Evening star., 1924-01-28
in TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS

Some one has said that art has al
ways thrived best Immediately after
war. If so. 1t may account for the
fact that Congress has soon to con-
slider three projects connected with
art, each of which is of extraordinary
/ interest and magnitude.
One project is expressed in n bill
presented by Representative Langley
of Kentucky, chairman of the com
mittee on public buildings and
grounds. This bill proposes the APP
ipointment of a joint commission
made up IF two members of the Sen
late, two Of the House and four
lothers 10 consider u project to erect
L magnificent palace of fine and in
lGustriai arts, in the Capital, at a
cost Of $S5,OOO,00O In It would be
housed the best of all forms of art
together with schools and technical
libraries bearing upon art knowledge.
! Some Of the required capital has
been offered, but the project Is bas-
ed upon the idea that the government
would donate the site and give some
$25, 100000 toward the cost of erec-
tion; then the promoter would So
licit the balance from millionajres
and the states.
| Mr.. Dooley once analyzed the Car
! ncgie libraries. MIR. Carnegie gives
the buildings. and leaves the local
communities to find the books. 1T
iiSnt Htcratoor, HenneSsy," said MIR.
poolcy." it's architectoor"
< = x
The second art project will soon be
brought to the attention of Congress
through bill to be presented bv SEN
'ator Henry Cabot Lodge, president
iof the board of regents of the Smith
Sontan Institution. This bill will ap-
propriate some $5,0O0,00O or less for
the beginning OF a group of buildings
in which TO house the National Art
iGallery and the Historical Museum
comprising the relies of the world
war and other wars The need of
these buildings is obvious.
AT present the National Art Gallery
occupies some 10000 square feet OF
moor space, crowding the New Ma
tional Museum Of Natural History,
for which the building was intended.
80 limited Is the space of the art
gallery that gifts offered to the gov
ernment of an average value Of $780,
700 year are refused because there
! Is no way of displaying them The
government has never invested a
dollar in works of art for the gall
Lery, yet 1t now possesses q collection
valued at Sl0.000,00O
When the priceless F'reer collec-
tion was first offered. the regents of
the smithsonian Institution (who
iIery) were in despair for want of ac-
Commodations. They reported 10
President Roosevelt who advised
them to accept the collection with the
assurance that a place would be
must be-found. Finally. the donor
iot the collection added nearly 1000
600, with which the special buildine
ana fund for purchasing additional
works were provided
4 X !:
The third project before Congress
! is expressed in a bill introduced hy
Representative George Holden Tink-
ham of Massachusetts to establish a
department of art. the secretary to
nave place in the Presidents cab
! met. The United States is the only
nation Of first rank which lacks such
! a department.
1t is not alone in the interest OF
painters of pictures, of mural decora-
tions, or of SculptorS whose works
adorn public squares and parks that
a department Of art is advocate
! Nor is 1t the Whim of a CONGRESSMAN
both fine and Industrial Manu-
tacturers Of textiles. Of pottery, OF
! furniture. builders of houses and
! churches and public Structures-all
! who understand that art is beauty
and that beauty lifts the mind above
Sordidness and adds to life the sniri,
( OF refinement, appreciate the fact that
n American production is to hold lis
place in the markets of the world
IL Americans are 20 enhance their
Al a tENF .
the equals spiritually in the worlG
with all that is best in other ma.
tionalities. they must cultivate no,
merely the useful. but also the fiji
and the beautiful
The Tinkham bill is supported by
! the Massachusetts, state art COM
mission, aud its secretary. Walter
Gilman Page, co-operated with Rep
! resentative Tinkham in preparing
the bill recently introduced The