<P> After the United States entered World War I in 1917, images of the statue were heavily used in both recruitment posters and the Liberty Bond drives that urged American citizens to support the war financially . This impressed upon the public the war's stated purpose--to secure liberty--and served as a reminder that embattled France had given the United States the statue . </P> <P> In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge used his authority under the Antiquities Act to declare the statue a National Monument . The only successful suicide in the statue's history occurred five years later, when a man climbed out of one of the windows in the crown and jumped to his death, glancing off the statue's breast and landing on the base . </P> <P> In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the statue to be transferred to the National Park Service (NPS). In 1937, the NPS gained jurisdiction over the rest of Bedloe's Island . With the Army's departure, the NPS began to transform the island into a park . The Works Progress Administration (WPA) demolished most of the old buildings, regraded and reseeded the eastern end of the island, and built granite steps for a new public entrance to the statue from its rear . The WPA also carried out restoration work within the statue, temporarily removing the rays from the statue's halo so their rusted supports could be replaced . Rusted cast - iron steps in the pedestal were replaced with new ones made of reinforced concrete; the upper parts of the stairways within the statue were replaced, as well . Copper sheathing was installed to prevent further damage from rainwater that had been seeping into the pedestal . The statue was closed to the public from May until December 1938 . </P> <P> During World War II, the statue remained open to visitors, although it was not illuminated at night due to wartime blackouts . It was lit briefly on December 31, 1943, and on D - Day, June 6, 1944, when its lights flashed "dot - dot - dot - dash", the Morse code for V, for victory . New, powerful lighting was installed in 1944--1945, and beginning on V-E Day, the statue was once again illuminated after sunset . The lighting was for only a few hours each evening, and it was not until 1957 that the statue was illuminated every night, all night . In 1946, the interior of the statue within reach of visitors was coated with a special plastic so that graffiti could be washed away . </P>

Statue of liberty presented to the us from france