New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-01


enlist it as such
Public Buildings and
The Freer Collection
The remarks in the Autobiography"
extension. The Park Commission plan
| for the District of Columbia, which
was framed to make the national CAPT
tai a truly beautiful city, basng upon
| Major L'Enfant's historic scheme one
| OF positive grandeur, received whole
hearted support from Roosevelt When
Charles F. McKim died and meeting
! IN his memory was held in Washing
ton, Mr.. Roots speech included these
| significant words: "Our President
needed to add nothing to the many
reasons that / have for respect and
affection for him; but he did add to both
J of those by the steadfastness and gen
eral appreciation with which he stood
by McKlm in his strenuous efforts to
prevent the park system plan from be-
ing overslaughed and rendered impos-
sible by subsequent inconsistent con-
struction." That was Roosevelt's way
with the fine arts--to range himself
"on the side Of the angels" and then to
| fight with all his strength for the
| realization of their aims. Save for
Jefferson, we have had no other Prcsi-
| dent so clearly committed to ideals of
good taste in the sphere Of public
architectural design. 1t was in Roose-
velt's administration that McKim re-
| modelled the White House. Projects
for this remodelling had been mootcd
years before. The idea was not in
vented by Roosevelt. But it was moth
ing less than godsend to the Amerl-
can people that when the decisive step
was taken he was there to influence
its direction. 1t is worth while to cite
here Mr. Roots description Of the man
ner in which McKim executed the deli
cate task:
McKim with his reverent spirit his self
restraint sought in the history of the White
House and the history of the time from
which it came the spirit in which he was to
work. Time and time again he has come to
me and talked about what he had found at
Monticello. what he had found here and there
all over the country in the way of remain
ing buildings that expressed the spirit CT the
time of Washington and of Jefferson He
sought for the foundations Of the old cast
never rebuilt after the fire of 1914: at all
events it had long disappeared. and he put
. back the White House as nearly as possible
as it was originally, except that he took cut
all bn mat al mt No hast
material he took out all of the gingerbread
confectioners work that had been put IN in
the course of years and replaced it by simple
and dgnified work, and he left the
White House perfect example of Ameri-
can genteman's home ons the banks Of the
Potomac.
The work done at the White House
was McKim's. But it is important to
remember that in the doing Of it he
tower Of strength, sympathizing with
his high aims, giving every possible aid
to their fulflment.
There is one more artistic debt that
we owe to the great President, the
story Of which brings out his feeling
for fine things and his devotion to the
public good We refer to the gift
made by Mr.. Charles L. Freer, of De-
troit, to the nation. His collection has
status that is unique. In respect to
American art it contains probably the
fullest and most representative body
Of Whistler's work that exists any
where in the world 1t is rich in paint
ings and water colors. 1t contains the
celebrated "Peacock Room" originally
painted for Leylands house in London.
1t embraces complete sets of the etch
ings and Autographs. Besides the
Whistlers, Mr. Freer has assembled i'm
posing groups of certain of the lead
ing masters of American paintng-Ab-
bott H. Thayer, Thomas w. Dewing and
Dwight W. Tryon. For the rest, his at
tention has been devoted to the art Of
the East in countless Of it's manifesto
tons. In Chinese paintings alone the
Freer collection is the first in the
world, a storehouse of treasure we'll
nigh beyond computation. When Mr..
Freer decided that it should become the
property of the people Of the United
States he was naturally concerned as
to how it's interests should be safe
guarded in perpetuity, made forever
secure in the museum which is now
nearing completion in Washington for
its reception. Nobody knows what
might have happened to it if it had
been left to the tender mercies Of or
binary procedure in world too eften
tinctured by politics. Roosevelt settled
the problem. He called in the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court, and with
his aid saw to it that every last detail
in the making Of this princely gift was
placed beyond the hazards of political
chance. Mr.. Freer, like McKim, could
carry great artistic enterprise to sue
cess because he was dealing with Theo-
dore Roosevelt
The Treasures of
Sycamore Hill
The FOREGOING notes arc sufficient r.