The sun., 1909-01-24
The Illegal Appointment OF the
Council OF Arts.

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Council OF Arts.
The Presidents mania for appoint
ing commissions and taking charge OF
the state Of the country and things in
general has led him into a new attempt
to exercise individual authority in the
absence OF warrant of law. The Ma
tonal Council of Fine Arts, which he
appointed last Wednesday. is a result
of conversations held with various
members Of the American Institute Of
Architects at the time Of the meeting
Of that society in Washington in Decem-
Der. In the form in which the execu-
tive order was issued il is tantamount
to legislative act and is Of no effect.
BY about twenty-four hours the Presi-
dents order was anticipated by a bill
introduced in the Senate by Mr.. NEW
LANDS. The bill was the fruit Of con-
sideration and conference that had been
going on for many months. IL pro-
posed that the Office of the Supervising
Architect Of the Treasury shall here
after be known as the Bureau Of Arts
and Public Buildings, and the Super
vising Architect OF the Treasury shall
hereafter be known as the Director of
Arts and Public Buildings. the bureau
20 be- as heretofore under the general
supervision Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury. Section 2 reads
SECTION :. That the Bureau OF Arts and
Public Buildings shall have control OF the con
struc ton and alteration OF all public buildings.
including the furniture and eau pment for the
same. the Selec ton OF sites for buildings and
monuments the landscape treatment OF public
grounds and parks the selection and installation
Of statuary and paintings. and all other work OF
an artistic nature. and OF the repair and preser
walton OF the same unless specifically otherwise
directed by Congress"
Section 8 Of the Newlands bill author
izes the President "to appoint. by and
with the consent Of the Senate, an advis-
ory council to be known as the Council
OF the Arts, composed Of not more than
thirty eminent architects, painters.
sculptors, landscape architects and
laymen, such body to be selected from
names submitted to the President by
the directors OF the American Institute
OF Architects
Section prescribes the duties Of the
council. These arc, in general, purely
advisory. The councilmen serve with
out compensation. but provision is
made for expenses necessari y incurred
in the performance OF their duties
An annual report is 10 be made to the
President, including recommendations
and suggestions, and the reports are
to be transmitted TO Congress. Either
house OF Congress may at any time
call upon the council for advice and
reports. Section provides for the
appointment OF the Director Of Arts
and Public Buildings. by and with the
consent Of the Senate, from names sub
mitted to the President by the Council Of
the Arts. Here is plan which at least
has the merit Of being in accordance
with the law, and body responsible
to the proper authority, the Congress
of the United States.
The need of some such body is daily
before millions Of the American people
Many OF our public buildings are utterly
devoid of architectural merit, and many
if not most Of our public statues are
ridiculous monstrosities. In 1853 the |
Government owned only twenty-three
public buildings Of all kinds. II is now
the owner of about co. with nearly 400
more authorized. A large percentage
Of those erected prior TO 1900 are. archi-
tecturally, n job lot. They reflect when
they do not actually represent the
architectural whimsy OF the
period OF their erection. Mr.. MUILETT
left such affairs as the New York and
Boston post offices, the State, War and
Navy Building in Washington, and
sundry other heaps of blocks and small
columns surmounted by a mansard
roof Some OF the Government build
ings offend by their lines and some by
heir proportions, but most Of them
offend somehow. Few have even the
merit Of suitability for the purpose for
which they were erected. The State.
War and Navy Building in Washington
s a colossal rock pile traversed by
gloomy corridors fanked with darksome
caverns and cells. A distinguished
gentleman had only one criticism TO
make on the Pension Building, namely
hat 'the damned thing Ia fireproof."
The Washington Post Office is an abomi-
,ably i'll proportioned affair set corner
wise 10 the main avenue. The list of
'ur architectural offences is too long for ,