Evening star., 1937-01-04
Mellon
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yet been worked out in detail, how
ever.
DR.. Cloyd Heck Marvin, president
Of G. w., has been in consultation
with Mrs. Dimock concerning the new
auditorium. Some years ago. officials
recalled today, the university was To-
Gated where the Pan-American Build
ing now is, at Seventeenth street and
Constitution avenue.
The Memorial Building was planned
as a monumental structure, to be
erected by the Memorial Association
without expense to the United States,
and Congress set a minimum cost of
100000. The act enabling con-
struction to proceed was passed March
4, 1913, and the time limit was ex-
tended by acts of June IL, 1917, and
March /, 1919. The memorial in later
years came to be known as the Victory
Memorial, giving 1t q World War
aspect. The corner stone was laid No.
vember 4, 1921. Foundations were
practically completed in February,
1924.
Park Service Concerned.
Since then comparatively little has
been done, and it is known that the
National Park Service, which has
jurisdiction over the Mall, expressed
concern over the project, the founda-
tions of which have lain for years
exposed to the weather.
If Congress accepts Melons gift on
behalf of the Nation, the law authoriz-
ing the Memorial Association to con-
struct its building will be wiped out.
and the. site taken over for the Ma
tional Gallery of Art.
The construction of the National
Gallery Of Art will fit into the de-
velopment plan for the Capital, as
laid down in 1901. Under that pro-
gram, buildings on the Mall would be
devoted to those In which the public
is primarily interested.
Maj. L'Enfant, in planning the
Capital, wanted to house the Ambas-
sadors along the Mall, but this plan
was never fulfilled. The Freer Art
Gallery is already located on the Mall,
at Twelfth street. g.,
Museum Wings Opposed.
The Fine Arts Commission Is op-
posed to the extension of wings on
the New National Museum. To pro-
vide additional space for the Smith
sonian Institution, the National Por-
trait Gallery is projected on the Mall,
to occupy space now taken up with
the Agriculture Departments green
houses. These will be transferred later
to the agricultural development at
Beltsville, Md, under present plans.
Melons great collection of por-
traits for the present would 60 into
his National Gallery Of Art. Later,
when the National Portrait Gallery
Is built, they would be housed there.
The National Portrait Gallery would
contain many Of the paintings now
scattered around the Government
buildings portraying cabinet officers
and other officials. The Fine Arts
Commission believes It should contain
only portraits Of women and men who
have really contributed to the upbuild-
ing of the Republic.
There already exists IN. the Smith
sonian Institution Q National Gallery
of Lrt organization. DR.. Charles
Moore. chairman Of the Fine Arts
Commission, is chairman Of the Ex-
ecutive Committee Of the National
Gallery Of Art group. which has been
working to establish standards for
paintings which will be acceptable.
Mall 70 De Kept Open.
The Mall south Of the Archives
Building viii be kept open - the cross
axis Of that great central park. This
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