Evening star., 1935-11-26
ARCHIVES BUILDING
IMPORTANCE TOLD
Robert D. w. Connor Details
Records Depository to
. Forum Audience.

The erection of the National Archives
Building solves century-old problem
OF the Government, Robert D. w. Con-
nor. archivist Of the United States,
said last night in an address In the
National Radio Forum.
The forum, arranged by The Star,
goes over a Nationwide network of
the National Broadcasting Co.
Connor emphasized the Importance
Of having depository for the priceless
records which he explained constitute
''the first and foremost of all the
sources of the Nations history" telling
what the lack of such facilities has
meant in years past when there was
damage from one source or another.
Sold as Junk.
Stamp collectors, autograph hunters
and thieves mutilated or purloined
valuable documents also" he said. I'm
one case cabinet official sold 400 tons
Of official records to Junk dealer"
From an administrative point OF
view, DR.. Connor said, the Archives
Building, which cost $12,000,000, sis
perhaps the most nearly perfect build
ing of its kind to be found anywhere" )"
Each State of the Union. the archivist
told his audience, contributed either
services or materials for the structure.
Along with the documents to be
stored there, motion picture films and
sound recordings of historical events
also will be preserved"
Mr.. Connor'S address follows:
The erection of the National
Archives Building in Washington
marks the consummation of move
ment for the centraliZation and scien-
tific preservation of the archives of
the United States Government that
was launched more than century
ago. Like the ebb and flow of the
tide, this movement at times ran with
great rapidity and power, at other
times 1t has been sluggish and weak,
but never since Congress in 1910 ap-
propriated money for the building of
q fireproof depository for 'the preser-
walton and orderly arrangement" of
''the ancient public records and
archives of the United States" has it
entirely subsidized. In the erection Of
the National Archives Building the
movement reached its high water
mark.
In this building, for the first time
In our history, is provided a safe de-
pository where the archives of the
United States Government may be
centralized, arranged, catalogued and
VNroSaruoH
asked to define the term archives. +"
The word is used to signify, first, a
depository or building in which
archives are stored; secondly, the
contents of such depository: and,
thirdly, the depository and its con-
tents as a whole. In its latter sense
the term National Archives of the
United States embraces the National
Archives Building together with its
contents. The Federal archives in
clude that vast accumulation of docu-
nnents, papers, instruments and other
records created day by day in the
transaction of the business of the
Federal Government. Thus these
archives embrace official papers and
other records dating from the very
beginning Of our Federal Government
down to those dated November 25,
1885.
Records of Vital Interest.
The question is often raised whether
these records. after they have ceased
to be Of current use, are worth pre-
serving. The answer is that these
archives are of vital interest not only
to the Government itself, but equally
20 to the people Of the United States.
Their destruction or loss would seri-
ously affect the interests of the Gov
eminent and the rights and liberties
Of the people. Upon their preserva-
ton depends the orderly procedure of
the. current business of the Govern
ment. They constitute its chief pro-
lection against unfounded claims. In
international affairs they are the
principal source of authentic informa-
tion as to the foreign policy of the
Government, from which arguments
may be drawn to support the rights
and interests of the Nation. They
contain the evidence of the Just
claims which a citizen may have
against the Government, the titles to
millions of acres of land granted by
the Government to millions of people,
they are the records Of thousands of
patent rights involving hundreds of
millions Of dollars. Moreover these
archives constitute "the first and
foremost Of all the sources of the
Nations history" of our knowledge
Of the principles upon which the
Nation was founded, and of the rights
and liberties to which an American
citizen Is entitled.
The problem Of the proper care Of
the public archives arose even before
the organization of the Government
itself. At its first meeting the Con-
tinental Congress of 1774, conscious of
the importance which posterity would
attach to its proceedings, took steps
to preserve the records Of its delib-
erations and its actions. The result
Is found today in the 595 bound VOL
umes Of manuscripts which constitute
the archives Of the Government from
1774 to 1789. But for the preserva-
ton Of these archives our knowledge
Of the period of our history which
gave us independence and constitu-
honal Government would be very scant
indeed. Before the permanent removal
Of the seat Of Government from Phil
&delphia to Washington, in 1900, these
archives had no permanent abiding
place and were forced to keep up with
the peregrinations of Congress from
city to city. much to their inconven-
fence. danger. and consequent damage
Problems More Acute.
After the organization of the new
Government under the Constitution
and its removal to Washington, the
problem Of the National archives be-
came even more acute. They not only
increased rapidly in volume, but also
In value, and there was not single
building in the new Capital City in
which they could be safely housed