Evening star., 1937-03-28
ARCHITECT POPE'S
SELECTION BACKED
! Designer of Memorial to
Jefferson Held Genius in
Architecture.
n the Editor Of The Star:

The controversy that is going on
10 the fitness Of Mr.. John Russell
Pope As architect for the Jefferson
Memorial, has been quite shock and
. surprise to me, and I am therefore
n taking the liberty Of clarifying the
situation. I wish it distinctly under
stood that this letter is written with
out any intention OF approving or
criticizing Mr.. Pope's preliminary
drawing in its present stage, but
merely in regard to the attack upon
his appointment as architect for
the memorial
A commission Of Congress, ap-
pointed from the Senate and House,
with due authority have selected
Mr.. Pope as the architect for the
Jefferson Memorial. His design, which,
Of course, is in its early stages, has
been approved by the Fine Arts Com
mission, the Park and Planning Com
mission and, I am told by the Presi-
AZ dent.
:.c Cites Principle Of Profession.
& Under these conditions, if the
i critics Of Mr.. Pope's memorial are
members Of the American Institute OF
Architects, to which most reputable
architects belong, would like to call
o their attention to one Of our principles
Of professional practice, namely:
"s. An architect will not falsely or
maliciously injure, directly or indi-
rectly, the professional reputation,
prospects or business OF a fellow
architect. He will not attempt to
supplant another architect after
definite steps have been taken by a
client toward his employment. nor
will he undertake a commission for
which another has been previously
employed until he has determined
that the original employment has been
> definitely terminated"
= I wonder If the gentlemen who are
; opposing the proposed design SO
strenuously think they would be able
,S to do as we'll as Mr.. Pope in COM
petition? 1t is interesting to note
that he competed for the Theodore
p Roosevelt Memorial, proposed for a
somewhat similar location, with the
best talent in the country against
. him, and won the competition. This
is one Of the reasons he was selected
for the Jefferson Memorial, which
commission he did not solicit, aside
from the fact that he In undoubtedly
An outstanding genius in architecture
and has been for years.
would like to go on record as say
ing that I am not at all opposed to
competitions and think in many ways
they are q very good method of
bringing out our unknown talent, but
In = work as important as this it might
be quite dangerous to have such a
competition, since the present Pc
culiar differences OF so many archi-
tectural juries as to what Is good
design might, even if Mr.. Pope's de-
sign Is not liked, result in some
~ thing which would arouse more con-
troversy
Pope Equal to Bacon.
Henry Bacon was selected for the
Lincoln Memorial on the recommend
alton Of Mr.. McKim, because OF his
outstanding reputation as an. archtr
tect in his day, which in my opinion
Is equaled by Mr.. Pope.
am not writing this letter with
malice aforethought, and possibly
numbers OF the people who have OBJ
1ected to Mr.. Pope may be strong
personal friends Of mine, but I feel
It my duty to speak in defense OF
Mr.. Pope, in view of the unethical
attack upon his appointment and his
work.
The selection Of Mr.. Pope as archi-
tect does not necessarily mean that
he will not have to restudy his pro-
posed design for the memorial, and
he no doubt will be glad to do it q
number of times in order to get the
best result. 1t is possible that the
design and the location will have to
; be modified It is my opinion that it
Is not 50 much the present preliminary
: design that has Influenced the Gov
ernment in its selection of Mr.. Pope
Is the sureness of getting an archi-
i memorial.
Finally, in view Of the approval Of
the congressional commission, the
Fine Arts Commission, the Park and
Planning Commission and the Presi-
dent Of the United States, it seems
: TO me the issue Of Mr.. Pope's ap-
pointment as architect for the Jef1er-
son Memorial Is closed.
Respectfully submitted for the in
formation Of your readers.
=, (Signed) WADDY B. WOOD,
. Fellow Of the American Institute Of
- Architects.
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