Evening star., 1936-11-22
By Lucy Salamanca.

TINE real Treasury of the United
States is not at that end OF
the Avenue where repose solid
u gold bars stacked one upon
another in their apportioned cham
bers far underneath the earth. The
real Treasury of the United States
is at the other end of the Avenue,
UP on the hill, just east Of the
Capitol, in that beautiful and tram
quill wing Of the Library of Congress
that was built to house, cherish and
preserve the priceless volumes that
hold within their ancient bindings
the writings of man from that time
when Johannes Gutenberg and his
partners, Johann Fust and Peter
6choeffer, labored behind locked
doors and drawn blinds to produce
the first printed book, down through
the centuries that have since re-
corded human history.
Here, in q veritable fortress OF
steel and concrete, is locked and
ttored the wisdom of the ages in
what is one of the finest rare book col
1ections in the world, comprising
more than 10000 priceless, fireplace
able volumes and manuscripts gar
nered from every corner Of the Old
and New Worlds.
Unlike the cold and glittering bars
buried in inaccessible Treasury vaults,
these treasures from the mind of
man are to be had for the asking,
their riches freely and graciously dis
pensed by the curator of the rare book
collection, v. Valta Parma, himself,
and his stan Of trained and courteous
assistants.
Moreover. every comfort and help
Ful supervision is provided for the
Increasing numbers of scholars who
Ere seeking out this invaluable re-
treat for quiet study or an hour Of
Indulgence in what Christopher Nor
ley once termed "the tenderest pleas
nre'-association with fine and beau
6ful books. Today from 20 to 40
saaders register q day-a very high
average for restricted collection
which usually attracts from l to 10
individuals bent upon serious re-
search.
Scholars from all over the world,
foreign dignitaries, professors of uni
Sersities from New Zealand to South
Africa, missionaries from Bali and
Tahiti, and school teachers from
every section of the United States,
TO say nothing Of that increasing
ermy of youth hungry for ancient
wisdom and knowledge Of early seek
ers after fundamental truths, pass
Through the great bronze doors where,
In an atmosphere of charm and quiet,
Ahey are free to read, to handle, to
tdmire or to study any one Of the
10000 items in this superb collec-
kion Of literary rarities. Every ef-
Fort is made to impress upon the
visitor the realization that this is
tis library, these books are his 30
read and enjoy, and that the rare
book collection itself is actually the
property of the people of the United
States Of America, the Congressional
Library simply standing custodian,
Is 1t were, for the treasures.
THAT trust is being discharged in
- q fashion that will insure to
succeeding generations the preserva-
kion of the treasures. Greater care
could not be taken to preserve bind
tngs or pages that would too soon
rrumble into dust exposed to the
inimical affronts of the elements, or
10 salvage from hidden, dusty shelves
books that are invaluable in tracing
the progress of man, and might have
lain hidden in attics or cellars had
not some concentrated effort, such Is
the establishment of this division,
brought them to light and restored
Ihem to public use.
The entire rare book division, built
two years ago, might be compared to
D single vault, for there Is only one
entrance to its reading room, stacks
or corridors, and that Is from the
main hall through massive bronze
doors that swing nightly upon their
treasures as protective and impregna-
hle as the doors to any bank or vault
These doors are in themselves rarely
beautiful and conceived in high artis-
try. OF solid bronze, their design
consists of six panels. three on ethel
door, outlined in intricate and finely
wrought borders. The left panels-ol