Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.

Hall Of Fame in the National Capital
specially designed to visualize to future
generations the nlien and physical pro.
portions of the men and women who
have done most Tor the country ane
humanity in the building of this grea
Nation. and adequate to accommodate
all who are found deserving of a place
there, is now proposed as an addition
to the Federal building program now in
progress.
Not only the Capital builders anc
members Of both houses of Congress
but the country as a whole has enthu-
Siastically welcomed this legislative sug.
geStion by Representative George Hold
en- Tinkham. Republican. of Massachu-
sets. for new monumental structure
to replace the present "Statuary Hall
in the Capitol, which was the origina
Hall of Representatives, and which l.
already overcrowded by 81 statues, con
tributed by 80 of the AZ States, so that
it has long since taken on the appear
ance of small room packed full OF
huge bric-a -brac.
1t is contemplated that the Hall Of
Fame would be loadstone to attract
the attention and fire the ambition and
patriotism OF young and old from al
parts of the country. The Tinkham
the several commissions who are most
intimately associated in the develop
ment Of the Capital and for early pres
entation OF definite plans to Congress
He calls the present Stetuary Hall the
storage warehouse" in the Capitol
and as matter Of fact there has been
considerable discussion for several
years as to where a more suitable
place could be provided for placing
these statues, mindful of the fact that
the States still have a right to con-
tribute 80 more statues In response to
the invitation extended IS years ago
BY act Of July 2. 1864, Congress set
aside the old Hall Of Representatives as
Statuary Hall and the President was
authorized to invite each of the States
to present two statues, either in marble
or bronze, of men who have been cit
liens thereof and illustrious for their
historic renown or from distinguished
civic or military services, such as each
State shall determine to be worthy OF
this national commemoration."
Rhode Island presented the first
statue in 1870, that Of Nathaniel Greene
and when q resolution was offered in
the Senate directing formal acceptance
W AOcos ~ Wdo NIL w ASOh VI
Massachusetts, who emphasized that
the law as 1t now stands is complete
in itself and requires no legislation
whatever" 30 that the absolute right
OF the States to place 80 additional
statues In Statuary Hall is absolute by
the records.
1t was evidently far from the thoughts
of the legislators at that time that the
States would so quickly make their deci-
Sions and that so many famous men
and women would have been honored
by 1929. In 1889 there were but Ia
statues in the hall and in 1895 there
were but 81 In place. The latest to be
unveiled was a particularly impressive
representation Of the late Senator Rob-
ert M. La Toilette of Wisconsin.
were hasty and precipitate in making
their selections, and that time will bring
contests over removing some Of these
States to make place for others is shown
by the proposal In Boston a few months
ago to remove one of the Massachusetts
statues to make way for one of the late
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge.
Representative Tinkham in explaining
his proposal for a specially constructed
Hall Of Fame, Of adequate size and SO
arranged as to give each piece of sculp-
ture the best possible setting in which
1t may be seen by the hundreds OF
thousands of patriotic persons who visit
the Capital each year, calls attention
that the 81 statues already in place Sc
crowd the hall that not only is there
one complete circle, with no more avail
able space in the circle, but there are
two statues back of this circle in very
bad light, and second circle has been
started"
1T follows that when the remaining
80 statues have been received they
would have to be placed so close to-
gether that the hall would have the
appearance of q storage warehouse
This condition In Statuary Hall has
been a source Of ridicule and contempt
for Americas lack Of dignity and cul-
ture for some years. The receipt of the
statues yet to come will aad
to this criticism. Statuary Hall mas
served its day. It has been q SYMBOL
with q noble and inspiring sentiment
back Of it,
Representative Tinkham, who for
twoscore years has been an almost con-
slant voyageur, visiting as q STUDENT
far corners Of the globe, points out thai
the old world has more than one pal.
ace of fame. There are Pantheons In
both Rome and Paris. The word
Pantheon" Is Greek, yet Greece had &C
building specifically dedicated to the
counterfeit presentments" of its IA
NOUS citizens. What appears to have
been the closest approach to such q
hall of fame was q Treasure House"
erected in Delphi by the different states
of Greece. Statues of heroes, rulers
and distinguished men were placed
there as gifts, usually dedicated to
Apollo.
The Temple to Hera. at Olympia, &C
cording to Representative Tinkham, had
the same function. and claS-
sic presidents for halls of fame are not
lacking. Even before the days of claS-
sic Greece, nations commemoratsd
their leaders by placing efiigies of them
along with their gods In sacred places
The visitors to the Sieges-Allee. In Ber-
lin, see series OF statues of Kings and
Emperors of the House of HohenZollern
Southern Germany had its own Hall of
Fame. Ludwig erected the German
"Walhalla," at Regensburg, on the
Danube. Great Britain has Westmin-
ster Abbey and st. Paul's, in London.
1T Is plain enough with regard
to Halls Of Fame" said an article in
the Art World Is years ago, which Rep
Tinkham'S research has dis
closed, that there Is little to see in
Europe which can be taken as prece-
dent At for our institution. Prone as
our architects and artists generally are
to lean hard upon some European orig
inal. no matter how unsuited it may be
to our needs. habits and climate, there
is nothing in Pantheon's Walhalla for
us. One may say that to a sensitive
lover of art visit to the Regensburg
paradise for the famous is distinctly
depressing, while the Pantheon at Paris
Is hardly better.
AN American building which may
serve to recall our departed great must
start from q different attitude of mind.
Neither royalties. nor men of rank, nor
nor officers of the Army and