Evening star., 1926-09-24
ARCHITECTS STUDY
ARCHIVES PLANS
Conference of Experts Called
at Treasury to Consider
Proposed Building.

A conference of distinguished eX-
perts today was called by the Treas
ury. to formulate general plans for
the Governments great archives build
ing to be erected here.
Meeting in the office of Charles S..
Dewey. Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury. the conferees took up
in a general way the whole ques-
ton of how the American Govern
ment can build it's archives building
in such fashion as to combine all the
best features of the greatest archives
of the world.
In the group attending the confer
ence were men who are familiar with
the prominent archives structures in
Europe. The conference included Mr..
Dewey, Supervising Architect James
A. Wetmore, Herbert Putnam,
librarian of Congress: Charles Moore,
chairman of the Fine Arts Commis-
sion and chief of the manuscripts divi-
sion, Library of Congress; DR.. G.
chusetts Historical Society, and DIR. j.
Franklin Jameson of the Carnegie In
stitution.
building PlanS Examined.
After a short discussion of the
whole project in the office of Mr..
Dewey the experts proceeded to the
office of the supervising architect
where they looked over plans which
already have been drawn for the
building.
Some suggestions were made by the
experts, and it is understood arrange
&c MI hn 6r9 n G
to incorporate the new proposals.
Another conference will be held later,
when questions Of more detail will be
considered.
Among the matters considered this
morning were the administration of
the archives. Congress appropriated
money for construction of the build
ing, and the Public Buildings Com
mission has selected a site bounded
by Twelfth and Thirteenth, B and
c streets bordering the Mall. But
one Of the principal questions as yet
undecided is who shall administer
the archives. 1t was suggested in
formally, prior to the conference this
morning. that perhaps an "archivist"
should be appointed under the Ii
brarian of Congress to be responsible
for the great Government StorehOuSe
of records. Others have proposed
that the archives be under an indie
pendent establishment and diSaSso-
ciated from any department of the
Government.
How the Government, on the one
hand. will cooperate with the new
administration in using the records,
and how, on the other hand, the pub
lie itself will be admitted was one of
the general questions considered to-
day The material from which the
structure should be built was also
discussed. But no final decisions of
any nature were reached.
Pleased With Results.
Officials at the Treasury appeared
pleased with the results of the con-
ference and, are ready TO proceed
steadily with the project in the plan
ming stage.
The site on which the building will
be erected is among the squares to
be condemned. and the Department of
Justice is going ahead with suits to
obtain possession of the land.
Tentative plans already drawn at
the Treasury We're prepared only aft
er extensive study was made from the
plans of several of the large ar
chives structures of Europe, which
some time ago were loaned to the
United States for the purpose. The
group meeting today was the first, Of
its kind and was understood to have.
developed much which will be helpful
The archives building for the United