Evening star., 1926-05-09

I more conventions VI ever
AA sort, perhaps. than any
other city in the United
States Patriotic organiza
tions in large numbers, Masonic and
other fraternal orders, religious, vel
fare and charitable societies. business
and industrial gatherings come to
the Nations Capital annually. period
ically or occasionally. But there Is
only one national convention on art
that held each Spring by the Amer
lean Federation of Arts, which is TO
take place here next week for three
DAYS beginning Wednesday. in accord
ance with it's custom of meeting blen-
uially in thiS city, and alternate years
elsewhere.
The American Federation of Arts il
the sole orga nZation exclusively dc
voted to promoting the appreciation OF
art and defending arts interests when
ever threatened. This yearly meeting
of art lovers from all over the Coun-
try. to discuss problems and progress.
is so predominantly national i'll spirit
and scope that it's modest beginning
seems hard to credit. The late Mr..
Charles NJ. Ffoulke, president of the
Washington Society of Fine Arts. felt
the necessity of concerted action IN
The cause of art. and accordingly III
the Spring OF 1909 he called meet
ing in his beautiful Tapestry Hall.
one of the most notable private gal
leries in Washington. This little
group. composed of such men and
women as E,lhu Root, Glenn
Brown. William +. Curtis, A. j. Par
sons. Leila Mechlin, Robert Bacon
and Frank Millet. laid the foundations
for the American Federation of Arts.
But even they were unable to fore
see the rapidity. of its growth or the
extent TO which it would penetrate re-
mote sections of the country. few
months following the initial meeting,
exhibitions were being circulated i'll
answer to requests from cities as far
West as Fort Worth, Tex, and the
federations organ, the American
Magazine of Art, had entered its first
volume.
The achievements of any business
organization land the American Fed
Grafton of Arts. while non-profit- bear
ing, was organized upon business
principles are the best indication of
it's value. Although it is only II years
/ old. the federation is credited with
real accomplishments, of which the
success has depended primarily upon
public acquieScence.
1t has grown to include 412 chap
ters In 45 States of the Union, and
the District of Columbia, Hawaii and
Canada as well, including all of the
important art museums and galleries
in each State. It's New York ONCE
is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
and it's Western office at the Univer-
sity of Nebra ska. 1t has individual
members in 1,00S cities.
The greater proportion of the Amer
lean Federation of Arts activities are
perpetual in character, such as its
circulating exhibitions, now number
ing from 40 to so annually, of paint
ings, sculpture, original and reproduc-
tive prints, industrial arts and craft
, work of all kinds; it's circulating Illus
trated lectures, all prepared by au-
thoritative writer's, to take the place
of lecturers in small remote COM
munities; it's Package Library, con-
sisting OF classified magazine and
press clippings In all branches or art
and architecture, particularly for the
use of members living in towns which
lack public library facilities: it's in
! formative publications, the American
Magazine of Art, a monthly journal
lavishly illustrated, with feature ar
ticles by eminent writer's both in this
country and abroad, and news of cur
rent happenings in the world OF art,
sent free to all members Of the Amer
lean Federation of Arts; the America"
Art Annual, who's Who" of
all cotemporary American painters,
sculptors, architects, illustrators and
craftsmen. galleries, art associations.
lists of art sales. etc; Art in Our
Country a handbook listing all public
works of art, sculpture, mural paint
/ ings, memorials and monuments,
, stained glass windows, ETC., to be
found in 700 cities throughout the
United States, and finally, the fedora
| tion's work as general bureau of in.
formation on all subjects in art, which
requires replies to many hundreds OF
letters each month, with no expense
whatsoever to the inquirers.
Other activities of the American
Federation of Arts are undertaken
with definite ends in view. Such is
"