Evening Star Newspaper, February 3, 1929, Page 81

ILLUSTRATED Part 7—8 Pages __ FEATURES WASHINGTON, MAGAZINE SECTION he Sunday St D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 3, 1929, " FICTION AND America’s Great National Library Sets Pace for World Rivals Head of Institution on Capitol Hill Has Made His Profession an Art, and Created Within Granite and Marble Wallsa Place Where Citizens May Move Among Ages—Soul BY DON GLASSMAN. ROM a Emil Ludwig, German biographer, eyed the scenean octagonal room, high- vauited dome supported by mar- ble Grecian columns, and rows of tables arranged symmetrically inside the octagon. “Freee-e-e-ece, freee-e-e-eee freeee,” he sighed. “You say it's free? Ah, yes; free. Think of it!" ‘The same man clicked his heels and bowed reverently on seeing the original hand-written transcript of the Declara- tion of Independence, glassed in a mar- ble case. His beloved Napoleon might have stood there, risen from stone. “Yes,” the German was told, “the Library of Congress is so free that it is like the air you breathe. It's import, sir, is international. And though a stu- dent hails from Korea or Timbuctoo, he requires neither passport nor introduc- tion to consult 3,800,000 individual transcripts of knowledge. He may move among the spirits of all ages or inform himself on any achievement of humans or_humanity.” | If Herbert Putman, librarian of Con- | gress, had been on the scene, he would | have added: “See, read, enjoy and consult. Learn, Testore, improve and report. Admire, deny, find and finish. Create. This is the National Library, ordained and sus- tained by the Nation. Sir, I can't tell you what pleasure it gives our Congress to appropriate moneys to support this institution.” ‘Where does it begin and where end? How came these stones, piled so high and thick? Gray monument, granite | without, marble within? To paraphrase a living statesman, | “What is a library?” That depends | upon the library. Speaking of the one | on Capitol Hill, we say with the states- | man, “Is it shelves and binderies, cata- logues and bibliographies, files an desks? No! It is the soul of a people.” * %k % AND what is a librarian? Is he ad- ministrator, cataloguer, lobbyist, orator or bibliophile? None of these. A librarian is the keeper of men’s souls. Now, there are librarians and libmrians. Some drive their business with energy, others with ingenuity, and some with' vislon—librarianship demands peculiar sacrifices. The world's first librarian, a Chinese, probably did his own printing as well. And through all the ages man came to know a library as a place of assembly for books. The exception to this dogma is, of course, Herbert Putnam and the Li- brary of Congress. Polishing off his thirtieth year as head of that institu- tion, he has endowed librarianship with qualities that hoist a ‘“book-wormish”] position to the level of professional art. Putnam is an artist, because he drafts imagination in answering and fulfilling the cultural yearnings of a gargantuan, throbbing Nation; in creating a supply to full demands; in meeting conditions Prepared; in absolving himself of all claim to originality, and in employing diplomacy in battles and skirmishes that | revolve around administration. ! Who will say, then, that librarianship has not risen from mere profession to estimable art? For when a man cre- ates he is an artist. And no one denies that in the past 30 years Herbert Put- | nam has answered the question- | naire. The position he fills is one to command as much respect as any in our Government. Congress has entrusted him not only with filing and maintain- ing 153 lineal miles of booked shelves, but with harboring the Nation’s soul. If the Declaration of Independence ranks as our most cherished document, Herbert Putnam holds it in sacred trust. If you say the original Constitution of the United States is our most prized heirloom, he holds that. If Lincoln's letters, Putnam is custodian of them. If Washington’s letters, those also. In the realm of art he holds Whistler and | Pennell. In philosophy Benjamin Franklin. priceless transcripts—Herbert Putnam is lord over them all. As major domo of the Nation’s soul, as custodian of things more precious than all the gold in the Treasury, what Spirits of All of a People. and after Putnam). In €] gress he is one of the #host red dividuals. Rare indeed does the legisla~ tive body disavow a budget presented by “their” librarian. He is as much of congressional furniture as /the Speaker of the House. So that when a bill to increase the librarian's salary came before lawmakers it passed their critical specs without a single demur. And when we applied for admission to his sanctum there was no ceremony or red tape. “Just walk in.” * K K * THERE sat the librarian of Congress, encased by walls of dull-finished oak, subdued light and leather uphol- stered furniture. Alone with thoughts and moods, not bothered by telephones, rushing secretaries and hurried mes- sengers. Even books are rare about him. He must love placid life. In fact, Her- bert Putnam is a soft-spoken man. In of Con. in- | this room, like an inner vault, there is no need to raise one's voice. Whispers sound louder than full-mouthed words. And the librarian is all-attentive., Among other matters, he spoke of a suggestion to change the name of the institution. “For 128 years,” he said, “we have used the name Library of Congress. The movement to change it to the National Library, comparable to France’s Bibli- otheque Nationale, does not appeal to me, although I am not opposed to the name as such. I'm in sympathy with the plan of designating the institution as the National Library only informally. In all other respects it should be called the Library of Congress. ‘Congres- sional Library’ may be shorter, hence more usable, but it is wrong, and would like to see it abandoned en- tiely. The legal title is Library of Congress, and I hope it is retained. Of course, only Congress has power to alter its present name.” “Is it true that you originated—" “I didn’t originate anything, nor start anything, nor create it. Sof have it that I originated the card catalogue system by whioch the library serves 4,300 others all over the world. But not so. This idea was first suggested by a former secretary of the Smith- sonian. “And did I originate ‘chairs’ in the library? No. Conditions and circum- stances made it necessary that they be establisned. The need arose; we merely filled it. We didn't have to create or originate. “Our use of the term ‘chair’ and ‘llntculhy' has caused an occaslonal ejacu- ation: “ ‘Why—a university!® “No, not a university, prescribe, we do not teach, we do not discipline. We hold no authority over our constituency and we take no re- sponsibility for results. No library is a university or can be. A house of studies, providing material, apparatus to con- venience, and, so far as resources per- mit, the counsel of its staff in the pur- sult of them through use of collection. But not a university.” “What has this library cost our Nation?" “I think the figure can be deter- mined roughly. Aside from regular maintenance and salaries, I believe the National Treasury paid about $15,000,- 000, or half the price of a battleship, for this Library. About $8,000,000 repre- sents the plant, the remainder paid for accessions. In 128 years of service we have tried to repay that amount.” The current notion in some quarters that the Library of Congress embraces the world’s choicest collection of books and documents does not spring from Herbert Putnam. He frankly cites its deficiencies. Although this is a na- tional library, its rare book collection does not have a copy of the first printed book—the Gutenberg Bible. New York Name a hundred thousand |City’s library owns one and so does|ern construction methods it Princeton. All of them have been do- nated by wealthy collectors. A few months ago Otto Vollbehr, the world's greatest private collector of incunabula, offered (o give the globe's most valuable sort of a man is he? On the authority volume, his $300,000 Gutenberg Bible, We do not; if_you like, inviting and encouraging, | il y b = LA i~ SO LK DR. HERBERT PUTNAM, LIBRARIAN, IN HI 4 ot OFFICE AT THE CONGRESSIONAL b.'rfiemm( LIBRARY. has not enlisted financial or gift assist- e. and| oo, * Kok % @ E lack,” continued Dr. Putnam, all things save optimism. We have a bright outlook. And although I can’t deny that the Library of Con- gress ranks among the greatest on earth, I fear it can never attain the distinction of being the greatest. No. It's right to say Europe enjoyed greaf libraries when Capitol Hill was a wild. What those libraries own can never be bought, not with all the gold on earth. We must rely on gifis and purchases, but mostly gifts. Our purchases must be limited. With about $100,000 annu- ally, it is possible to purchase only such books as are published month to month. jRarities that do not come by way of jthe copyright office must be left for jothers to accumulate. The royal and 1national libraries of Europe were built {around collections made by kings, and are richer by far in the way of prized specimens. We must content ourselves with the finest collection of modern { publications. | “So far as counting ourselves as pros- i pective purchasers of fine, large collec- tions, we must not hold too high hopes. One wealthy Californian has paid more for his private collection than the Gov- {ernment has invested in the Library of Congress. Fancy me going before Con- gress and asking for money to pur- chase collections on which ‘we might bid! Congress is glad to do what it can, but as the burden increases private capital must join. “Concerning these valuable books, |there ‘is one pleasant speculation, namely, that eventually many of them will revert to the Library of Congress. Collectors, like other men, are mortal. When they will their books it is to some responsible party. Here they have every assurance that provisions in a bequest will be carried out. And I reason: Why bid at these book auctions? The man who prizes that book and possesses means to own it knows the Library of Congress. With each purchase go our hopes. Some day all these books will ifind a common home. “Has it ever occurred to me that there is an end to all these accessions? Yes. But I do not fear it. With mod- is possible to erect a ore-block building to house 100,000,000 books. ‘There are libraries in the world more than five centuries old, and yet none of them boasts even 5,000,000 volumes. Accumulations were slow and still are slow compared with 1 of his colleagues, it is said he made the |and 1,500 incunabula on provision that |the immense output of presses. Library of Congress what it is; that rary this institution has survived two epochs amount equivalent to 1,500 books re-)strips them all in iis rate of adding to ~—one B. P. and the other A. P. (before maining with him. So far this offer collections. Each 7 some other donor give the library an ““Here the Libi of Cony out- year some 150,000 pieces are added. At this rate the 5,000,000 mark is not far off. Our news- paper stacks already accommodate 173, 000 volumes.” The librarian of Congress went on to tell how, since 1925, when Congress authorized the trust fund board, the library has been enriched with numer- ous valuable bequests and donations. The board carries perpetual succession, with the usual powers and obligations of a trustee. It may be sued in the Supreme Court of the District of Co- lumbia for the purpose of enforcing provisions of any trust it holds. Before that authorization the libra- rian faced hardship when it came to accepting gifts and inheritances. The library was not a corporation, hence not licensed to fulfill the office of trustee. Under provisions of the act the Library has been endowed with chairs of fine arts, American history and music. In the Fall of 1924, before passage of the act, Mrs. Frederic Coolidge came forward with two offers—endowment of the division of music and erection of a music hall. Congress accepted imme- diately. Now the Library owns a model music hall and a pipe organ valued at $110,000. Her endowment applies also to the chief of this division. In addi- tion to the salary given by the Govern- I'ment, he is authorized to accept a $3,200 honorarium each year. Immediate benefits of this provision are too numerous to mention. Time alone will tell what ultimate benefits will be. ‘Suffice that in the amazingly of Congress has leaped into an enviable position among endowed institutions. Specific sums pay regular allowances, which perpetuate the good work. After the endowment plan had been announced James B. Wilbur donated the first $100,000, and R. R. Bowker came forward with $10,000, and Mrs. Frederic Coolidge provided for the maintenance | of a chair of music and a recital hall. Congress actually was relying on pri- vate enterprise to further Work that is| distinctly a governmental duty. Con- gress subscribed to the Jeffersonian dac- trine that it is as.vital to nourish a people’s cultural tastes as to build dams and select the best grass seed for golf courses. While the national legislature has persistently refrained from taking part in a development of fine arts and fathering academies of design, music, painting and sculpture, it has by recent acts acquired an attitude that is most favorable to the aesthete. * ok ok % Bmlm:s the endowments outlined four other notable bequests have ben laid before the Library. Willlam Evarts Benjamin, 1 i short space of three years the Library | 000, the income from which is to serve as honorarium for the chief of the manuscripts division. The Carnegie Corporation provided likewise for the chief of the division of prints. The American Council of Learned Societies fathers a movement to make Capitol Hill the geographic center of American culture. The project may fulfill dreams of Jefferson and Wash- ington, who spoke for and contributed to a governmental institution like a university. When, only last year, Congress an- nounced its intention to purchase two solid blocks of property to the rear of the Library of Congress to provide for further expansion, Henry C. Folger, for- mer chairman of the board of directors, of New York, surprised Congress with his plan to erect a shrine to Shake- speare, fronting on East Capitol street and extending back to the center of the square. Immediately the congressional bill was amended to make way for this auspicious accession. Congress conceded Mr. Folger's right to acquire this land for a building designed not only as a memorial but to house the world’s most complete, if not most valuable, collec- tion of Shakespeariana. Aside from mere physical addition of this property and priceless books, the ideal philosophy behind the announce- ment is its most sensational quality. To the front of Folger's memorial will be the Capitol Building and the new Su- preme Court, while flanking it on every side will be the old and new Library of | Congress. So that here, in the shadow |of the Nation's legislative and judicial | halls, Will Shakespeare, poet, actor and dramatist, shall hold forth in such splendor that only Stratford-on-Avon will surpass it. Since when has this become a cardi- nal principle of American life? Since when has Congress changed the reading of a bill in order to provide for a mere poet? It is only in the present. Hith- erto we have made room only for practical buildings, structures in which to study and produce. Now the national legislature begins to take izance of edifices whose only purpose is the wor- ship of an ideal, whose earnings and groflts can never be calculated in gold, ecause the commodity on tap is mere admiration, and that dispensed free. It also marks the first time that a group of American public structures will enhance a building devoted exclu- sively to a writer. Withal, such a writer as performed more human service than |a thousand kings. This development will mark the sub- stantial nucleus of a center of learning that has no counterpart in the Western the Old World. No matter what the quest, the search will end at Capitol |Hill." So famed will this topographic P ~sqatarad prominence become that within a decade, or two decades, it will be neces- sary to erect permanent halls. of resi- dence, dormitories, so that those who labor there my have convenient access. It matters little to the Library of Congress, Dr. Putnam said, whether jurisdiction over the Shakespeare col- lection remains in Mr. Folger's hands or whether he asks the Government to take it in charge, “What is of primary importance,” he ted out, “is that this collection will available to the serious public, and that in its service to scholarship it will be linked to, the national library.” * ok ok x 'WHAT men of vision see on Capitol Hill is a settlement whose purpose and organization will correspond to the European centers of learning, such as flourished at Padua, Praga and Venice during tne medieval period, where no art will be forgotten, no science barred, no hate instilled; where learning and the pure love of it may be planted and cultivated; where shrines and memo- rials and collections may rise in such dazzling number as to inspire grave humility. These things will come to| Capitol Hill, they say. ! Examining Mr, iger's Shakespeare collection, we find, first, that it com- prises some 80,000 volumes, for it in-| cludes not only editions of Shakespeare | and commentaries, but a large repre- | sentation of Elizabethan cotemporaries. It holds 30 coples, one-sixth of the surviving number of the first folio. When Shakespeare’s greatest fame came from “Venus and Adonis” and his | livelihood from acting he published a limited edition of “Titus Andronicus” in quarto form. For three centuries it was a lost book. Then the only known copy was discovered in Sweden. But now it is owned by Mr. Folger. “Venus and Adonis,” the “first heir of my invention”—Shakespeare’s first printed work—was published in 1593. derstand the universal tongue Shakes speare wrote. * kK K TAKE the octagonal reading room, hub of the library. Oncz within its portals, you stand on ground given over to serious study. No more is & reading room a place for leisurely read- ing or ional thinking. People come here to direct specialized effort in certain fields. Here are nationally known barristers preparing briefs for the Supreme .Court of the United States; here ministers preparing the weekly sermon; a blue-blooded lady con- sulting a work on genealogy which she hopes will prove consanguinity with Gov. Winthrop; an author ering material for a detective novel, and next k?kzhlm r.thmm seeking “dope” for s ey of e TiewEaE c strip. No straggling or sluggish effort. A Representative fire in heated debate demands that library deliver Srder nat. e moRy e prepared.th-tac order that he may be pre] en- force an idea or establish a claim. In 15 minutes the House will have ad- journed. The book is needed now. For that purpose Congress connects it- self with the library by means of & special tunnel running under the Capi- tol Grounds. Books travel back and forth on an endless belt. An lof the library serves both ends. Re- quests are flled at the reading room desk via telephone. The attendant knows them as “cloak” room requests. Representatives have a way of giving orders—something like Louis XIV, abrupt and often incomplete. When & Representative asks for Dickinson's | “Notes” he takes it for granted that the librarian has read the book and knows exactly what is wanted. “You know—the book written by Charlié Dickens gfter he visited America.” Ahh-hhh! His highness refers t0 ‘““American Notes.” by Charles Dickens. And when the attendant is ordered to produce “The Tom Horsement of the Afolca Type” he forthwith lays hands on “The Four Horsemen of the Apo- calypse” and dispatches it posthaste. The only known copy of that first quarto edition belongs to Oxford Uni- versity, and will never be for sale. But Folger owns one of four known copies of the second quarto edition, published in 1594. And so on. Mere recitation of what this treasure embraces would fill a volume or more. The Folger shrine, rising from the summit of America’s Capitol, will be a magnet for English- men and all other foreigners who un- i The ( , New York, gave $75,- L world and but feeble manifestation in'“MINERVA,” A MOSAIC REPRESENTING THE SPIRIT OF THE LIBRARY, Indeed, the octagonal table that so modestly graces the middle of the read- ing room is like the round table presided over by the city editor of a metropoli- tan newspaper. Attendants are his copy readers; reporters are scattered far and wide over the city. Demands, requests come from the whole world. How does he count the pulse beat of the times? Should a big story break, immediately he feels demands on his resources. Let Congress start discus- sion of the Boulder Dam and 50 per- sons apply for all the “dam” material gubmhed in the history of Christen- lom. Should a man named Schymsecxzscyl die and leave a fortune of four cows and a pickle factory, all the genealo- gies of the library are called forth to find evidence of heirs and heiresses. No more insistent and persistent class of librarygoers than the optimists who seek to establish blood relationship with cold, dead men. They may arrive at inheritance directly or indirectly, but this matters not so long as they arrive. In volume, diversity and urgency, there is no institution that handles such demands. A thousand Federal of- ficers call freely on it. A cabinet mem- ber or Senator may ask for a pamphlet, newspaper or a wagonload. A story is told about the Western who, on first hearing “tariff” mentioned in the House, ordered everything on that subject to be delivered to his office. gentleman discovered that though tariffs might be scarce in some parts of the country, they have grown profusely on the soil of W: . After seeing several moving vans load- ed with tariffs, he decided that nof was to be gained by consulting the ma- terial, because the last word had already been written, AS the National Library, this institu- tion takes cognizance of requests originating in any place, to wit, inter~ library loans ordered by radiogram from Honolulu, by cable from Berlin, by mail from Vancouver and by sampan from China. The Library of Congress htl:leneuestaothr’?tu ey terial; realizing this, no effo in “meeting the unusual need wit usual book,” as Dr. Putn: al- * K KX x gflmuonl in the fleld Ty. 3 Prof. Charles Cheney Hyde, autfore ity on international law, and Charles Warren, savant of constitutional law, itings. Miss Ida M. fitherl;dbmuch ;1; h}:: mtgnf.ld lograj re. resentative Luce, -uth%r of works gl; the conduct of legislative bodies, made :‘mn.;lve use of the library's collec- lons. Often it - . requires a Library of Con. tpert_to mmfi% the particulas (Continued on Paged won the tzer prize for notable cone of American hise