Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-30
c. 0.P. TOMAKE DC.
:. INTELLECT CENTER
Plea of Fess for Archives
Building and University
Held Very Significant.

That Congress should, and easily
can. make this city take first rank
among all the capitals as the worlds
greatest intellectual center, was de-
clared by Representative Simeon D.
Fess of Ohio chairman of the House
committee on education, yesterday.
He advocated two steps as necessary:
First, the erection Of modern ar
chives building. to complete the
records. and steps have already been
taken to supply this need.
Second, establishment of a national
university as a research institution
to utilize the vast library sources and
the laboratory facilities connected
government. rich beyond those of
any country on the globe" he said.
AS Representative Fess is chairman
of the republican congressional cam
paign committee which captured con-
troll of both branches of Congress
from the democrats, with an unprece-
denied republican majority in the
House, his speech is taken as evil
dence Of a republican policy to make
this city the worlds greatest center
OF scholarship"
Archives Building Greatly Needed.
In regard to the archives building,
Representative Fess said:
1.-The necessity of this building has
long been apparent and its location
and erection viii doubtless take place
in the near future. The universal
approval is evidenced by the unani-
nous action of the House to proceed
to select a site. but which was inter-
rupted by the war"
Indications are that work will soon
q 1rf fo h; or,
an initial appropriation of $1,000. 900
has been asked by the Secretary of
the Treasury for site. commence
ment of building and technical work"
1t is pointed out by the commits
for about $4,000 and the transfer
made within ninety days. The plan
of erecting a plain concrete structure
without facing for the time being,
and completing the structure at a
future time, when materials might
be cheaper. is favored by the Fine
Arts Commission. according to testi-
mony of James A. Wetmore. acting
supervising architect of the Treasury
Department.
Lauds Library's Wonders.
Representative Tess spoke at length
about the Library of Congress-, and
then. in conclusion. said:
1.-The library is a complete salts
IdCtloH 10 the peTtuTDeQ soul OF the
scholarly Edward Everett, who years
ago exclaimed. "Who can see with
out shame that the federal govern
ment Of America is the only govern
ment in the civilized world that has
never founded a literary institution
of any description or sort?"
''The answer to that cry is the
worlds finest research CENTER" he de-
clared.
Speaking Of the Library Of Congress,
he said:
East of the Capitol stands the most
beautiful building in the world. the
creation OF the genius Of the archi-
tect, sculptor and painter. Within
its walls Is found a collection of pub
locations which is rapidly overtaking
the Bibliotheque Rationale of Paris
and the British Museum Of London,
the only other libraries which exceed
in number of books the Library of Con-
gress.
I'm this library is found the worlds
greatest collection of musical COM
position, as we'll as the first rank in
the number OF maps. The library.
hence, is not only the most superb in
it's beauty of design. but its arrange