The Washington times., 1923-01-15
FINE ARTS HEAD
ATTACKED At
HEARING
Moore Wormed Himself Into
Job and Deceived Hard
ing, Wood Says.

Declaring that Charles Moore,
of Detroit, chairman of the Fine
Arts Commission, has violated
the confidence Of President Hard
ing and had won his reappoint-
ment to the position through
"worming himself into the good
graces of Elihu Root, Chief
Justice Taft, Secretary of State
Hughes" and many other promi1-
ent men, Congressman Wood, OF
Indiana, member of the House
appropriations committee, vicious
" attacked the work of the Fine
Arts Commission during consider
alton of the Independent OFFICES
appropriations bill,
He Processes Wisdom.
They knew nothing about him.
Congressman Wood told his col
leagues. eff they had read the hear.
ings had in the last Congress with
reference to his populations and his
nlalfeasance they never would have
recommended him."
Asked by Congressman Briggs it
any provision was made in the bill
for a salary for Moore, Congressman
Wood said there was not. Last
year" he said, I'VE put provision
in the bill that not one cent OF It
was to be paid for that gentleman
to gallivant around the country on.
He did not gallivant last year. He
n ~ a q.
and the only excuse he has for be-
ing here is by reason of q place pro.
vided for him in the Congressional
Library where he is supposed to be
a judge of ancient manuscripts. He
does not know any more about an
Gent manuscripts than the devil
does about Sunday. He processes to
be wise. He is an architect; he is
an engineer; he is an archaeologist;
he il an ethnologist; and, suspect,
he is hypnotist.'
Congressman Wood declared that
the Fine Arts Commission had been,
responsible for locating the Lincoln
Memorial lin a swamp that has sunk
and is sinking today, and is re-
quiring constant outlay of money"
"The trouble with the Fine Arts
Commission, he declared, sis that
there is not man on it of any
practical business sense" He said
that the commission believes that
1t only has to comply with its own
taste.
Has Defied Congress.
II think it is near time~this Con-
gress should revise the organic law
creating the Fine Arts Commits.
sion. he said, "and il there is to
be one, put on somebody that has
practical sense"
Congressman Wood declared that
1t was the purpose of the Commits.
sion to destroy the suggestion of
President washington with respect
to the Botanic Garden. He told of
how the Commission had defied
Congress in placing the statue of
Meade near the corner of Pennsyl-
vaniaS avenue at Third street.
Congressman Wood told of the
opposition voiced by Moore to the
erection of a central power station
at the foot of Fourteenth street for
Government buildings, as fostered
by Congressman Fitzgerald. After
his opposition had been overruled
by Congress, he said, and the work
begun, Moore, with the assistance
Of Colonel Hart, then in charge of
public buildings and grounds, sud
denly had it discontinued at the
time of the war in 1917.
Money had been appropriated for
this. Wood said, and a tunnel run
to the Treasury Department large
enough to drive wagon through.
An extension had been started TO
the White House when it was
stopped by Colonel Hart as a men
ace to the President from enemies.
The Treasury of the country, Wood
declared. had "been mulcted of
$4,000" as a result of this.