Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-22

visory, and stating that its members are
20 serve without compensation. 1t stipu-
Ntes however, that this council shall
make annual reports to the President,
gestsons as seem desirable, and that
such reports ehal1 be transmitted to Con-
grem, which may at any time call upon
this council for advice and reports. Pro-
Tent by the right granted the director to
form such bureau into such divisions
as may be needful. and certain stipula-
tons are made concerning the qualifica-
lions OF the director and his appointment
More Far-Reaching Measure.
This is even a larger and more far
reaching measure than. the appointment
Of the fine arts council. It will have to
10 not alone with the selection Of good
works OF art by the nation. but with
the upbuilding OF art education. 1t Is
not the beginning Of movement, but
the cresting OF a wave.
Within the last few years hundreds OF
art societies have sprung into existence
In all parts Of the United States. In al
most every town In the Union there 1s to-
day some little organization given over
to the study Of some phase OF art To
the National Society OF Fine Arts have
come from time to time many inquiries
from such organizations as to the posi-
lantern slides, lectures and lecturers. The
Federation Of Womens Clubs for num-
Der Of years circulated two or three small
travelling exhibitions through the towns
Of the middle west. The penny pictures
reproducing master paintings are In great
demand. There Is on every side an intel
lisent interest being demonstrated, cry
for assistance going up. Now is the time
to send out this aid. and this. better than
q private enterprise, national bureau OF
N rn-ofo
Of education could do.
And moro than this. we are now in a
formative period. Within the next few
years a national gallery Is to be develop
may be that a National School Of Art will
be established by the government at
Washington. These. to be sure. are still
at far reach, but 1t Is we'll to look ahead
and in a measure provide for the future.
Under the arrangement provided in SeDa-
tor Newlands' bill an establishment is
created without additional expense which
will as time goes on permit enlargement.
Thus have some Of the most useful
branches Of the government had their in
ception--such for example as the De-
partment of Agriculture. the weather
bureau. the bureau OF forestry, the De-
partment Of Commerce and Labor and
the reclamation service.
May Mean Much.
This Is a constructive, practical organ
ization, which in the future must mean
much to the people of our nation. for art
has an ethical and economic side as we'll
as an esthetlc significance, and will.
rightly used, strengthen US commercially
as we'll as enrich US intellectually.
And what is more it is bound to come.
If not now, later. In this city next week
will be held meeting of the board of
regents Of the National Academy of Art,
which purposes to bring about fedora
ton OF all the art societies in the United
States. In Rome is now an American
Academy of Art, which while under
private direction looks in q measure to
the whole nation for support. Here in
the Corcoran Gallery last month was paid
q tribute to the memory of a great Ameri-
can sculptor by the representatives of five
great foreign nations together with our
own. The times are ripe.
What then is proposed Is first a coun-
ell OF thirty experts OF trained judgment
to act as an advisory body guarding
against future errors and insuring the
best results-fne buildings, artistic order
ly parks. beautiful bridges, noble monu-
msnts, good paintings; and secondly. a
bureau which shall become a center of
activity. unifying force, distributing
depot, capable Of enlargement and de-
velepment and national in scope. Nothing
after all very menacing or complicated.
LEILA MECHLIN.