women from Virginia who served in the World
War, by the erection of a memorial not of a utilitarian type; and

Whereas, the commission aforesaid has reported to this general
assembly that it is of the opinion that such memorial, of a monumental
or non-utilitarian type, should be erected by the Commonwealth in
the capital city of the Commonwealth at a cost of not exceeding five
hundred thousand dollars, the site to be made available without cost
to the Commonwealth; and that steps be taken at this session of the
general assembly to carry out the recommendation aforesaid by the
enactment of appropriate legislation creating a war memorial com-
mission and charging that commission with the duty of deciding on the
site and of erecting the memorial; and

Whereas, the council of the city of Richmond, by joint resolution
approved January................ _.......» Nineteen hundred and twenty-four,
has pledged the city, in the event that such memorial as is hereinbefore
referred to shall be authorized and provided for by the general assembly,
to provide a suitable site therefor without cost to the Commonwealth;
now therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That there
is hereby created a war memorial commission eonsisting of nine mem-
bers, three of whom shall be appointed by the president of the senate
from among the membership of the senate, three by the speaker of
the house of delegates from among the membership of the house,
and three by the governor from among those qualified voters of the
State who served in the military or naval service of the United States
during the World War. Such commission shall have the powers and
duties hereinafter prescribed. It shall appoint one of its number
chairman and another secretary.

2. It shall be the duty of the war memorial commission to pro-
ceed with all reasonable dispatch to do all things necessary to erect.
or cause to be erected in the capital city of the Commonwealth, on a
site to be selected as hereinafter provided, a memorial to the patriotism
and valor of the soldiers, sailors, marines, and women from Virginia
who served in the World War, which memorial shall be of a monumental
or non-utilitarian type, and shall cost not exceeding the sum of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. For the year ending February
twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred and twenty-six, there is hereby appro-
priated to the war memorial commission, out of any moneys in the
State treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of ten thousand
dollars. The sum hereby appropriated shall be disbursed by the State
treasurer on warrants of the auditor of public accounts issued on vouch-
ers signed by the chairman of the war memorial commission, coun-
tersigned by its secretary. The exact character and design of the
memorial shall be decided on by the commission, and the commission
is hereby authorized to offer reasonable prizes to artists in a contest
for competitive designs.

3. The commission may select for the site of the memorial the
site which the city of Richmond will tender to the Commonwealth,
without cost to the Commonwealth, as pledged by the joint resolution
of the council, as aforesaid, and in the event that such site is selected,
the city of Richmond shall, before work is commenced on the erection
of the memorial, convey the land or lot so selected for the site to the
Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose, authority to make which
conveyance is hereby conferred upon the said city. The form and
sufficiency of the deed shall be approved by the attorney general.
But if the commission do not select the site which the city offers, as
aforesaid, then the commission shall select some other site in the city
of Richmond suitable for the memorial, the said site to be conveyed
to the Commonwealth without cost to the Commonwealth.