Evening Star Newspaper, May 26, 1929, Page 91

Fiction PART 7. he Swunday Shad Magasine WASHING’I ON, D. C, SUN DAY MAY 26, 1929. 24 PAGES. ey SRS T O Planning New Hall Fae By JOSEPHINE TIGHE. AINLY for abolishment of the already too apparent congestion in Statuary Hall at the Capitol, as well as to con- form to the Government's program of iurr.her beautifying “The City Beautiful,” Rep- resentative Tinkham of the committee on ap- tions introduced in the House of Repre- sentatives on “April 15, a bill providing for *preparation of - plans and estimates of cost ‘of erecting & hall of fame” in the District Columbia. This bill authorizes:an appro- w:hrw ‘and. the Director of Public ; -3 the "Architect of thesCap- itol, committee chairmen on libraries; buildings and grounds of Senate and Houss are empow- ered to employ and consult with engineers, architects, building firms and expert consult- ants for “the erection of a hall of fame to house statues now in Statuary Hall in the Capitol and those yet to be received from the ‘States in pursuance to an act of July 2, 1864.” ‘ ‘This is the first real step toward bringing order out of artistic chaos in Statuary Hall. Art commissions, artists, officials at the Cap- itol, to say nothing of a public, long have recognized the serious over-crowding, the dis- mal hit-and-miss alleged artistic effects in Statuary Hall. The arrival of an additional statue from any one of the 48 States has but added to the fact that so far as marble and the bronze audience of the hall is concerned, an “S. R. 0.” sign shortly would be hung up. THE bill presented by Representative Tinkham is the result of long consultation on the part of Charles E. Fairman, art curator of ths Capitol; Mr. Lynn, the architect of the Cap- itol; artists, art commissions, and with those most intimately concerned with Statuary Hall, -its past, present and future history. Each of _ the 48 States has an apportionment of two statues. But 57 of the final total of 96 per- sons to be signally honored by his State have been placed in position in the hall. Mr. Fair- man, in his valuable book, “Arts and Artists of the Capitol of the United States,” published 18 months ago, is authority for the statement that about 60 statues might comfortably and artistically be accommodated in Statuary Hall, some times designated as the “Hall of Fame.” Fifty-seven varieties of bronze and marble heroes, warriors, inventors, explorers, ‘‘signers” and statesmen have been accepted by Congress and stand, or sit, looking down on visitors, “peepul” and commoners, milling around Stat- uary Hall. Thirty-nine more bronze and mar- ble heroes, warriors, inventors, explorers, “sign- ers” and statesmen are to be placed and artists, donors and recipients are asking, “What will the harvest be?” Mr. Fairman, in his book, Section of Statuary Hall, showing the present crowded conditions. Bill Introduced in Congress Would Abolish So-Called ““Chamber of Horrors™--- Present Crowded Conditions in Stat- uary Hall of. the Capzto declares installation of additional State allot- ments, yet numbering 39, “is seemingly an impossibility.” Additionally, - although the statute books distinctly specify ‘“States” as having privilege of contributing to America’s Hall of Fame, it is possible tovamend it so that territories may be included in honoring their great men and women, Suggestions of many kinds have been made and considered with regard to removal of the present site and sight of the hall to another part of the Capitol—the crypt, for instance, where the suffrage group, according to its sponsors, continue to suffer something worse than innocuous desuetude. It is true that the crypt might possibly be made to accommodate 96 distinguished marble and bronze guests, but it is poorly lighted, inaccessible and with ceil- ings entirely too low for proper showing of figures, in many instances seven feet in heighth, standing on bases varying two to four feet. The best plan to date, and evidently the one uppermost in Representative Tinkham's mind, as shown by his bill, is that of a real and separate hall of fame, having a room where each State might to advantage show its history- building “wares.” The eminent sculptor, Mr. Ruckstull of New York, became so infatuated with this idea that he prepared a rough plan for the proposed “hall of fame,” the plan being one of the illustrations in Mr. Fairman's new book, “Art and Artists of the Capitol.” R. RUCKSTULL visualizes construction of a special building to be used as “a pan- theon, hall of fame or national statuary gal- lery, which would furnish a separate room for each State, so that in this large collection of statuary there might give no appearance of a crowded condition, and the comparison of works contributed by one State with those con- tributed by another would be avoided.” The Ruckstull sketch is of a building 540 feet in length, 340 feet wide and with a dome 240 feet in diameter. The ground plan represents a square with projections to the north and south, terminating at each end in a half dome. Spacious halls lead from the the south to that of the half on north. Corridors and dome and half domes are bounded by 52 separate rooms, emch 20 feet square, completely séparated from adjoin- ing rooms. Provision has been made for two statues at the end of each room opposite the entrance gate, with places on side walls for four busts. Thus each State is given an equal amount of floor and wall space in roogs equally well lighted, in which each State in its con- tribution to the national hall of fame could honor by display its great citizens without being overcrowded or suffering from compari- son, Mr. Fairman is the sponsor for a really great and worthwhile idea when he states in_his book that the Ruckstull sketch “in its spacious hall and great dome provides ample oppor- tunity to honor such citizens of our country as really belong to the country at large, rather than to the Statles in which they were born or of which they were citizens.” Enlarging upon his idea, Mr. Fairman in an interview explained that many of the famous figures honored and contributed by the sev- eral States are national heroes rather than ones conspicuous within State boundaries. In this sound and practical view, Mr. Fair- man and Mr. Ruckstull propose in the yet-to-be- built hall of fame to place such national figures in the “spacious hall under the large dome,” with the result that such States as are drawn on for national contributions of famous per- sons will have the opportunity, and added ad- vantage, of replacing them with figures of men more closely allied and associated with empire " and history building characteristics of each par- ticular State. If this plan be carried out, many States will rejoice in being able to select and honor citizens who otherwise, as far as the national hall of fame is concerned, would be of State, not national, size and glorification. For instance, those gigantic figures of Ameri- can history that might be withdrawn from State honors only to be more heavily and heavenly endowed with national ones certainly would include the three former Presidents of the United States, now memorialized in Stat- uary Hall—Qmorge Washington, father of his ecountry; Andrew Jackson and James A. OGare field. Others who have made national and world rather than straight State history and might be moved up many pegs by transfer from State to national eminence would perhaps in- clude Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, Robert E. Lee, Frances E. Willard, Father Marquette, ‘Gen. “Joe” Wheeler, Robert Fulton, Carroll of Carroliton, Robert L. Livingston, Roger Sher- man and Jonathan Trumbull. course, the consent of each State for removal of its™‘favorite son” from State to ‘national conspicuity would have to be obe tained, but it is hardly probable that in view of the greater refulgence cast on a State's pare ticular idol that refusal would be forthcoming. In Statuary Hall at the Capitol at present 53 gentlemen and one lone lady stand up to the enormous task of reflecting State glory. “Three gentlemen have seated themselves for _all time, and as they are well up in front of the standing figures, they might be said to have reserved seats. These three marble statues are of Robert Fulton, Alexander Stephens and the recently placed Senator La Follette. The art of Statuary Hall covers a period of nearly 300 years of American history and endeavor, rang- ing from Father Marquette, 1637-1673, to the La Follette of this decade. There always has been more or less dise cussion with regard to Wisconsin's selection of -Marquette, French Jesuit priest, missionary, ex- plorer and discoverer of the course of the Mississippi River. Wisconsin was permitted by, ‘special and joint resolution, approved October 2, 1893, to enter Marquette as her contribution to that State’s honorable history of achievement, and this is the only instance of the kind on record. It was effected because during Father Marquette's memorable achievements neither territory nor State of Wisconsin existed. In the Fairman-Ruckstull plan of “redistribution of statueg” Wisconsin plainly would benefit, Mar- quette going to ths national hall of fame and the State at liberty to select an additional and intrastate memorial. At the time the statue of Frances E. Wile lard, splendid reformer and spinster, was added to the galaxy of American-famed personages by Illinois some gentle, smiling commeni was made on her presence among so many gentle« men. This comment was quickly silenced by a final remark that Father Marquette was among those present and would see that all the amenities were observed. One of the most interesting and finely exe cuted designs in the hall is Pennsylvania’s offering, J. P. G. Muhlenberg. It is the work of a woman sculptor of great ability, Blanch Nevin. She has portrayed this officer of the Continental Army at the most inspiring mow -