Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-16
HARMONY IS SOUGHT
Bureau of Fine Arts Urqed to
Join Institute of Architects.
MILLIONS FOR BUILDINGS
Declared That There Has Been
Great Waste in Expenditure.
GOLD MEDAL VOTED TO McKIM
Park Commissions Plan for Lincoln
Memorial Preferred to Other
Propositions.
MILLIONS FOR BUILDINGS
GOLD MEDAL VOTED TO McK1M

Memorial Preferred to Other
Propositions.
This mornings session Of the American
Institute of Architects. held in the as
sembly hall of the Willard, listened to
several Interesting papers. a report was
submitted by the committee on govern
ment architecture. of which William S
Eames is chairman. This report touched
on the progress that had been made in
government designing. and coincided with
the conclusions of the committee on fine
arts. that what was needed was a govern
ment bureau devoted to this work as is
the case in France.
Proposed Bureau Of Fine Arts.
The report of the committee that had
been considering the establishment of
bureau of fine arts by the govern
ment was one of the most important
documents presented at the days ses-
sion. The committee definitely rec
ommends the establishment of a bu-
reau of fine arts, and in this connec-
ton says:
Since the foundation of the gov
eminent. more than $500. 100000 of
public money has been expended for
buildings and other works of art.
which have been under the control of
bureau of art
I'm addition to this amount, large
sums have been spent for parks.
bridges, aqueducts, harbor improve
ments, designs for coins. stamps, bonds
and bills. the value of which would
have been greatly Increased had they
received intelligent artistic considera-
ton.
about 30 per cent of this total
amount has been spent during the last
twenty years. In the immediate flu
ture there will be spent the sum of
s45,0O0,00o. for which appropriations
have been made.
Always Artistic Chaos.
Under existing conditions there are
many kinds of machinery for controlling
these expenditures. Usually each act of
Congress appropriating money for artistic
work specifies the method of procedure.
and designates the person or persons in
whom the authority is vested. AS a result
it Is sometimes the President a member
of the cabinet. a committee of the Sen
ate or House, or a department or bureau:
sometimes an army engineer, the superin-
tendent Of the Capitol committee of
the Grand Army of the Republic. a spe-
cial or private commission or a private
lnQltluudl VINO controls ana regulates the
choice of the artist and the expenditure
OF the public money. and who acts not in
frequently artistic arbiter. In each
case the arbter regards the enterprise
from his own point OF view. without re-
spect to it's relation to the whole esthetic
question. and the result Is, generally
waste of public money and always artistic
chaos.
Your committee submits that the ex-
penditure of this vast sum of money,
without the supervision of well organ
lied and competent authority, is unbusi-
government. The fact that the present
appropriations show that the ratio OF
expenditure for these purposes is increas-
ing annually seems to your committee
to indicate that the necessity for action is
urgent.
One Way to Obtain Harmony.
The fundamental error in all attempts
at legislation has been in confining the
law to one branch of art. or TO isolated
buildings. AS buildings and their decora
tons Of painting and sculpture, and the
landscape, including monuments and
fountains, are SO intimately associated
with each other and the effect OF any
one so easily enhanced or marred by the
other, they should all be under the d.
recIion of one guiding body. The only
way to obtain a harmonious whole is TO
have them all in the hands of one de-
partment. The lack of harmony between
different buildings in Washington, the
total lack of unity in the selection of their
sites, and the still more notable d5flclen-
cies in the character, location and fitness
of statues and monuments, are all due
to the separate committees, individuals
and departments which have had charge
OF such matters for the government
THE first step toward a solution must
IS, to artistic DrOhlem
is a single one; that the object sought is
the product of a great totality: that the
selection of sites. the general distribution
as we'll a the design and execution OF
architectural work. monuments, landscape
work, sculpture. painting. mural decora-
tions bridges. parks and their accom-
paniments. are all parts Of coherent
whole. and must be subject to one single
authority, invested with such dignity as
to command respect for its DEGREES, and
that this authority must be guided by the
most enlightened advice which the artistic
professions can furnish.
Remedy Suggested.
Your committee therefore recommends
as a remedy for the existing evils the
establishment of a permanent bureau Of
fine arts. The essential element of which
shall be superior council composed of
number of men of known and recognized
eminence in the profession Of the arts.
In conclusion, your committee repeats
from its report of last year:
THE intention Of establishing bureau
of the fine arts is, not to develop ma
tional style of archi. ecture or dennlte
styles of painting or sculpture. hut to IN
vest the whole subject OF the fine arts
with appropriate dignity. to encourage
the establishment OF proper schools, 10
stimulate the universities in this much
neglected branch and to educate the peo-
pie -
The most interesting business of the
day to the architects was The election OF
officers. Ballots were distributed and the
polls were opened at l o'clock TO close at
8 The result of the election will not be
announced till tomorrow.
Medal Awarded to c. F. McKim.
Several matters of special local as we'll