Evening star., 1940-01-21
New Fine Arts Chief
Is Champion Of
Open Competition
Edward Bruce Fuvors
Practice in Selection
Of Designs

Edward Bruce. chief of the fine
arts division Of the Public Buildings
Administration and newest men,
ber OF the National Commission of
Fine Arts, looks forward to the day
when designs for public buildings
and memorials, as well as paintings
and sculpture for their adornment,
will be chosen by means of Nation
wide open competition.
Probably the Nations leading
champion of open competitions
where art and architecture are con-
cerned, Mr.. Bruce was appointed
Friday by President Roosevelt to
the Fine Arts Commission, which,
IN the past. has seen the selection Of
architects and artists for public
works made from among a few
prominent persons.
IT think 1t would be a fine demo-
cratic practice to choose designs
for large public buildings in the
same way we now choose designs
for decoration of post Offices" Mr..
Bruce said yesterday. He did not
comment on previous practices of
the Fine Arts group, but stressed the
point that he was in favor of the
open competition method for every
thing If possible.
Takes Mr.. Moore's Place.
Mr.. Bruce takes the place of DR..
Charles Moore, who for nearly 40
years has had his finger, more than
any other single man, on the pulse
OF the plan Of Washington. DR..
Moore's term as a member of the
commission expired January l.
Ever since he was given the task
OF editing the Mcmillan report of
1902, which revived early plans of
Washington and was responsible for
the resurgence of drive for a beau
tiful Capital City, DR.. Moore has
made plans, discarded them and
made more, and lived to see many of
them 90 into effect-the Lincoln
Memorial. Arlington Memorial
Bridge, the Jefferson Memorial, de-
velopment of the Washington Monu-
ment Grounds and erection of the
monumental buildings which now
house the executive and judicial
branches Of the Government.
Was Original Member.
DR.. Moore was one of the orig
1nal members of the Commission
Of Fine Arts appointed in 1910 as
the outgrowth OF the Mcmillan re-
port. He served as chairman of
the commission for many years. In
1927 he gave up his post as chief
of the division of manuscripts at
the Library of Congress to devote
his entire time to the work Of the
Fine Arts Commission.
Mr.. Bruce, a resident of WASH
ington for many years and a we'll
known landscape artist, was the or
ganizer Of the painting and sculp-
ture section of the Procurement
Division of the Treasury and be-
came chief of the Fine Arts Divi-
sion of the Public Buildings Admin
istration under presidential reor-
ganization last July.
Champions Young Artists.
He has ever championed the
cause of the struggling young and
obscure artist who may have real
talent. Through his system OF open
art competitions, by which the
painting and sculpture which adorn
Federal buildings are chosen, has
endeared himself to American art
lists, giving them feeling that fair
play Is the order of the day and
that every one has a chance.
Mr.. Bruce was interested in paint
ing as a boy in Dover Plains, N. Y,
where he was born in 1879. A grad
uate Of Columbia, B.A.. LID, he
practiced law in New York for 8
years, spent IL years in the Philip
pines and then went to Italy to
take up the serious study Of paint
ing.
He came to Washington to help
develop public works art projects
in 1888 and later went to the Treas
ury to help arrange for the decora-
tion Of the thousands of buildings
under control Of the department.