REERECTION OF THE MCMILLAN FOUNTAIN

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TEARLY 10 years ago the War Department ordered the dismantling of the McMillan Fountain, the gift of friends in memory of Senator James McMillan of Michigan, who at the turn of the century had taken an active part in making the city of Washington more beautiful.

It had been agreed to reerect the fountain at a new site in the Rose Garden, East Potomac Park, now occupied by temporary war buildings.

The Commission of Fine Arts considered the matter at a meeting held on September 13, 1948. Chairman Clarke consulted Mr. Harry T. Thompson, Associate Superintendent of the Office of National Capital Parks, National Park Service, concerning the matter. Mr. Thompson replied:

The moving of the fountain has almost been stymied for the time being by the Navy Department * * * The Assistant Secretary of the Navy got in touch with the Secretary of the Interior, and after certain informal discussions it seemed advisable to leave the temporary buildings there for certain reasons which they discussed that I am not familiar with, so instead of taking them down, they are still there and will be for another year.

Chairman Clarke, suggested that an effort be made to secure the necessary funds to erect the fountain at the site of the new Rose Garden in Potomac Park. Hope was expressed that the fountain could be erected before the Sesquicentennial Year, 1950.

MODEL FOR THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT GROUNDS

Major General Ulysses S. Grant 3d, Chairman. of the National Capital Park and Planning

Commission stated, at a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on September 13, 1948, that a decision had been reached that the 1901 Plan for the Washington Monument Grounds, with its gardens and terraces (which would add 40 feet to the height of the Monument on the west side) was not practical because of foundation conditions. About 1930 an advisory board of Engineers made borings and investigated the subsurface conditions. The board then decided that the foundations of the Washington Monument should not be disturbed. Thereupon, Mr. Olmsted and Mr. Hubbard drew up a landscape plan and Mr. William Adams Delano made an alternate plan.

General Grant said further that, at the Centennial Celebration of the laying the cornerstone of the Washington Monument, which was held during last July, he had recommended the appropriate embellishment of the Washington Monument Grounds so as to bring them more in keeping with the Mall and the central area composition of Washington. He believed it would be appropriate to designate this work one of the projects of the Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1950. General Grant's suggestion has been generally favored and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission now has plans and a model that were prepared under the direction of the Planning Commission. General Grant then asked the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts concerning these plans and the model. The members thereupon inspected them.

The Commission was generally well pleased with the model because of its simplicity. Major

Clarke, as the landscape architect member of the Commission, gave the model particular attention. He felt that the plan called for too many trees which would tend to dwarf the height of the Monument, and interfere with the vistas from Constitution Avenue. He also believed the proposed locations for the walks should be restudied.

General Grant suggested improving the Sylvan Theater, at the south slope of the Washington Monument grounds, as an out-of-door theater. It was agreed that automobile parking immediately adjacent to the Monument ought to be eliminated.

The model was subsequently revised to embody the changes suggested.

PANELS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING, NASHVILLE, TENN.

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on February 20, 1950, the Commission inspected models by Leo Friedlander, sculptor, submitted by the Public Buildings Administration, for sculpture to decorate the main entrance panels for the new Federal Office Building at Nashville, Tenn.

The Commission approved the models.

BUST OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FORRESTAL

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on January 6, 1950, the Commission learned that Kalervo Kallio, sculptor, of Washington had been awarded the commission to execute a bust in bronze of James V. Forrestal, first Secretary of Defense.

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on February 20, 1950, the Commission was asked by Mr. Osgood Roberts, of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, to inspect a sketch for the pedestal of the bust of Secretary Forrestal, which is to be placed at the Mall entrance to the Pentagon Building.

Mr. C. D. Persina, Chief Designer of the Public Buildings Administration, presented the sketch to the Commission. On the recommendation of the sculptor member, Mr. Lawrie, it was decided that the pedestal should be made an integral part of the wall. It was further decided that the inscription on the pedestal should be limited to the insignia of the Secretary of National Defense, and that a carefully worded inscription should be prepared as a background for the bust on the existing marble wall panel.

STATUE OF GENERAL JOSE GERVASIO ARTIGAS

Public Law 788, 80th Congress To provide for the acceptance on behalf of the United States of a statue of General Jose Gervasio Artigas, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to accept on behalf of the United States the bronze statue of General Jose Gervasio Artigas, as a gift from the people of Uruguay, and erect the same on a suitable site to be selected by the Director of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, with the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, in a public park or other federally owned property in the District of Columbia. Such statue shall not be erected until the plans and specifications for the pedestal and landscaping have been submitted to and approved by the Commission of Fine Arts. The preparation of the plans and specifications for the pedestal and landscaping and the erection of the statue shall be under the supervision of the Director of the National Park Service.

SEC. 2. There is authorized to be appropriated such funds as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, including the design and construction of a suitable pedestal for such statue, the landscaping of the adjacent area, and the necessary plans therefor. Approved June 26, 1948.

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on September 13, 1948, Ambassador Mora of Uruguay, accompanied by Mr. John C. M. Crane, and Mr. Harry T. Thompson, Assistant Superintendent of the Office of National Capital Parks, conferred with the Commission concerning a location for the statue. After consideration of several locations in the vicinity of the Pan American Union, the Commission chose a small reservation at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and 18th Street.

The statue is the gift of Uruguay to the United States. It portrays General Artigas as one of the great patriotic liberators of South American countries in his military uniform.

The pedestal was designed by the firm of Harbeson, Hough, Livingston and Larson,

architects of the Pan American Annex. Congress appropriated $23,000 for the pedestal (Public Law 119, 81st Cong., approved June 25, 1949).

PEDESTAL FOR STATUE OF GENERAL ARTIGAS

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on February 20, 1950, the Commission ratified the action of the Chairman in approving working drawings of the pedestal for the statue of General Jose Artigas, by Harbeson, Hough, Livingston and Larson, architects of Philadelphia. The drawings were submitted by Mr. Harry T. Thompson, Assistant Superintendent of the Office of National Capital Parks, to Chairman Clarke in New York City.

STATUE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON FOR URUGUAY

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on September 13, 1948, the Commission considered a State Department proposal to give a statue of George Washington to Uruguay, in return for Uruguay's gift of the statue of General Artigas to the United States. The Department of State favored such a gift and asked the advice of the Commission concerning the matter.

The Commission concurred, but decided that such a statue of George Washington should be an original work of art, done by a competent sculptor selected as the result of a limited competition. Mr. Lawrie stated that the statue, in bronze, including pedestal, would cost $75,000. It was assumed that the State Department would draft the necessary legislation.

The following letter was sent to the Department of State on the subject:

September 1948.

DEAR MR. BOHLEN: At their meeting on September 13, 1948, the Commission of Fine Arts considered the question of location of the statue of General Jose Gervasio Artigas, and were in conference with Minister Mora of Uruguay on the subject. The Commission decided that the statue should be placed in the vicinity of the Pan American Union or the adjacent Annex, which is now under construction. A plan, incorporating the suggestions of the Commission made at their last meeting, will be prepared for the next meeting of the Commission on October 29th.

At the same time the Commission considered the question of a reciprocal gift to Uruguay of a statue of George Washington. The Commission advise that such a statue should be an original work of art procured as the result of a limited competition among a group of eminently qualified sculptors recommended

Lt. Col. Richard G. Ciccolella submitted, at a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on September 13, 1948, a revised design for the proposed World War II Memorial of the First Division. The proposed memorial is to be placed in close relationship to the World War I Memorial south of the "State, War and Navy" building. About 4,500 members of the First Division, World War II, are to be commemorated. The sum of $125,000 is being raised for the proposed memorial.

Col. Ciccolella expressed regret that a more adequate drawing was not available, but stated that the architect of the memorial had met with a misfortune several months previous, and had been unable to complete his work on the project.

The Commission inspected the design and noted that it proposed a structure in the nature of an exedra surrounding the First Division. Memorial of World War I. The Commission considered it an unsatisfactory solution of the problem and disapproved the design with the recommendation that further study be given to the project.

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, held on October 29, 1948, Mr. Cass Gilbert, Jr., architect, in company with Lt. Col. Richard G. Ciccolella, submitted a revised design for the First Infantry Division World War II Memorial. The new design comprised an exedra or enlarged enclosure around the World War I Memorial. Mr. Gilbert stated, "We are trying to develop a ramp in the composition so that the men in wheel chairs, the wounded, the legless, can move up from the path by following the ramp up to the enclosure. The names of the soldiers will appear on the top of the parapet in bronze letters. The names of the units will

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on November 21, 1950, the Commission considered a revised design for the proposed First Infantry Division Memorial, World War II, which had recently been submitted. The proposed design consisted of an addition to the World War I First Division A.E.F. Memorial in the form of a terrace and plaques with space for names, to commemorate the World War II dead of the First Infantry Division.

The Commission inspected the site, and came to the following conclusion:

(a) That no further action should be taken until the fund needed (believed to be about $50,000) is available. At present about $10,000 is at hand.

(b) That no further action should be taken until the temporary war building adjacent to the south side of the monument is removed. The Commission was informed that there are State Department offices and White House guards stationed in the building.

A report was sent to Col. A. H. Huguet, Chairman of the Executive Committee, First Division Memorial Association, A.E.F., accordingly.

The Commission considered drawings by Cass Gilbert, Jr., architect, submitted by Colonel Adolphe Huguet, U.S.A. (Retired), for the World War II First Infantry Division Memorial, to be erected adjacent to the First Division Memorial World War I.

The Commission inspected the drawings and disapproved them as being inadequate for proper consideration of them.

The Commission suggested that the Chairman discuss this matter with Colonel Huguet,

Chairman of the Executive Committee of the First Division, A.E.F. Memorial Association.

ILLUMINATING THE THOMAS JEFFERSON

MEMORIAL

At a meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts held on February 11, 1949, the Commission was informed by a memorandum from Mr. Irving C. Root, Superintendent, National Capital Parks of a recommendation by Congressman Clyde Doyle to the Department of the Interior that the Thomas Jefferson Memorial be illuminated at night. The Commission discussed the subject, pointing out that the Commission has looked with disfavor on the floodlighting of monuments and memorials in the National Capital over a period of many years. An exception has been made in the case of the Washington Monument to protect it from airplanes; the dome of the Capitol Building is not under the jurisdiction of the Commission. The following report was sent to Mr. Root:

February 21, 1949.

The Commission of Fine Arts, at its meeting on February 11, 1949, gave careful consideration to your memorandum of January 25th, transmitting a copy of a letter from Congressman Clyde Doyle, of California, written to the Secretary of the Interior and urging that the Thomas Jefferson Memorial be permanently illuminated at night.

The Commission of Fine Arts has deprecated the floodlighting of monuments and memorial statues in the National Capital over a period of many years. Floodlighting distorts the designs and makes them unsightly; needless to say that these monuments were not designed to be lighted by relatively low and concentrated light sources. The dome of the United States Capitol, which is floodlighted, is not within the control of the Commission of Fine Arts. An exception has been made by the Commission in the case of the Washington Monument to help protect it from being struck by airplanes. The Commission is of the opinion that no other monument in Washington should be lighted at night, since in so doing we would detract from the importance of the Capitol dome and the Washington Monument.

MEMORIALS TO HONOR CONSTANTINO BRUMIDI

Under date of May 6, 1949, Congressman John R. Murdock sent the following letter with the draft of two bills to honor Constantino Brumidi for his work at the Capitol:

DEAR MR. CAEMMERER: I am enclosing drafts of two bills on Constantino Brumidi which I plan to introduce as early as possible. I will appreciate it if you will