Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-05
DECLARES It FALSE|bEAUTY Of CAPITAL
BaHnger Attacks Garfel6s Society of Fine Arts Dis
Assertion to the President. cusses Its Furherance
RESTORING PUBLIC LANDS BLUNDERS IN ARTS NAME
Secretary Examined Before Some Of Cs Statues Public
Investigating Committee Buildings Criticised
EXPLAINS COURSE OF ACTION NEED Is FOR COMMISSION
he Competent
His Predecessor in Withdrawing in Future
Pending legislation Judgment
Society of Fine Arts Dis
cuSSeS Its Furtherance.
BLUNDERS IN ARTS NAME
Some Of City's Statues and Public
Buildings Criticised.
NEED IS FOR COMMISSION
Competent and Unbiased Men
Should in Future Sit
in Judgment.


Municipal art, from several points of
view, was discussed by experts at a
special meeting called by the Washing
ton Society of the Fine Arts in CONT
mental Memorial Hall last night. The
subject was handled without gloves by
some of tie speakers, notably Frank
D. Millet and Thomas Nelson Page. who
took shot at several of the statues and
buildings in Washington.
Mr.. Page was especially severe on the
real estate Spectator who had denuded
some Of the hills bordering Rock creek
valley. and thereby made a waste place
out Of natural park. The bronzes and
marbles in Statuary Hall were ridiculed
not because of their lack of artistic
merit but because of inharmonious rela-
tionship. OF 1t was said: 1T is not a
nall OF fame, but a chamber of horrors"
The speakers were Commissioner judi
son, III. b. F. Mcfarland, David Fair
child. Miss Leila Mechiin and Frank d.
Miilet. They were introduced by Thomas
Nelson Page. president of the Washington
Society of the Fine Arts. About 100 per-
sons were in attendance.
Legislation Is Necessary.
Commissioner Judson approached the
subject of municipal art from the view
he has in the District building. There
was nothing atmospheric about his
speech. but he pointed out the legisla-
tive feats that would have to be accom-
plished before Washington would be-
come the NEST beautiful capital in the
world. He explained briefly the financial
plan of the Commissioners which is popu-
larly called, after Commissioner Judson.
He also explained the bills before Con-
gress providing for the commission to Sc
cure land and make maps for parks. The
city beautiful bill was explained by
him. This bill, which is now before Con-
gress. will regulate to an extent. the ex-
terror design of houses and provide for q
commission of artists to make the city's
streets beautiful by preventing inconsru-
tiles.
Mr.. Page dwelt in his opening remarks
on the want of forethought on the part
of Washington authorities exhibited In
certain sections. notably along the banks
of Rock creek. where SCARED and dusty
dumps have taken the place of the forests
that were taken away. He said he was
glad to see the return to the original idea
Of Identification Of Washington.
Big Plans Before Congress.
This. he said. was the rational thing to
do. He referred generally to the big
plans that are now before Congress for
the connecting Of the parks with drive
ways. and urged that the opportunity to
use the natural beauties Of the city's to-
biography for park purposes should not be
lost. Mr.. Page favored the naturalistic
treatment of parks rather than the con-
ventional and formal treatment.
1.-THE beauty Of Washington" he said,
consists almost exclusively In its plan,
its wide and spacious avenues and tree
fine public buildings. such as the Capitol.
with. its imposing dome and beautiful
wings. which are on lines OF harmony
hardly excelled by any buildings in the
world; the Treasury, worthy OF the best
era of architecture that the world has
known: the old Smithsonian building. with
the old post Office and the old courthouse.
and, last, but not least. the White House,
among the most charming of all man.
sions. certainly in appearance. whatever
its deficiencies as to space and convent
ence may be.
1.-The noble shaft, known as the WASH
ington monument, which rears itself aloft
in simple majesty. excels. 1t seems to
many Of US, all other monuments that
humanity has erected, as he in whose
honor 1t was erected excelled all other
men in the majestic simplicity Of his
character.
Something More Than Bulk.
''It used to be charged by cavilers that
it represented merely bulk-simply huge
ness. / think that no one who abides
long in sight Of that monument will fail
to be impressed by not only it's majesty.
but its beauty, without q trace of orna-
ment. towering alOft in harmonious pro-
portion.
Now, If We consider for a moment We
shall find ourselves confronted by the
fact, possibly surprising to some, that
the especial beauty of Washington. II
not its chief beauty, consists in the more
or less successful carrying out OF the
plan known as the rEnfant system. and
the beginning Of the carrying out Of the
plan known as the McKim plan
Little has been done as yet, outside
of these plans, though from time to time
earnest Efforts have been made by far
sighted persons looking for the future
by continuing the comprehensive system
in accordance with our extended needs.
Two Great Steps Forward.
Two great steps have been taken. One,
the securing and development of the
Rock Greek Park: the other. the reclama-
ton OF the Potomac fats and the change
Of the latter from series of miasmic
swamps to a park which 10 destined to
be, 1 trust, an integral part of one of
the most beautiful park systems in the
world.
If you will but reflect, as beautiful as
are our streets and parks. there are out
side of Lafayette and Franklin squares
scarcely a half score Of large trees In
Washington, while those In Lafayette
Square were nearly all seriously injured
by storm thirteen years ago.
There is one magnificent tree on the
Dean place, a glory to Washington one
great tree on the eastern side OF the
Capitol: one or two fine sycamores and
elms still survive in the yards bordering
on some of our streets. holding on still
to a precarious existence.
Il say precarious, because what is pos
sibly the finest tree in Washington came
| near falling a victim to the indiscrimi-
nate ruling Of same park commissioner
but a few years ago and was only saved
by the united efforts OF the membership
| of the Cosmos Club, whose windows it
| fronted. and OF the public press and such
| few citizens of Washington as took inter-
| est in the matter.
Reclamation of Flats.
1.-THE reclamation OF the Anacostia fats
and the extension OF the beneficent work
already begun around to the eastward OF
the city; the improvement Of public
| school buildings. the creation Of play
grounds for children; the creation and i'm
| provement of lesser parks and gardens
and parking along our streets.
Among the details will probably be