The Washington times., 1937-03-15
EARLY ACTION
IN SENATE.
EXPECTED
Ten Million dollar
Structure to House
Great Gallery

The House today approved and
sent to the Senate the Keller reso-
luton providing for the construc-
ton and maintenance of a Ma
tional Art Gallery to be donated by
Andrew w. Mellon, former Secre-
tary of the Treasury.
The gallery, which will house
paintings and sculptures, is esti-
mated to cost over $4,000 900 and
will be located on the site in the
Mall bounded by Seventh Street,
Constitution Avenue, Fourth
Street, and North Mall Drive.
Mr.. Melons gift also includes
his collection of paintings and
sculpture, which, according to the
report, represents most of the
great masters of Western Europe,
including outstanding works Of
art acquired from the Hermitage
Gallery in Russia. In all, there
are about 100 paintings and 20
sculptures in addition to a large
collection of about 100 American
portraits. The present value of
the collection is estimated at
about $50,000,000.
$5,OOO,OOO In Cash
The Mellon gift further in,
cludeS an endowment fund of
$4,000, 900, primarily for the COM
penSation of the principal officials
of the gallery; namely, the d.
rector, assistant director, secretary
and chief curator.
Title to the gallery will be
vested in the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, which will administer and
maintain the project under the di-
rection of a board to be known
as '"The Trustees of the National
Gallery Of Art"
The board is composed of the
Chief Justice of the United States,
the Secretary of State, the Sec
retary of the Treasury and the
Secretary of the Smithsonian In
stitution, ex-officio, and five gen.
eral trustees, who are to be private
citizens.
U. S. Gives Upkeep
The Federal Government Is to
make appropriations for the up
keep and operation of the gallery,
this cost estimated at about $780,
600 year.
The board is authorized to &C.
cept for the Smithsonian InStitu-
ton and administer for the benefit
of the gallery, other gifts, requests
or devises of money and works of
art.
The adjoining area bounded by
Fourth Street, Pennsylvania Ave
nue., Third Street and North Mall
Drive, is reserved as site for fu.
ture additions to the National Gal
lery of Art, under the provisions
of the resolution.
It also provides for the closing
of Sixth Street within the limits
of the site and that the National
Park and Planning Commission is
directed to determine the build
ing line, approve plans of ap-
proacheS and make recommenda-
t1onS for the widening and ADJUST
ing for Third, Seventh and Ninth
and other streets in the vicinity.
This will take care of traffic con-
ditionS in the area.
A determined effort to force &C
ton on the Mellon Art Gallery bill
will be made in the Senate today
by Sen. Tom Connally CD of
Texas.
The bill has been passed over
on several occasions at the insist
ence of Sen. Robert La Toilette
CP) of Wisconsin, who proposed to
offer several amendments, the ma
ture of which he has declined to
reveal.
If the bill is not passed today,
Senator Connally, who gave notice
that he intends to call it up, will
attempt to have it made the I'M
finished business of the Senate so
that at each succeeding meeting
until it is passed it will be the
first thing to be considered.