Mr. THOMPSON. The record will be kept open until Monday next for additional statements and for letters of support or opposition to the legislation. The subcommittee will now adjourn. (The following communications were received for the record:) Hon. FRANK THOMPSON, Jr., HUNTINGTON HARTFORD FOUNDATION, DEAR MR. THOMPSON: I understand you are endeavoring to rectify our lack as a nation in respect to encouragement in the field of arts. This is commendable and timely. On April 25, I wrote to Pierre Salinger, sending him information which I believe pertinent to any governmental consideration. Let me quote: "May I suggest that efforts be expended toward all the creative arts, since the creative artist is the source of each production, and is on the tail end of any remuneration. I am in a special position to observe this, since I am a creative painter and printmaker myself, and since I am serving, and have served the last 7 years, as resident manager and assistant director of an art colony. "Consider for a moment the effect on world thinking about our land when it is realized that we are the only civilized nation which does nothing for its creative persons. A feeble excuse is that "we are young"-for the sake of God and country, how long does it take to grow up? "France has a 'Direction General des Arts et des Letters' which sends her art abroad to embassies over the world. Regular acquisitions are made to the tune of 100 million francs annually for her Museum of Modern Art. In 1951 a bill enabled 1 percent of the total sum spent on buildings such as schools and national institutions to be spent toward decorating those buildings. This amounts to 250 million francs annually. One hundred and forty million is devoted to the educational side of contemporary art, the state paying the salaries of art teachers and professors. France grants an annual prize of one-half million francs to an artist who has "honored" her. She has set up 3,600,000 francs to help artists stricken "dans la misere," and two parks are set aside for residence for older artists, so they may paint and make a contribution to France after age 65 for the rest of their lives. And in the face of this, what does the richest nation on earth do? "Let's take another look at an aspect no one is facing up to. The cost to the artist has increased in dimensions that reach martyrdom. In 1958, the American Federation of Arts published statistics attesting that only a few artists in this great country are able to live on income from their creative works. This report further reveals an economically smitten member of our society to be shouldered with the subsidy of the culture for which he is held responsible. The artist contributes millions of dollars annually for minute returns and little thanks. Using a minor example, it is estimated that 2,000 printmakers mat pictures and ship to 10 shows at a cost to the artist of $12 per show. Here is an outlay of $240,000-add to this the average fee of $4 and we have nearly one-quarter of a million dollars, simply to support printmaking as an art. Oil and sculpture exhibits would easily be $3 million expense, not counting the time spent in crating, preparing the shipment, etc. "Let us not allow this condition to persist. Let's do something about it. Mexico has demonstrated results, the Scandinavian countries care about their artist-so, too, the Russians. * * *" May I ask you to consider the creative artist for what he is, the source of all the arts, and to nurture this aspect of our culture? Thanking you for the kind attention. Very truly yours, Hon. FRANK THOMPSON, Jr., CHARLES B. ROGERS. RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. THOMPSON: Thank you for your letter of April 28 and the enclosure from Mr. Marvin Cox in which the USIA says it can do nothing along the lines of my proposal for the creation of a Government-sponsored publishing house to disseminate in English the works of Latin American writers. I cannot say that I did not expect this. But I also say that this will have to be done sooner than later. It is just as important to feed, clothe, shelter, and educate the Latin American masses as it is to do the same for the minorities who write, think, and create esthetic values. The Soviet Union has realized this and is already doing something about it; we cannot afford to be too far behind. It was heartening, however, to know that the idea of a yearly prize in literature interested our correspondents. This is good because it will-would-have an immediate effect in stimulating writing and publication in English of the best in each genre produced every year in Latin America. I am sure that this would be a fine way to begin. I am wondering now if you could cause the wheels of the machinery that would bring this about to turn fast enough to make possible its most opportune and effective announcement? This would be at the 10th Congress of the International Institute of Ibero-American Literature. The congress will hold its biennial meeting under the auspices of the National University of Mexico and the University of Oaxaca next August 30, 31, and September 1. The most important writers, critics, and professors in the Americas are members, and many of them will be present at those meetings. The announcement would be, I am sure, a singular coup. Dr. Francisco Monterde, president of the institute and president of the Mexican Academy of the Language, is my personal friend. Moreover, he is one of the few pro-Yankee intellectuals still left there. I feel sure that he would be happy to invite anyone authorized to make the announcement to do so, you for instance. I am, of course, getting ahead of the story through sheer optimism. I do think that the prize is a natural during Mr. Kennedy's administration since he is a man of letters himself and a recipient of the Pulitzer. Sincerely yours, Congressman FRANK THOMPSON, Jr., House Education and Labor Committee, Old House Office Building, Washington, D.C. JOSÉ VÁZQUEZ AMARAL. NEW YORK, N.Y., May 15, 1961. DEAR CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON: I regret that the scheduled hearings for Tuesday, May 16, at which I was scheduled to testify, have now been canceled, and therefore I won't be able to testify in person on H.R. 4172 and H.R. 4174. The American Guild of Musical Artists (AFL-CIO), which represents solo singers, chroisters, stage directors, stage managers, choreographers, and dancers in the field of opera, concert, and the dance, is wholeheartedly in support of these two bills and the purposes of the legislation. We believe that H.R. 4172 is an important beginning toward a greater role on the part of the U.S. Government in the growth and development of all the arts in our country and that H.R. 4174 is a practical implemention toward this development and toward giving assistance in this field. It is becoming more and more obvious that the arts will not flower and realize the great potentialities which have thus far been shown by the American artists unless the Federal Government takes positive and concrete steps to aid and assist them. Sincerely, HY FAINE, National Executive Secretary, American Guild of Musical Artists. NEW YORK, N.Y., May 15, 1961. Hon. FRANK THOMPSON, Jr., Chairman, Subcommittee on Cultural Activities, On behalf of the 15,000 members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, representing performers in the fields of radio, television, phonograph recordings, and transcriptions, we heartily endorse H.R. 4172, which would establish a consultative body of specialists in the arts to advise Congress and the administration. DONALD F. CONAWAY, National Executive Secretary, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE, Hon. FRANK THOMPSON Jr., House Office Building, DEAR MR. THOMPSON: On behalf of the National Council on the Arts and Government I wish to submit the following statement in support of legislation H.R. 4174 to establish a program of grants to States for the development of programs and projects in the arts. I do so, not only because of the interest in the legislation which I share with thousands of citizens concerned for the cultural and spiritual welfare of the United States, but because of my deep conviction that our schools, colleges, and universities have within themselves a magnificent opportunity to raise the level of the arts and of cultural achievements for the entire population of the country. During the 22 years in which I have been closely associated with American colleges and universities as a faculty member and a college president, I have seen a remarkable growth of the creative arts in our educational system. Twenty years ago the first resident painter was appointed to a major university, the University of Wisconsin; the Pro Arte Quartet became a resident group there, to play for the citizens of Madison and in towns and villages all over the State where previously no chamber music concerts had ever been heard. Since then the movement in the universities toward bringing the arts directly to the citizens has grown enormously, with music and arts festivals in dozens of institutions, writers' workshops in more than a hundred colleges, art exhibits, plays, poetry centers, and opera sponsored by the universities themselves. H.R. 4174 is a dramatic proposal at exactly the time when we now have the intellectual and cultural resources to make use of its provisions, and when the stimulation of the Federal Government to the work of the States would have direct and immediate results in giving the arts a central place in the lives of Americans. It is clear that the communities of the country and the educational institutions are not able to finance the creative arts by themselves. The universities are so hard pressed for funds of all kinds and for the arts in particular that they are unable to go further on their own, at a time when we are in serious danger of overwhelming our culture with the accumulation of scientific research and scientific enterprises. The huge Government budget now being spent for science must be matched by an appropriate budget for the arts if we are to have a society which retains its spiritual health and achieves the necessary balance between technique and idea. It is also true that the present costs of theater, dance, opera, and of musical organizations is so great that only rarely is it possible for communities to sustain first-rate work in the arts themselves unless supported by foundation grants or unusual private gifts. Instead, the arts become commercialized, and accordingly fail to provide the conditions for genuine creative development by the country's most serious artists. In addition, there is no place to go for those who are young and talented in the arts, no outlet for their gifts except in commercial enterprise where the esthetic standards become unavoidably debased. Through the universities and the community organizations of the country we have the instruments for developing a citizenry which will not only find richness and satisfaction in the cultural opportunities H.R. 4174 would provide, but would elevate the taste and judgment of the country as a whole, making demands on television and the mass media which would in turn force their standards to rise. A cycle of growth would then begin which would surpass in speed and range anything which we or any other country has ever seen. I support strongly your efforts in this cause, and I know I speak for the majority of serious American educators in support of H.R. 4174 now before your Subcommittee on Education. Yours sincerely, HAROLD TAYLOR, President, Sarah Lawrence College, 1945-1959. AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND Hon. FRANK THOMPSON, Jr., Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education of Committee on Education and Labor, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR CHAIRMAN THOMPSON: It is with pleasure that the AFL-CIO adds its support to H.R. 4172, providing for a Federal Advisory Council on the Arts, and H.R. 4174, authorizing funds for the development of programs and projects in the arts. We urge your committee to seek speedy enactment of these measures. I am sure you are aware that the labor movement is deeply concerned in the development of cultural pursuits. Many members of the AFL-CIO are performing artists whose lives have been given to music and drama. Many others have participated in union-sponsored programs in choral singing, ceramics, drama, and other artistic pursuits during nonworking hours. The need for the Federal programs envisioned in H.R. 4172 and H.R. 4174 will become greater with the passage of time. Our Nation is already in the midst of a second great technological revolution brought on by automation. This new skill-the substitution of machines for the human mind in the production of goods and services-has already sparked a reduction in the workweek for many American workers. As automation spreads to new industries and new plants, we may expect the 40-hour week to become a thing of the past, supplanted by a 35-hour or a 30hour week. Several of our unions have already established a less-than-40-hour week through collective bargaining, and more will do so in the future. Much of this new-found leisure will be channeled into recreational pursuits, including outdoor activities and academic education. Cultural activities and education in the arts should expand and grow with these other pursuits. Establishment of the proposed Advisory Council would give a needed and salutary public focus on cultural development. It is noteworthy that the Advisory Council would not be limited to those in "classical" art fields, but would include the newer art forms. This is a proper recognition of the broad interest of our people. H.R. 4174 would, through its encouragement of activity in the several States, insure important local impetus to development programs. Such interest on the part of local groups throughout the country is essential to any real broadening of our cultural base. May I again congratulate you and your committee on your interest in this legislation. I hope you will include this letter in the record of the hearings. Sincerely yours, ANDREW J. BIEMILLER, Director, Department of Legislation. THE LEAGUE OF NEW YORK THEATRES, INC., Hon. FRANK THOMPSON, JR., Chairman, Subcommittee on Cultural Activities, Washington, D.C.. DEAR CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON: In telephone conversation with Mr. Frain we advised him of our support of legislation establishing a Federal Advisory Council on the Arts and enactment of a national cultural development program. We take this opportunity to reaffirm to you our support for such legislation and would like to request from you what further action might be required from our organization to sponsor such urgently needed programs. We appreciate your interest on our behalf. Sincerely yours IRVING W. CHESKIN, Executive Director. Hon. FRANK THOMPSON, JR., Chairman, Select Subcommittee on Education, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. NEW YORK, N.Y., May 19, 1961. DEAR MR. THOMPSON: Thank you very much for your letter of May 10, in which you informed me of the hearings to be held on May 15 on H.R. 4172. I appreciate your suggesting that the committee would be interested in my views as an individual and as the chairman of the board of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. I regret very much that I was not able to be present at the hearings but I had a longstanding commitment which required that I be in New York on the day proposed. Uuder the circumstances, you suggested that I set forth my views in writing. The role of the arts in American life has increased with each passing year so that today participation, support, and enjoyment of the arts is no longer the prerogative of the few. They have become a part of the daily lives of a vast majority of our population in all walks of life. A very tangible indication of this development is the substantial increase in the number of local symphony orchestras, amateur dramatic groups, museums, and cultural centers. These have come about through the interest, initiative, and support of individual citizens through out the land. This has been a wholesome development and one which is almost inevitable in the light of the industrial advancement of the country. Increasingly our people have had a desire and have felt a need for some form of self-realization, some means of creative fulfillment. In less complicated times most of our citizens could find this in their daily labors-in the quite visible products of their hands. But today society is more complex and mechanized and it is difficult for most of our citizens to gain from their labor alone the satisfactions they desire. Accordingly, they are turning more and more to the arts as one means— and as a very important means for gaining such satisfactions. While this development has come about primarily as a result of individual initiative and local interest, the arts have become such a significant part of our national life that it does seem to me that recognition of their importance, as well as their encouragement, are matters of appropriate concern for the Federal Government. It is also highly desirable that there be a focal point for such concern within the executive branch of the Government. The Federal Advisory Council on the Arts, as proposed in H.R. 4172, is well designed to achieve this result. The very existence of the Council will give recognition to the importance of the arts. The bill provides a vehicle through which those interested in the arts may appropriately bring matters of significance to the attention of the Federal Government-matters which are appropriate for the consideration and concern of the Federal Government. In addition, the Council is not vested with such executive powers as will enable it to interfere with the healthy, normal development of our culture through individual initiative. For these reasons I sincerely hope that H.R. 4172 will be favorably considered by the House of Representatives. If there is anything I can do to further this legislation either individually or in my capacity as chairman of the board of Lincoln Center, I hope very much that you will not hesitate to call upon me. Sincerely, JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER 3d. |