Evening star., 1927-10-15
Build a National Gallery.

President Coolidge, at the opening
Of the international exhibition OF
naintings in Pittsburgh, called atten-
ton to the part which art plays In
raising the spiritual level of the peo-
nile. He paid tribute to the masters
OF the brush and palette and to the
men who have reared great galleries
OF art.
Art and opportunity for the appre-
citation of beauty, the President point
: ed out, are not reserved to the Few
in America. Nor should they be. The
inspiration of great painting should
he as free to the newsboy and the
laborer as to the son Of wealth. Pa
irons of art and artists, from the days
Of glorious Greece and imperial Rome,
have been public benefactors. Here
3 in the United States, with history
that in length is scarcely tick OF the
clock of time, the material growth or
the people is the marvel of the world.
Along with this growth must go a
growth of the spiritual, a love OF
heauty and of truth. or the Nation
will fail to meet the ideals OF Its
founders.
In Pittsburgh great galleries OF art
have been founded and are open to
the public. New York, Chicago. Bos-
ton and other American cities have
their art collections. In Washington
the Corcoran Gallery Of Art and the
National Gallery offer wonderful op-
5 portunities to the people who visit
the Capital City. But the National
Gallery Of Art remains without home
of its own. Tucked away in the Ma
tionaI Museum, this collection of
paintings, including works Of the
greatest artists of Europe and Amer
lea. valued at millions Of dollars, is
not properly housed nor given proper
: opportunity to exert its beneficial in
duence.
In Washington, the Capital OF the
Nation, visited by millions of Ameri-
cans and men and women from over
eeas each year, is the fitting place
for a great National Gallery of Art.
comparable to the National Gallery
In London and to the great galleries
in Paris, Berlin and Rome. At pres.
ent the National Gallery Is under the
supervision of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition, and with entire propriety. 1t
1s not the fault Of the Smithsonian
Institution that the gallery is not
properly housed in a building OF its
own, but must be squeezed into few
rooms in the National Museum, with
some of the paintings in dark halls.
The fault lies with Congress. which
has failed to provide the building
needed for the proper display Of these
treasures of art. For several years
site for the gallery building has
= been authorized. But Congress has
20 far not made provision for the
erection of the gallery. although the
project has had many warm friends
among members of Senate and House.
At the coming session or Congress II
is probable that a new site will be
provided, to meet the change in the
z plans for the development of the Mall.
Estimates have been prepared,
showing an expenditure Of $4,000. 900
needed for the construction Of the
National Gallery, and, for a large en-
IA {c
not improbable that funds for the gal
lery will be donated. No greater me-
mortal or gift of greater lasting JOY
and benefit could be provided by an
American. But If the money needed
for the erection and upkeep OF the
National Gallery is not forthcoming
from private sources the Government
should no longer delay.