Evening star., 1942-02-02

Should Remain Here =
Secretary Abbot Explains
Museums and Galleries Role
In Capitol During War
To the Editor Of The Star:
Some have suggested that the Smith
sonian group Of buildings should be
taken over for war purposes, removing
the collections to places inland. Several
lines OF considerations oppose this
strongly.
The United States accepted the be-
quest Of the whole fortune Of James
smithson in 1887 Ito found at Washing
ton, under the name Of the Smithsonian
Institution, an establishment for the
increase and diffusion Of knowledge
among men," Though our enemy ma
tions regard and treat their promises as
scraps Of paper" the United States
ought not to violate the trust Of Smith
son by removal from the location he Sc
lected and this Government agreed to.
The old brown stone building was
erected by Smithson's money, the Freer
Gallery Of Art by Charles Freers and the
National Gallery Of Art by Andrew Mel
Ions. It would surely be unethical for
our Government as trustee to accept
these great buildings, and then divert
them from the purposes for which they
were given, which it is intrusted to pro-
mote.
Apart from consideration Of good
faith are other important reasons why
the Smithsonian group Of buildings
should continue their normal functions
in wartime. In Washington and in near
by camps there are nearly . million
people keyed up to unusually demanding
tasks, many OF them required to put In
much overtime. living in crowded quar-
ters and their minds loaded with preying
anxieties. Besides these, millions more
pass by this way ON journeys Of anxiety
during each year. The National Mu-
scum. the Freer and National Art GAL
cries and the National Geological Park
furnish for these people . welcome and
wholesome relaxation Of the mind from
the cares which perpetually assail them.
In England the tendency at the open
ing Of war was to close museums to the
public for the duration. But 1t was
found almost at once that this was .
mistake. Now the English strive, de-
spite reduced stats and diminished
financial support, to increase rather
than decrease these public ministrations.
To quote from the address of Assistant
Secretary Alexander Wetmore at the
University Of Kansas: Support Of our
great defense program Is paramount and
essential, but with 1t let us not forget
that In cultural and esthetic pursuits
there are not only improvement for the
mind and training for the future, but
also momentary escape for the indi-
udual from the troubles that beset him.
In the halls Of our museums, our art
galleries and our libraries throughout
our great Nation there is found enjoy
ment and recreation for the public to be
encountered nowhere else The con-
temptation Of nature and its laws, and Of
the individual objects that exemplify
these. brings . relief and q peace not
elsewhere possible. Public morale, Of
maximum importance under the grim
threats Of war, is fostered by such mental
relaxation. These are facts to be re.
membered In periods Of stress, that the
small financial support for such activi-
ties be not denied. Let us consider this
as contribution to the defense arma-
ment Of the mind and Of the soul"
The Association Of Art Museum d.
rectors at their New York meeting of
December 1921, 1871. adopted these res
olutions: 80 . Our Allies. Great Britain
and her dominions, under the destructive
impact Of total war have already shown
that art as an expression Of the higher
values OF Life Is an undeniable factor In
free peoples resistance Never before
has museum attendance been so great In
Canada, or in England wherever mu-
seums can still function. Never has the
public responded 80 eagerly to the GRE
ative life Of today and to the meaning
OF the art Of the past; never have the
museums Of those countries been 30 de-
termined to serve.
Therefore be 1t resolved: Cd That
American museums are prepared to do
their utmost IN the service Of the people
Of this country during the present con-
fict: ca that they will continue to keep
open their doors to all who seek refresh
ment Of spirit; 90 that they will with the
sustained financial help of their COM
munities broaden the scope and variety
Of their work; "a that they will be
sources Of inspiration Illuminating the
past and vivifying the present: that they
will fortify the spirit on which victory
depends"
Edgar c. Shenck, director Of the Homo
lulu Academy Of Arts. has this to say
only few weeks after December 7, 1s41:
I'VE In Hawaii have rediscovered three
things this Christmas-that surface de-
tails Of living no longer matter-that,
aside from the actual business Of de-
fense. nothing is important now save the
essential spirit of life-and that the
spirit, so superbly maintained during the
first days Of the attack and so mag
nificiently preserved throughout Christ
mas, cannot be allowed to ebb away in
the cheerlessness Of the nightly black
out or the monotony Of q new routine.
It must be rlourished II It Is to sustain US
throughout this emergency.
1T was as q source Of supply for
spiritual suStenance that the Honolulu