Evening star., 1923-06-03

There are reasons:
GD The fact that such robberies
should be possible to both custodians
and public at large as a reflection on
the merit of their management-since
a custodian who allows thief to get
away with valuables is manifestly at
fault.
Cd They fear that publicity In
these matters is calculated to create
doubts regarding the honesty of
members of their staff-since such
elaborate measure are adopted for
protecting the collections that, at
first sight. 1t seems incredible that
any robbery could be done from the
outside without completely of some
one within.
90 Many of the most valuable
objects Gin museums) have been lent
by citizens, who would naturally in
sist on resuming possession of their
treasures If they entertained any
doubt as to their safety on loan.
So, see! When bank notes or bonds
are stolen, the robbery is made
known far aid wide-and all in
formation published concerning the
numbers and character of the docu-
ments.
But who has heard of the cruel
losses of European museums and
churches since the war?
German museums have been partic-
ularly victimized-for cause!
Like this. If average custodians
shrink from admitting loss of pre-
cious objects belonging to the mu-
scum, how much more shall they
hesitate in the case of valuables
which do not belong to the museum!
* y x
OUCH are. exactly, the millions
- worth of art objects, antiquities,
statuettes, paintings, etc. which the
German armies found in Belgium and
north France-and carried into Ger
many to Safeguard" against theft.
destruction and loss by carelessness
of their Belgian and French custo-
dams.
There has not been time, yet. to
sort out all this mass of salvaged
| beauty and riches. The interally
restitution commissions has been dill
gently seeking to aid in the work.
with immense typewriter lists in
their hands, but as the stuff was thor
cughly put in safety when brought
into Germany for safeguard. the re-
suits have been slow and few.
Now, here the big business COM
binations." employing various gangs
for fine work-piece work, just one
Job or two per month-saw oppor-
tunity.
The Iifters" started in to aid
There are, undoubtedly, big an
| tiquity dealers among them. in the
shadow, giving directions-even Ger
mans. One might say. particularly
Germans. They are wonderfully bet
| ter posted than the restitution COM
missions. They go for the selected
goods, and get them. Doubtless, there
in some subordinate completely inside
those German museums-see how sus-
| picion, in meseum cases. smirches
.. our minds and the regulations of in
nocent custodians!
| How complain that wonderful OBJ
jects, intrusted by the Prince of Croy
| to a Belgian museum, safeguarded in
| Germany since 1914, have been stolen
| from the Museum of Dresden-when
| the interallied commission had never
been able to find them anywhere in
| Germany?
| Alas, the one only complete historic
! collection of gold coins from the
reign of Philip of Valois to Charles
the Tenth. The jeweled miniatures
| by Boucher. Fragonard and Vanloo
! that had been rescued from Amiens
Museum! The stuff was worth $780,
| 600 at least estimate. And the jew
eIed poignard of Francis /. the agate
| of ST. Chapelle, the vase Of the Ptol-
emys, the wonderful ivory diptych oil
| the Borgia and the crown of King
Agilulf! How complain that they
are gone when it was never admitted
| that they were there!
| Where? In Berlin. of course, by
! way of Lille!
/ Simply millions worth of such safe
| guarded treasures have been lifted
| from German museums by wicked
! robbers. yet the public has not heard