Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-04

REPRESENTATIVE COLLINS.
the greatest reference library in the
world, and potent instrument for the
preservation Of democracy through
education.
Makes Historic Address.
He Joined hands with DR.. Vollbehr.
Last February he made from the floor
an address which, appearing in the
pages of the Congressional Record, will
go down in history as one of the most
unusual contributions ever to adorn that
publication. It was seized upon by the
scientific and literary world, which be-
gan to hail Mr.. Collins as its legislative
leader: Letters and kilograms from SCI
enttt1c societies, colleges and editors of
learned publications began to pour in
upon him.
There still was hurdle to be crossed
The committee on the Library, to which
the measure had been referred, reported
it back to the House without comment,
stating that it represented such a de-
parture that the members did not care
to take the responsibility of either ap-
proving or disappearing it. But it has
been passed, not without Subterranean
opposition, by both House and Senate.
and yesterday was signed by the Presi-
dent.
Both Representative Collins and DR..
Vollbehr are enthusiastic, but with
mixed feelings.
Nonsense" says Mr.. Collins. Buy
ing reference books is no new depar-
ture''
But in the next breath he adds that
the ice has been broken, that the ma
tional legislative body has definitely
taken the path from the obviously and
grossly unitarian to the fostering of
higher culture and scholarship that
the Library of Congress is on its way
toward becoming a great center of
American learning, and that almost
Tor the price of one torpedo boat we can
nave a library second to none in the
world"
Nation Creates Precedent
1t is not exactly a new departure.
The Library of Congress has purchased
rare books before. But now the Amer
lean Nation, through Congress, has
created precedent The resources and
needs have been widely advertised. Mr..
Collins believes that the extreme gene
roS1ty OF DR.. Vollbehr will start MANY
American owners of literary treasures
TO emulating his example and giving
their books to the public through the
library.
He believes, moreover, that Congress
has indicated itself intellectually.
This should show" he saws, that
members Of Congress are not a lot of
ignoramuSes, as some seem to have as
sumed. OF course, there are some who
don't belong there but the great ma
Jorlty are educated men,"
And he relates that two of his COL
leagues visited DR.. Vollbehr's apart
ment one night recently and had the
time Of their lives porting over the old
books. One buried himself in a treatise
on magic written in old French and
printed In Gothic letters. Only few
read 1t. And the other became alb
sorbed in the Latin encyclopedia which
he read with ease That, Mr.. Collins
thinks, is sample of the scholarship
and tastes of Congress.
But he is far from admitting that the
books are luXuries, available only to the
few. They are, he holds, storehouses
OF ideas and eventually few persons in
the United States will not benefit, d.
rectly or otherwise, from the ideas
stored there. Doctors, lawyers, crafts
men, printers will get ideas from them.
Just for example, he says, when they
are available to the public they are
almost certain to influence the designs
OF American wall paper and thus ex-
tend into every home. OF course, only
handful OF men will mine the ideas
out Of the old French, German and
Latin. But once mined they will be
available to all.
Available To World
AS for DR.. Vollbehr-his feelings are
strangely mixed. He is parting with
the labor and love of a lifetime He is
leaving it among strangers. No suave
salesman is this blunt German doctor.
He Is not entirely without bitterness
when he speaks of the turn of events
that has practically forced one Of a
defeated nation to become the volun-
tary and generous benefactor of the
victor. But he knows that his be-
loved books will remain together, safe
forever from unsympathetic collectors
ano dealers and in place where they
will be available to the world and do
good for the world.
i wanted them for my own coun-
try" he says. Il am 100 good a Ger
man TO think otherwise. But I did not
want to see my whole life work go for
nothing. And wanted the collection
where 1t would be safe and would be
useful"
And Representative Collins thinks
that there are few books in the LIZ
brary OF Congress which will be con-
suited more frequently than these. He
believes that Congress has done its
duty.
And he believes-but this is an idea
for the future-that some day branch
Libraries Of Congress should be es-
tablished all over the country for he
says, democracy can survive only with
an educated people"