Evening star., 1936-06-28

claims Of the opposing parties and
who sat by Jove (ZsusJ on his throne
to give him counsel was not, so far as
I know, worshipped or honored in any
temple specifically dedicated to her"
The conception OF the architect. as
he stated it. was realized by him in
stone, in beautiful courtyards with
fountains playing, in the soft tones of
walls in Offices and corridors. in walnut
doors and simple, but magnificent.
interior furnishings.
THE plaster OF one OF the walls Of
this magnificent building already
has been torn out in order that spe-
cial sand finish might be provided as
a background base for the panels of
Mr. Biddle. He is painting on wet sand
cement his color work, which is SINH
lar to that of Diego Rivera, who created
a storm of controversy when he put
the face of Ru-sia's Len!n in panel
at Rockefeller Center in New York.
1t is claimed for this type of artistry
that it makes possible pure quality
of color impossible in oil on canvas. but
it is causing the greatest differences
of opinion. The idea of the artist be-
ing shown at work in sweatshop with
his collar off, while his brother Fran
els is shown at the head of a poor
family's table. when the Biddles of
Philadelphia have been recognized as
one of the oldest rich families in the
country, seems incongruous.
However, miniatures or so-called
Cartoons" of all the panels that are
to decorate the Department of Justice,
and there are six different painters
and one sculptor who are contributing,
have been approved by the Fine Arts
Commission and are being done under
the Division of Painting and Sculpture
in the Treasury Department. Associate
Justice Harlan Fiske Stone Of the Su-
preme Court and Mrs. Henry Morgen-
thau. jr., wife Of the Secretary of the
Treasury, are two of the art critics
who have passed on the work.
The panels painted by Mr.. Poor have
aroused scarcely less violent contro-
versy than have those Of Mr. Biddle.
He was commissioned to paint six
panels in the lobby of the solicitor gen.
erals suite of Offices. On either side
Of one beautiful walnut door he has
covered the soft, mellow tones of the
wall with life-size figures Of men.
stevedores, rustling bags OF coffee on
the docks to represent the Customs
Division. surveyors to represent the
Land Division of the Department Of
Justice, and then across the halls the
lurid prison scenes mentioned.
THERE is panel. showing prison
guard swinging the great gates
open to receive new convict Above
the door is scene in the penitentiary,
where binding twine is being made,
and another panel showing a hard
faced man leaving the prison to fall
into the arms of his mol. Presumably
this panel represents the tempering
of justice with mercy. the giving Of
man his pardon, but to most per-
sons who see it, it seems picturiza-
ton of maudlin sentimentality, the
very kind that the Federal law
enforcement agencies constantly are
asking newspapers not to indulge in.
Paul Jannewine has done the sculp-
turing for the building. There are
some panels in relief that have at
tracted much favorable attention. His
rectangular plaques in silver leaf in
the corridor leading to the library
are especially striking, depicting as
they do the activities in the various
regions of the United States from
the COW boys of the Western plains
to Great Lakes and gulf shipping.
The new Department of Justice
Building Is an endless study in beau
tiful blending as well as rash contra
dictions. For example. as one enters
the building to go to the Court Of
Honor, the Venetian blues of the CELL
ing above the stairway, and the Roman
architecture, are blended with a mod
ernistic staircase that might have been
q set in Design for Living"
One is shocked as he climbs these
beautiful stairs to flnd the Court Of
Honor, q magnificent, high-ceilinged
room. huedssith rough pine tables on