New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-20
WILSON PORTRAIT
BEGS FOR A HOMIE
DR.. Freedman, Out $3.50,
Would Use 1t to Start
a Hall of Fame

DR.. r. S. Freedman, who is out $3.50
because he tried to get some one to
accept a portrait Of President Wilson,
has scheme that he thinks will rid
him of the expensive painting. He is
going to Washington next week TO dis
cuss with officials of the Smithsonian
Institution q plan to start Hall OF
Fame in its building with the picture
Of Wilson.
The late Gustav c. Langenberg began
the portrait more than two years ago.
1t was to be a gift to the Kaiser from
the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. 1t
was almost completed on August /,
1914, but about that time the Hamburg
Chamber of Commerce had other things
to think about and the picture reverted
to the painter.
He died on November 81, 1915, and
the portrait Of Mr.. Wilson was taken
il charge by some Of the artists
friends. DR.. Freedman and a commit
tee of the curators of the canvas de-
cided that it would be appreciated if
they made a gift of it to Mrs. Wilson.
Presidents Wives Neglected
"You see," said DR.. Freedman yester.
day, "the wives of Presidents have al
ways been neglected. No one ever gave
any one Of them SO much as pencil
or a shoe button, and We thought it
would be a nice little tribute to the
First LADY OF lne Land to present the
portrait to her"
So campaign was organized TO raise
money to buy the picture for Mrs. Will
son. Mrs. ]. Sherwin Crosby went to
see the neglected" Mrs. Wilson last
May to cheer her I'D with news of the
gift she might expect. Mrs. Crosby re-
ported that Mrs. Wilson, who was at a
garden party, gave her only eight min
Utes, instead of the promised fifteen,
but nevertheless agreed to accept the
picture if the presentation committee
was not too large.
Although more than ten thousand
letters were sent out, the fund raising
campaign was not successful. Gifts
amounting to abouE $500 were received.
and DR.. Freedman recAoned the expense
of getting them at more than $1,000.
Ambassador Won bernstorff, he declared,
,adIy never renlie6 at all
Then, after two months of work.
which included, DR.. Freedman said, his
own mental anguish in evolving an ap-
propriate dedicatory line 10 go with the
gift, Mrs. Wilson changed her mind.
She decided that she didn't want the
picture. Dr.. Freedmsns thought child
ain grateful appreciation for his hav...
ing successfully kept US out OF war"
was kidnapped by politicians and the
picture was still seeking claimant.
Committee Too Large
According to DR.. Freedman, Mrs.
Wilson changed her mind because the
proposed presentation committee was
too large. Some of the members were
Mrs. Norman +. Mack, Mrs. Simon
Baruch, Mrs. Stephen $. Wise, Mrs.
Robert Adamson, Mrs. Leonard Hill,
Mrs. Franklin X. Lane, Mrs. J. P. Me-
man. Mrs. Irving lehman, Mrs. Perry
Belmont and Mrs. Gilbert McClurg.
So now DR.. Freedman hopes TO find
& home for the founding in IA cheerful
hall of fame, where it will be surround
ed by portraits OF all the Presidents
and Of "well known statesmen who have
been unsuccessful candidates for the
Office"
DR.. Freedman is now guarding the
picture in his home, at 230 West ll5tn
Street
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