Evening star., 1939-10-11
lnter-American ART
Conference Views
Exchange Channels

exchange IndnneES
BerIe Says Interests
Of Peace Transcend
Those Of War
Declaring that "the interests OF
peace transcend those of war"
Assistant Secretary of State Adolf
A. Berle, jr., today told a conference
on inter- American relations in the
field. of art that the American ma
tions could, by opening new channels
of exchange in art, increase the
mutual appreciation for each others
civilization"
The conference, which opened at
the State Department. heard the
assistant secretary explain the aims
and ideals of the Division of Cultural
Relations of the department. He
said its purpose "is to cooperate in
every practical and appropriate way
without limiting, trespassing upon, or
attempting to enter the legitimate
field that corresponds to the private
agencies" This division. he ex-
planned is to be essentially a clear
ing house"
Paying tribute to the artistic
treasures of the other American
nations Mr. Berle said, Certainly
we owe it to our own citizens to
increase their opportunity to learn
the strength, the beauty, and the
grace of the art of the rest of the
Americas; and in practice, this
means making possible the free flow
of artistic ideas, of information, of
exhibitions, and reproductions be-
tween the American nations"
The suggestion was put forward
by one delegate that the New York
Worlds Fair in 1910 might welcome
a "co-ordinated' exhibition of many
kinds of art that reflect American
life, including not only fine art, but
also architecture, industrial and dec
orative art.
Cites Work in Exhibits.
The assistant secretary said that
generally speaking the governments
of other republics in the Western
Hemisphere are move active in
cultural activities than is the
Government of the United States.
He pointed out, however. practical
examples of the work of the new
Division of Cultural Relations in
arranging book exhibitions in South
America, in the exchange of art
students and professors. and in the
field of scholarships and professor
ships.
Expressing the hope that the con-
ference would be a forerunner of
many others to promote more in
innate relations between the Amer
lean republics, he declared:
so perhaps we may make of this
conference a symbol of our faith
that the interests of peace tran
scend those of war, and that at long
last government must come to the
artist, the poet, the philosopher, to
find its ultimate values"
The conference is scheduled to
last for two days with discussion Of
various subjects related to the gen.
eral field of art.
Following the opening address by
Mr.. Berle, the first subject for dis
cussion was THE Resources for
Inter- American Exchange in the
Field of Art"
Fields of Art Explored.
Mrs. Concha Romero James, chief
OF the Division of Intellectual Co.
operation, Pan-American Union,
opened consideration of this gen.
eral subject with a discussion of
what Can the Other American Re-
publics Best Contribute to the
United States in the Fields of Pre-
historic Art, Colonial Architecture,
Folk Art, the New Painting and the
New Architectural"
Scheduled for later consideration
was the topic. What Gan the
United States Best Contribute to the
Other American Republics?" This
was to be discussed by Holger Ca
hill, director Federal Arts Project,
Works Projects Administration. He
was to take up the subject of deco
ratlve and machine art, art in en-
glneerlng and mass production, In
dian art, folk art, museum organiza-
ton, educational methods and the
new painting.
The other principal subject be-
fore the conference today was to be
"Exhibits-Permanent and Travel
ing" The leader for discussion of
this subject was Roland j. McKin-
ney, director of the Los Angeles
(Calif0 Museum of Art.
Reception to Conclude Day.
Today's sessions were to be con-
cluded by a reception to the dele
gates by Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss
\at her home, Dumbarton Oaks, in
Georgetown.
Tomorrow's sessions will open
with consideration of "Opportun-
tiles for Student and Professor Ex-
change" Also on the program is
a consideration of the role of mo-
ton pictures as a medium of art
exchange.
The distinguished personnel of
the conference includes many from
the District of Columbia, represents
Ing a cross-section of the art in
terests Of the National Capital, both
public and private. The conference
will close tomorrow afternoon with
report of the finding of commit
tees and discussion directed toward
"The Formulation of Specific Prof.
ects"
- = e.