there is placed here also the World War Historical Collection, embracing extensive collections of arms and military equipment and uniforms, with original paintings of Liberty Loan posters.

National Gallery of Art.-The Gallery contains the Harriet Lane Johnston and William T. Evans collections, the former including the works of several Old World masters, the latter restricted to contemporary American painters. It also possesses a number of paintings from other sources, and has many loans constantly on exhibition.

The Freer Gallery of Art contains the collections brought together by Charles Lang Freer, of Detroit, and presented by him to the Smithsonian, to be an unit of the National Gallery of Art. Most important in the Western field is the work of James McNeil Whistler, including the Peacock Room from the house in London, where it was decorated by Whistler for Mr. F. R. Leyland. In the American field are paintings by Thomas W. Dewing, Abbott H. Thayer and Dwight W. Tyron; and examples of the work of George de Forest Brush, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, Gari Melchers, Willard Metcalf, John Francis Murphy, Charles A. Platt, Albert P. Ryder, John Singer Sargent and John H. Twachtman. From the East are gathered extensive selections.

The Chinese field is represented by the largest number of objects covering the longest period of time, some produced as early as the Chou Dynasty (B. C. 112-255), and some as recently as the Ch'ing Dynasty (A. D. 1644-1912). The Chinese paintings number over 1,200, and the Japanes paintings, about 800.

The National Academy of Sciences was chartered by Congress in 1863 (the charter signed by Abraham Lincoln) to investigate and advise the Government upon subjects of science and art. The National Research Council was formed in 1916 to organize the scientific resources of the country in event of war, and after the war it was perpetuated for the purpose of stimulating research and to secure cooperation among scientists. It has about 275 members, representing national scientific and technical societies with representatives of the Government. The Academy's exhibits are displayed in its home at 22nd and B Streets.

The purpose of the exhibits is to illustrate current or fundamental phenomena of nature and the progress of scientific research. Some, which are permanently installed, are arranged to show such phenomena as the changing spots on the rotating sun, the variations in the earth's magnetic field, and the records of earthquakes, wherever they occur. Others, which can be operated by the visitor, reveal the exquisite structure and gorgeous colors attending the formation of crystals in polarized light, the interference fringes with which Michelson measured the length of the standard meter and the diameter of giant stars, and the effects of electric discharges in rarefied gases Still others. which are changed from time to time, illustrate recent discoveries and anvances in science. A Foucault pendulum suspended from the dome, is swung to demonstrate the rotation of the earth.

THE PAN AMERICAN UNION.

T

Seventeenth and B streets. For hours, see Time Table.

HE building of the Pan American Union (formerly known as the International Bureau of American Republics), located between B and C streets on Seventeenth, overlooking the President's Park on the east and Potomac Park on the south, within a stone's throw of the Washington Monument, and not far from the new Lincoln Memorial, ranks as one of the most beautiful public buildings in the world. It was erected at a cost of $1,000,000, which was contributed by Mr. Andrew Carnegie and by the twenty-one American nations, including the United States, forming the Union.

The Pan American Union is an international organization and office maintained by the twenty-one American republics, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Salvador, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela, and devoted to the development of commerce, friendly intercourse, good understanding and peace among them. Its affairs are administered by a Director-General and Assistant Director, elected by and responsible to a Governing Board composed of the Secretary of State of the United States and the Diplomatic Representatives in Washington of the other American governments.

The marble exterior is ornamented in front with two heroic statuary groups, representing North America (by Gutzon Borglum), and South America (by Isidore Konti). Above the North American group is a bas-relief panel (by Gutzon Borglum) representing Washington's Farewell to His Generals; and above the South American group the cor responding panel (by Isidore Konti) represents the meeting of the two famous South American liberators, Bolívar and San Martín at Guayaquil, Ecuador, in 1810. Above these again are the carved figures, respectively of an eagle and a condor, the two representative birds of North and South America (both by Solon Borglum).

Entering through three massive bronze doors, the visitor finds himself in a lofty arched vestibule, carrying on its walls four bronzes, by Isidor Konti, representing Enlightenment, Love of Country, Law and Concord. The vestibule opens into a typical Latin-American “patio," or courtyard. The fountain was designed by Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney. The pavement with its grotesque Aztec and Incan figures, represents as nearly as possible the floorings of the old palaces and temples of early Latin American history.

Ascending the grand stairways, the visitor finds himself in the gallery of national standards and patriots. Suspended from the ceiling are the

flags of all the American republics, placed there by their governments to remain forever as historical records of the American nations that existed when the building was constructed. On either side of this and along the walls of the galleries are the busts of the patriots and heroes of the constructive days of the American nations.

Opening off the south side of this gallery is the office of the DirectorGeneral. This gallery in turn opens through four portals into the large assembly hall or auditorium, known as "The Hall of the Americas," which is said to be the most beautiful room of its kind in the United States. The large windows in the rear, looking out upon the terrace, carry the coats-of-arms and colors of the various American republics, and are draped with curtains of royal purple. This room is over one hundred feet in length and approximately seventy feet in width. One thousand persons can be easily seated within its limits. At the southern end of this hall is the room of the Governing Board. It is here that the representatives of the twenty-one American republics gather once a month to consider the welfare of the Union.

Passing through or around the main building, the visitor comes upon a beautiful setting for its western facade, which is called the "Aztec Garden." There is here the figure in heroic size, enlarged from the famous "Sad Indian," the most precious relic of the Aztecs.