Evening star., 1915-12-26
URGE BUILDING FOR
NAT|0N'SA ARCHIVES
Historical Association Men,
berS Will Act at the Meet
ing Tuesday.
U. S. FAR BEHIND EUROPE
IN CARE OF DOCUMENTS
Congress Will Be Asked for Money
to Garry Out the Plans Al
ready Under Way.

ready Unuer way.
When the American Historical Asso-
citation convenes in Washington Tues
- day one of the most important objects
of it's meeting will be to set before
members of Congress and the learned
world the need for the erection of
building in this city to shelter the ma
tional archives and to protect them
from the ravages to which they have
been exposed for over century.
1t is beginning to be realized that 1t
is high time for the government to fol-
low the example of foreign govern
ments and even of states and corpora
tions in giving adequate attention to
the preservation of it's records. Rus
sian writer has stated that the care
which nation bestows upon the monu-
meuts of it's history may we'll serve as
an index to the state of civilization to
which that nation has attained. If
this test were applied TO the govern
ment of the United States it is to be
feared that it would fall far below
many small and relatively unimportant
countries in the scale OF civilization.
Care in European Capitals.
IN LONDON one HlluS tne ndtlOnal rec
ords carefully brought together in the
public record office. In Paris one finds
them in the national archives, where
they are the objects of jealous care
on the part of their custodians; all over
Germany one finds modern and perfect
ly equipped archive buildings; hardly
a town in the low countries but what
has building for the preservation of
its records. Many of the South Ameri-
nf~fA L,,tI Col
structures to house the monuments of
their history; in Washington one finds
the governments records scattered
about in hundred or more different
places in the District of Columbia;
some are in the navy yard; some are
stored in the annexes of depart
mental buildings: some are in the base
ments; many are in rented buildings,
tribute to that peculiar brand of
& economy which prefers to pay large
rental for inconvenient and unsuitable
quarters rather than to build adequate
structures which would provide proper
accommodations and comport with the
dignity of the national government
The history of the archives is fone
which must sadden the hearts of all
interested In our national history.
From 1900 down to the present date
there have been many disastrous fires,
one of which resulted in the destruc-
tion of all records of the Treasury De-
partment prior to 1888 There have
depredations of autograph hunters. and
of destruction by heat or damp, by
rats and through carelessness.
Conditions Are Improving.
1t must be admitted that of late
years conditions have much improved.
Departmental officials can no longer
be accused of negligence or careless
ness in preserving their records from
preventable damage. but Handicapped
as they are by the necessity of stor-
ing the archives wherever space can
be found for them. oftentimes in
buildings not completely under their
is still long way to go before any
thing like the ideal state of affairs or
one consistent vita the dignity of the
government will be attained
Congressional action must provide a
separate record building in which these
treasures of our history can be
brought together; classified. arranged
and made accessible not only for rapid
and easy administrative use, but, so
Tar as Is proper. for the use of the
student of history. economics and poll
tics.
Congress has already made provision
FOR the preparation of plans for an
archive building. 1t is understood that
several preliminary studies for this
doubtless Congress will soon be asked
to make a provision for the erection
oi tne oulIolng itself.
Meeting in Continental Hall.
At public meeting to be held in
Continental Hall Tuesday afternoon.
December 2s. at 800 o'clock. the His
torical, Economic. Political Science and
other associations which are gathered
here in Washington will bring the
weight of their influence to bear in
iavor OF the erection of a national ar
enlve building; Senator Miles Poin-
dexter of Washington, whose interest
In the proposed building is well known
and who has sponsored it through sew
eral sessions of Congress. will pre-
side at this meeting.
me nrst speaker will be Prof Frank
w Iaussig, the well known economist
OF Harvard University. Prof. Taussig
VIII point out the great value OF the
national archives to the student Gail
lard Hunt of the Library of CONGRESS
VIII then tell how indispensable the
records are 10 the administration itself
Prof. benjamin E.. Shambaugh of the
University OF Iowa. who has Travelled
about the country examining state
archives. will show. with the aid Of
lantern slides. what various states. cit
les and even corporations have done
Tor the care of their records. He Will
be followed by Waldo G. Leland. secre-
tary OF the American Historical Asso-
citation. who will tell of archive build
fngs that he has seen in Europe and
will show 4 number OF pictures of
them. Leo +. Stock of the Carnegie In
stitution OF Washington. who for the
last eight or ten years has devoted
most Of his time to Investigations in
the archives in Washington. will de-
scribe, with the aid of lantern slides
conditions that exist at present among
the national archives. Finally. Louis
A. Simon, superintendent of the draft
Ing division in the office of the super
vising ar chitect of the Treasury, under
whose directions the studies for the
nav building have been prepared, will
present by means Of lantern slides GER
tain Of these studies, showing how the
United States may have the finest
archive building In the world.
Topics Of the Historians.
The historians. however. will not con-
fine their attention exclusively to the ma
tioual recordA In the present year of
grace the topic which Is absorbing all in
ts'-<st makes perhaps a stronger appeal
ts the historian than to any other class
OF student Topics suggested by the war
will receive abundant consideration. We'd