Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-05-26

XTAESHINGTON, D. c., May 21.-
wv Among the employees of the coast
and geodetic survey here in the year
1854 was an irascible, impudent, handsome
young man named Whistler. He had been
cadet at Vest Point and had been discharg-
ed for his inability to learn chemistry. In
an oral examination he told the professor
that silicon was gas. That was the end of
his military career. AS he said later in. life,
eff silicon had been gas I should have
been a soldier"
His career in the coast and geodetic sur
vey was not much more successful than in
the military academy. He showed an aptitude
for graphic art, and so was set to drawing
and engraving maps. He made plate known
as Coast Survey No. 1, which is said to be
one of the most beautiful that the govern
ment ever turned out. Unfortunately he
could not resist the temptation to embellish
it with few portraits around the margins,
and this was resented Ly his superiors Soon
Whistler was out of he government service,
and little later he left the United States for
Paris to study art
Whistler never returned to America in the
flesh, but within the last few months he
may be said to have returne. to it in the
spirit In the library of congress, Joseph Pen
nell, Whstler's official biographer, has in
stalled his great collection of Whistler etch-
ings, letters, manuscripts and 9th memen-
tos of the man who failed in America as a
SOV6ruulSuC euplOy6 anu SOlulST, anu W6uC
abroad to become one of the greatest artists
of his generation. And down on the Mall
there has recently been completed the Freer
gallery, which will contain as it's chief treas
ure the famous Peacock room, decorated by
Whistler for a British millionaire. So, after
an absence of more than half Gentry, and
nearly 20 years after his own death, Whistler
may be said to have returned in triumph to
his native land.
Importance of Whistler
Whistler belongs to that small company of
Americans who have Won the attention of the
whole civilized world-the company of Poe
and Whitman and Emerson in literature, of
Grant and Lincoln in war and government.
Of them all, he is perhaps the least known to
Americans in general. This is not remarkable
in view of the fact that Whistler spent. his
whole working life in Europe, and that most
of his paintings in European gallaries
Most of his time was spent in London, and
the British are inclined to claim him as
British artist. But he was born in Massa-
chusetts of old American stock and if not
educated in America, at least the attempt
was made here Furthermore, he always
thought of himself as an American, defend
ed America against all corners with one of
the sharpest tongues in Europe, and strange
ly enough, looked back upon his days in West
Point with pride. Military etiquette appeal
ed to him. He would often criticize conduct
with the words: "That is not West Point"
Now that sol.lv of Whistler's best work has
been placed here in Washington where all the
honeymooning couples the rubberneck wagon
parties, the delegates to conventions, will
daily file past it in the course of their con-
scfentious duty as sfghtseers, it is probable
that his fame in his native land will grow.
Certainly all that he needs is press agent,
for he had the kind of a personality that
lends itself to popular legend. This is really
more important to mans fame than is his
work. Poe, of all great Americans in the fine
arts, is the best known because of the pic
turesque and sensational qualities of his life.
Whistler does not seem to have shared Poe's
taste for red liquor and sad love affairs, but
he was born fighter. All his life he fought
with his tongue, his pen, in the courts, and
with his fists. His fighting is mystery. His
art was supremely serene and restrained, but
his personality was aggressive and explosive.
He came his fathers side of a military
family, and the love of battle for it's own
sake may have been in his blood Sometimes
his fighting suggests this. He seemed to
need it as a stimulus. When L man died
with whom he had long wrangled, Whistler
1amented him:
Missed His Enemies
"Tommy's dead" he mourned. I'm lone
some. They are all dying. I have hardly
warm personal enemy left"
In all of his battles, verbal and otherwise,
Whistler seems to have come off well. Stott,
fellow artist much large~ than himself, in
suited him in London club. Both of them
published their versions of the encounter in
the newspapers. Stott's version was yelled
and evasive, but Whistler's was highly
specific.
'"The incident closed" he wrote, "by kick