Mr. Fess, from the Committee on the Library, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 2643] It is recommended that the bill pass. By this bill it is sought to amend the law establishing the George Rogers Clark Sesquicentennial Commission in three particulars: First, it would increase the authorization from $1,000,000 to $1,750,000. Second, it would direct payment of expenditures upon approval by the commission, instead of requiring approval by a majority of the members of the commission. Third, it would prolong the life of the commission to June 30, 1935. The amount authorized by this bill is the amount unanimously approved by the Senate when the commission was first created. House, however, reduced the amount to $1,000,000. The Since the legislation was passed the commission has proceeded in good faith to carry out the wishes of Congress as expressed in the legislation. The commission consists of 15 members: 3 members appointed by the President of the United States, 3 Members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, 3 Members of the House appointed by the Speaker of the House, and 6 members appointed by the George Rogers Clark Memorial Commission of Indiana. The commission first employed Mr. William E. Parsons, of the architectural firm of Bennett, Parsons & Frost, of Chicago. Mr. Parsons is an architect of recognized ability and judgment. He has done much work for the Government and his work has given uniform satisfaction. Mr. Parsons was employed to serve as architect for the grounds and as architectural advisor in the carrying on of the competition for the selection of the architect to erect the memorial. Mr. Parsons made an exhaustive study of the grounds, its history, its environment and successfully executed the program of competition. This competition resulted in bringing together more than 50 of the outstanding architects of America, who submitted designs for the memorial. The successful competitor was Mr. F. C. Hirons, of the architectural firm of Hirons & Mellor, of the city of New York. Mr. Hirons is recognized as one of the ablest architects of the age, but nothing need further be said of his qualifications than the statement that he was awarded the construction of this memorial over more than 50 of the ablest architects in this country. Both Mr. Parsons and Mr. Hirons have given the commission the benefit of their great talents as well as years of experience in such undertakings. It is also to be noted that from the designs submitted by the other architects there was almost a unanimity of thought upon the treatment and requirements of this undertaking. It should also be remarked that their thought was supported by another great architect, H. Vanburen MacGonigle, who had prepared a sketch showing his suggestions for the treatment of this effort for the benefit of Congress two years ago. It was on his report that the Senate fixed the amount, and subsequent investigations have vindicated its judgment. These three architects are agreed that the story to be told, the character of the site, the topography of the surrounding country, as well as the historic structures on the site associated with it in historical importance, their size and character, all determine the scale and require a structure of such size and character as to portray the event and blend into one harmonious whole. It is necessary if the Government is to adequately and worthily express its appreciation, if it is to reflect here its own greatness and gratitude, that it should rise to meet the opportunity presented by this most unusual and fortunate setting of beautiful architectural associations, of a beautiful natural environment interwoven in beauty, romance, and history. The amount required to adequately do this could not be determined in advance by legislative action, but was arrived at after study and investigations on the ground by the best talent to be had. There is upon the site the old French St. Xavier Cathedral, itself possessing remarkable architectural charm and there is not far from the site the Harrison mansion, the home of William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory, Governor of the old Northwest Territory, and at one time Governor of the Louisiana Purchase. This Harrison house is connected with the site of the memorial by a broad boulevard now under construction and there is at the site of the memorial a memorial bridge now being built across the Wabash, connecting the States of Indiana and Illinois. This bridge is at the point crossed by Abraham Lincoln in his journey to Illinois, his future home. Not only this historic old mansion and church, but other fixed conditions present the problem to the Government whether or not a monument should be erected which would lend itself in harmony with this environment or whether or not simply a monument should be erected for a certain sum regardless of the results sought to be accomplished Monuments can not be erected upon specified sites to commemorate certain events and completed for a definite sum as a commercial structure can. A commercial structure can be erected for any desired amount, but the cost of a suitable memorial can be determined only by considering other necessary elements. Especially is this true for the memorial to be erected upon this site and to commemorate this event. After the commission was thus enlightened as to their duties and opportunities, it was confronted with the question as to whether or not it should proceed to confine itself to the appropriation available or whether it should come back to Congress with its problem and suggest an additional appropriation in order that a really great memorial might be erected suitable to the situation in keeping with the achievement and worthy of a great Government which had too long neglected to show appreciation for this, one of the greatest and most inspiring achievements in all history. The commission was unanimous in its decision that it should come back to Congress with its problem, rather than proceed to erect that which failed to satisfy itself and failed to conform to the expressed intention of Congress. The committee held hearings and unanimously decided that this additional appropriation should be granted, that it was necessary in order to really accomplish what Congress intended and in order that the best results might be had, and in order that the money already appropriated should not be unwisely spent. That this experience is not new and that the reasons herein are sound, are proven by a similar experience in the construction of the Lincoln Memorial, where the initial appropriation was limited to $2,000,000, but it was found necessary, for the memorial to meet its expectations, to spend considerably more than $3,000,000. The conclusions reached by the committee unanimously were not based upon the statements of the interested architects alone, but were based upon the testimony of disinterested architects and are supported by the almost unanimous conclusions of the many outstanding architects who participated in the competition, as shown by their designs submitted. Realizing its own responsibility and its great opportunity, the State of Indiana, the county of Knox, the city of Vincennes, and the citizens there have not failed to contribute generously in the effort to make this a really notable accomplishment. Local contributions have been made as follows. Citizens of Vincennes, donations_ State of Indiana, by special tax levy enacted by State legislature-- The requirements for additional land advised by architects will cost the State of Indiana.. Certain other miscellaneous items (estimated). Total... $50, 000 100, 000 100, 000 406, 000 234, 000 375, 000 65, 000 50,000 1, 380, 000 Section 4 of the original bill is amended by this bill to permit expenditures to be paid when approved by the commission instead of being approved by the majority of the members of the commission. This is done to expedite and facilitate the work of the commission. There has not been nor is there expected to be any dissentions in the commission. So far, the commission has been unanimous upon every important question, but the commission, consisting of 15 members so widely separated, should be permitted to act when it has a quorum present without being required to ascertain the opinion of those not present. This point was raised by the General Accounting Office and causes the commission unnecessary trouble in making out its vouchers for expenditures. The third thing accomplished by the bill would be to prolong the life of the commission, because it is now obvious that it will be impossible to complete the work within the time originally provided. O Mr. FESS, from the Committee on the Library, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 12696] The Committee on the Library, which has had under consideration the bill (H. R. 12696) providing for the purchase of the Vollbehr collection of incunabula, having considered the same, do recommend that the bill pass. The facts are set forth in the hearing on a similar Senate bill (S. 4629) which is appended hereto and made a part of this report. HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON THE LIBRARY, UNITED STATES SENATE, WITH REGARD TO THE PURCHASE OF THE VOLLBEHR COLLECTION OF INCUNABULA, JUNE 16, 1930 Present: Senator Simeon D. Fess (chairman), Senators Frederick H. Gillett, Hiram Bingham, Kenneth McKellar, Alben W. Barkley, and Elmer Thomas, members of the committee; Mr. Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress. STATEMENT OF HERBERT PUTNAM, LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS The committee was called to order by the chairman. The CHAIRMAN. There are several bills which I want to take up this morning and one is H. R. 12696, authorizing an appropriation for the purchase of the Vollbehr collection of incunabula, which is identical with the Senate bill S. 4629, introduced by Senator Bingham. There was some difference in the bills Mr. PUTNAM. It was the first House bill that had some different features. The bill reported out from the House committee is the same as the second one introduced in the Senate by Senator Bingham. The CHAIRMAN. I would like to state for the record that I have not given approval of this proposal-rather, had expressed disapproval on the grounds that it was an expenditure of public money that might be used or employed for better purposes, and that this collection could be, or might be, secured by some public-spirited men if we only knew who they are-many of them are in the country-who would be glad to purchase a collection of this sort and present it to the Library. I thought I was expressing the attitude of those who were most intimately associated with the Library when I took this position, but I find the interest has been so widespread that I could not resist giving a ★6-21-30 |