Evening star., 1922-02-28

"H HE necessity for Q national
archives building, to house
the priceless historical rec
ords Of the United States gov
siifment. which now are scattered
through the various government de-
partments, and stored in both gov
ernment-owned and rented buildings
where there Is grave fire hazard, Is
again urged upon Congress, with the
prospect that the. present Congress
will finally act upon. this important
matter. which has been recommended
by the highest government omcials
Of both political parties for more
than a decade.
William Howard Taft, the present
Chief Justice. when he was President
sent. to. Congress q message in 1912
stressing ''the necessity for the erec-
tion of building to contain the
public archives" AS chief. executive
unsatisfactory distribution Of rec
ords. the lack Of any proper index OF
guide to their contents, is well known
to those familiar with the needs OF
the government in this capital" with
this message he transmitted to Con-
gress correspondence he had had with
Prof. j. Franklin Jameson. director
of the department of historical re.
search Of the Carnegie Institution OF
Washington. in which Prof. Jameson
urged action, as a member OF COM
mittee appointed by the executive
council of the American Historical
Association to bring the matter to the
gress.
X X X
Representative Simeon d. Fess OF
Ohio, chairman Of the House COM
mittee on education, recognized Al
one Of the greatest students OF his.
tory and political science and gov
ernmental research in this country
six years ago delivered an extensive
address In the House. setting forth
the Importance of early action te
safeguard the fundamental docu'
ments and historical papers Of the
nation, through putting them IN q
model building, where they WILL of
accessible to historians.
An act of March 4. 1913. passed ir
response to President Taft's message
as amended by the act of June rs
1916, in consequence OF Representa-
tive Fess' speech. authorized q site
and building of q permanent home
for the national archives. but Il
acquired until after the approval o.
designs and estimates for the build
ing by a commi ssion consisting OF the
Vice President, the Speaker OF thu
House of Representatives and thu
Secretaries of the Treasury. War ant
INerior Departments.
Owing to the character OF this
legislation it has not been possible
to prepare other than typical plans
the architectural treatment being
largely dependent upon the Location
and surroundings of the site to bt
subsequently selected. These typi'
cal plans were approved by the com
mission, as we'll as proposed loca
ton. which has since been used fol
another building. and the estimate
for the work was also approved.
u + i +
The acting Secretary of the Treas
ury. J. H. Moyle, on August %, 1919
sent a letter to Congress urging IL
the name Of the Treasury Depart
ment that further steps should b'
taken looking to the speedy acquisi
ton of a site and the construction
of a suitable fireproof building fol
the preservation of public records
The attention of Congress was espe
cially brought to bear on the fact tina
while such a building vas showI
by the highest authorities to be al
urgent necessity before the worlt
war, the accumulation of valuable
public records has been SO grestl!
added to as a result OF that giganti,
struggle as to make 1T well-nigi
criminal tosdelay longer the erection
of an archives building.
OFFICIAL reports made to Congress
showed that papers of inestimabl'
| value are now stored in numerous
out of the way and i1accessibl'
places, some being in government