Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-05-14
WALLACE DEFENDS
UNORTHODOX ART
OF P. ". A. GROUP
Admits Some of 1t May Be
"Cockeyed," but Likes
Its Spirit.
REYFORD'S VISION
OF SOIL PRAISED
American Federation of Art Is
Warned Conception of Artistic
May Be Wrong.

Secretary of Agriculture Wallace,
who recently championed the Ladies
in Cheesecloth" mural in his depart
ment because it is classic, turned
in the opposite direction today and
warmly praised the unorthodox work
of young P. W. A. artist, whose
work and demeanor have drawn froWnS
of severe disapproval from many men,
bers of the American Federation of
Art, before whom the cabinet member
spoke.
Some of this P w A. art work
may be cock-eyed but l like it," said
Secretary Wallace to his august and
conservative audience, composed of
delegates to the twenty-fifth annual
convention of the federation.
Take. for example, young fellow
who came to my office not so long
ago, named Reyford. He had an idea
of basing his art on the American
soil and the legends which have
sprung out of it.
He showed me pictures of Paul
Bunyan, with Aztec figures all around
the borders; of Uncle Remus, and
of Casey Jones Straddling the stack
of locomotive.
Likes Spirit.
"I don't know whether this is art
or not, but it shows vigorous COM
ing cut of the American spirit"
The Reyford to whom the Secretary
referred is Julian Lee Reyford, who
came to Washington some six months
ago to get a job, Boosting ne was
Americas greatest sculptor, painter
and poet. He incidentally admitted
he was the country's most corceited
man.
Secretary Wallace said he would
do all he could to see that some of
Reyfords work is hung in the De-
partment of Agriculture.
He admitted he could not "See at
all" some of the P w. A. art. He
criticized the emphasis in it on
machinery.
Il don't think machinery is the
last word in expressing the American
spirit" Wallace declared. I'VE can
mix the American impulse with what
is best in European art and still get
good results. Art is not necessarily,
however, something associated with
Greece, or Rome, or Gothic cathe-
drals, but should be the aesthetic ex-
preston of a people"
Warns Artists.
He warned the assembled artists not
to be too sure in their conception
of art.
I'm afraid of organized enthusi-
asm," he said, land I'm scared to
death Of organizations"
Farm people now have little time
for art, Secretary Wallace said, ad-
ding that he hoped this condition
some day would be changed.
Robert D. Kohn, director of housing
of the P. W. A., said the low-cost
housing and slum clearance program
of the Federal Government presents
great opportunity for artistic express
sion.
The program, he declared. is start
ing something more than an emergency
employment measure. He said:
"It is setting under way a move
ment which must carry on through
the course Of years. If wisely guided
this movement means the rehabilita-
ton, the rebuilding or the replacement
of innumerable urban areas. 1t must
do so for various reasons, principally,
however, because the impulse to i'm
prove living conditions for the dis
advantaged lower-income groups has
taken hold of the imagination of the
people. Moreover, most of our cities
are suffering from the losses incurred
through the fact that on housing in
the rotting central cores of the cities
taxes cannot be collected and the ex-
pense of operating these slums is two
or three times as great as in the better
regions"
artistic treatment of community de-
Velopment.
Zook Is Heard.
Others who addressed the fedora
ton were George F. zook, commits
sioner of education; Arno B. Cam
merer, director of the National Park
Service, and John Collier, commits
sioner of Indian affairs.
In the course of his address Cam
merer took occasion to criticize the
miscellany of stone monuments"
around the Gettysburg battlefield. He
said the monuments detract from
the dignity of the battlefield as me-
mortal" and ARE in no way conducive
to the restful contemplation which
should be possible there"
Frederic A. Whiting. president of
the federation, presented the report
of the board of directors. Clarence
c. Zantzinger of Philadelphia, vice
president, presided.
This afternoon the delegates were
to go to the Freer Gallery to take
part in a Whistler memorial program.
Among those scheduled to speak were
Elizabeth Luther Cary, New York
Times art critic; Mrs. John w. Alex
ander, Mrs. Joseph Pennell. Clifford
Adams and Edmund H. Wuerpel.
The convention will close Wednes-
day night with dinner. at which
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt will be
the principal speaker.