Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-03-21
UNITED STATES
OPENS TO PUBLIC
NATIONS LIBRARY

Andrew w. MelIOn anu UeulCdCSu ny
the President of the United States to
the preservation of freedom, "every-
where endangered"
Standing in the midst of priceless
paintings and sculpture dating from
the thirteenth century and address
ing a throng of nearly 5000 public
officials, diplomats, and art connois-
seurs assembled in the Gallery's pa
latial halls, President Roosevelt, de-
clared that "the freedom of the hu-
man spirit and human mind which
has produced the worlds great art
and all its sciences-shall not be ut
terly destroyed.
"To accept, today, the works of
German painters such as Holbein and
Durer, and of Italians like Botticelli
and Raphael, and of painters of the
Low Countries like Van Dyck and
Rembrandt, and of famous French
men, famous Spaniards-to accept
: this work today on behalf of the peo-
pie of this democratic Nation is to
assert the belief of the people of this
Nation in human spirit which now
is everywhere endangered and which
in many countries, where it first
found form and meaning, has been
rooted out and broken and destroyed"
the President declared. -
Also participating in the dedication
ceremony were Samuel H. Kress, New
;. York chain-store operator who has do
mated his collection of 375 Italian
paintings and Is sculptures to hang
along with Mr.. Melons 1875 paintings
and 81 sculptures; Paul Mellon, son
: of the Pittsburgh financier, states
man, and diplomat; and Chief Justice
Charles Evans Hughes, Chairman of
the Board of Trustees of the new
Gallery.
The Chief Justice hailed the Gal
lery as memorial to an eminent
: benefactor, whose patriotic ardor and
love of art prompted the conception
!: of his plan for public enrichment,
now happily brought to fruition."
Mr.. Kress, who has lived alone sur
rounded by his paintings for many
years, told the audience: 81 shall miss
them. But I am happy in the thought
that, during my lifetime, my collec-
ton intact is settled in my country
in a permanent home in this magnifi-
cent structure. 1t is a great privi-
lege to give our best to our country.
AS an older person, l feel this par
ticularly now that we are asking our
young men to place their lives at the
disposal and service of their Govern
ment."
): The dedication recalled to Presi-
4, dent Roosevelt the completion of
United States Capitol, which the new
gallery rivals in size and general con-
TOUR. That was during the Civil War
and it had been ian expensive and
laborious business, diverting money
and labor from the prosecution of the
war, and certain citizens found much
10 criticize.
Lincoln when he heard the crit
icisms, answered: eff the people see
the Capitol going on, it is sign we
intend the Union shall go on
1--WE may" declared Mr.. Roosevelt,
borrow the words for our own. We,
too, intend the Union shall go on. We
intend it shall go on, carrying with
it the great tradition of the human
spirit which created it.
"The dedication of this gallery to
a living past, and to a greater and
more richly living future, is the meas
ure of this earnestness of our inten-
ton that the freedom of the human
spirit shall go on"
While praising unstintingly the gen
crosby of Mr.. Mellon and Mr.. Kress,
the President took the opportunity
to allude to the New Deal theory of
art as mot something just to be own
ed, but something to be made.
ut is the act of making and not
the. act of owning which is art" he
declared. Referring to the rooms
full of American paintings spread a.
Cross the country in the last few
years, "some of it good, some of it
not SO good" the President insisted
that cart is not treasure in the past
or an importation from another coun-
try, but part Of the present life of all
the living and creating peoples-all
who make and build; and, most of
all, the young and vigorous peoples
who have made and built our present
wide country"
The great throng of distinguished
guests, many of whom had come from
other cities for the opening, circulated
through the scores of galleries, each