Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-23
VIDENER IS silent !
on ART COLLECTION.
Former Head Of Jury Won't
Comment on Disposal of
Fathers Pictures
OFFER WING FOR J0HNs0N'S

Joseph z. Widcner. who until he re-
signed Yesterday was president Of the
Arr Jury. today refused, to affirm or
dcny the report tint he would call off
his plan to give his 1000. 900 coll
lection Of pain to the city.
~ will not comment on that matter
nj all." Mr.. Widcner said. just before
hc left here for New York.
Mr.. Widener resigned as head of the
Art Jury in consequence of Mayor
Moore's veto of plan to have IN inde-
pepdent gallery to house the John G.
Johnson art collection. Dispute over
the power Of the Art Jury relating to
retouching Independence Hall pictures
also entered into the controversy.
Mr.. widencr had planned.to give his
collection to the city in the form Of
memorial to his father. He announced
his plan in December. 1913. providing
The conditions surrounding art matters
IN this city are satisfactory.
"Trustees of the johnson collection
NAV get 909-year lease on q wing
In the new Art Museum for housing
that collection.
Maurice Bower Saul. counsel for the
executors and trustees of the johnson
will, is father of the suggestion, and
Mayor Moore is said to favor 1t.
This suggestion is put forward as a
substitute to the plan for an inde-
pendent gallery to house the johnson
collection.
Money originally assigned to provide
a home for the johnson collection has
been rcappropriated to pay for some re-
pairs to the collection and the estab-
iishment of a municipal bathing beach
IN Fairmount Park.
The plan to house the collection In
the Art Museum, Mr.. Saul says, Is en-
tirely feasible.
All that is necessary, according to the
counsel for the trustees. Is for the
Mayor. City Council and Fairmount
Park Commission to grant to them the
control of the wing in the Art Museum
will have the care and management of
the 400 pictures, and can keep them
free from politics, as Mr.. johnson re-
qLired.
II might take the form Of perpetual
or 909-year lease of the wing to the
Johnson trustees, and the Park Com
mission has unquestionable power. It
was stated. to make such a contract.
There has been long delay over the
Orphans Court petition looking to an
independent art gallery. which Mayor
Moore now orders abandoned. The
Mayors desire Is to get the $4,000, 900
johnson gift on exhibition for the bene-
fit of the people, and 1t is likely that
he and Mr.. Saul. c. s. W. Packard. of
the Pennsylvania Co.. and other John
son trustees will get into conference on
the subject in the next few days.
Mr.. Saurs statement on the subject
was as follows:
Mayor Moore Is informed that he
can have the johnson art collection
placed in a wing of the Art Museum. If
the control of that wing Is placed in the
hands Of the trustees under Mr.. John
sons Will. so as to keep the collection
out Of politics.
In order to carry out the Mayors
suggestion,' said Mr.. Saul. ''it will be
necessary to have the City Council pass
ahew ordinance and tho Fairmount
Park Commission and the trustees and
aA parties to unite In new petition to
the Orphans Court.
The city and the Fairmount Park
Commission would have to make some
form Of 099-year lease or grant of con-
troll Of the wing Of the Art Museum
TO the johnson trustees and that Agree
ment would probably have to be incor-
porated in a decree of the Orphans
Court as part of its adjudication"