Evening star., 1937-03-10
MELLON ART BILL
WAITS ON SENATE
Offer Expected to Be Called
Up for Action To-
morrow.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The bill to authorize acceptance
by the Government of the Mellon art
collection may come up for considera-
tlon again in the Senate tomorrow.
Another measure that proably will
be reached on the call of the unani-
nous consent calendar at that time
is the Connally bill for extension of
the east front of the Capitol Build
ing at an estimated cost of not to
exceed s4,00000O.
Meanwhile. Senator Walsh, Demo-
crat. of Massachusetts, prepared to
introduce within few days a sep
arate bill to authorize a new Smith
sonlan Gallery of Art, at an estimated
cost of s4,8OO,oOO.
The gallery which Andrew w. Mel
lon has offered to build as part of his
gift would extend eastward from the
National Museum. between Seventh
and Fourth streets, and would be es-
sentially for classical paintings and
sculpture.
Walsh Bill Offers Other Exhibits.
The structure to be proposed in the
Walsh bill would flank the Museum
on the west, between Twelfth and
Fourteenth streets, and would house
a variety of art exhibits, some Of
which the Smithsonian Institution
now has to store away for lack of
space. DR.. G. G. Abbot, secretary of
the Smithsonian, also pointed out to-
day that offers of new exhibits some
times have to be turned down because
of lack of space.
This measure will embody the pro-
posed portrait gallery which Senator
Walsh advocated in the last Congress,
but will be broad enough to cover
also exhibits, such as contemporary
art, sculpture. glass, jewelry or tapes
tries. The portrait gallery would
house paintings of famous American
men and women.
Waits on La Toilette.
Senator Connally of Texas, chair
man of the Public Buildings and
Grounds Committee, asked to have
the Mellon art bill taken up late yes
terday, but withdrew the request in
the absence of Senator La Toilette,
Progressive, of Wisconsin, who previ-
ously had made known he wanted time
to study the proposal. When the bill
first came up 10 days ago it was post
poned at La Follette's request.
Former Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon has offered to give the Nation
his S50,000,000 collection of art works
and to build $lO,0OO,000 art gallery
in Washington. Congress, however,
must authorize acceptance of the gift.
The other bill, for extension of the
Capitol Building, is to carry out plans
that have been under discussion from
time to time for more than 10 years.
Two Plans Suggested.
The sandstone east wall of the
original central section of the building
would be replaced with marble to
match the wings and moved forward
to give the dome a more balanced
appearance. The Senate committee
contends that when the two wings
and the present large dome were
erected many years ago it was con-
templated that this further improve
ment would be made at some future
time.
Supporters of the measure empha-
size that at present the skirt of the
dome overhangs the east wall. There
are two alternate plans being con-
sidered. One would extend the new
wall only far enough to give the dome
a balanced appearance. The other
would bring it out far enough to pro-
vide additional committee rooms and
a corridor to connect the wings on
the gallery floor.