Daily fg§ Trojan
University of Southern California
Vol. LXVI, No. 91____Los Angeles, California	_Friday, March 15, 1974
Donor claims Rubens paintings are authentic
BY DON LaPLANTE
Contributing Editor
The painting. “Venus Wounded by a Thorn.” by Peter Paul Rubens, given to the university in 1965 by Armand Hammer. is authentic, according to documents filed by Hammer with the U.S. Tax Court in Washington. D.C.
The authenticity of the painting was questioned by the Internal Revenue Service in an action to obtain over $800,000 in back taxes from Hammer, chairman of the board of Occidental Petroleum.
Hammer’s petition to the Tax Court listed five art experts who certified the authenticity of the painting.
The government in its original statement said that the Rubens painting was either a copy or a studio version.
A spokesman for Hammer said the painting had also been found to be an original by the government’s own expert. Seymour Silve, a professor at Harvard University.
“The opinion of the government's panel of experts reducing the value of the works of art in question was made from photographs without their ever viewing the paintings themselves,” the spokesman said.
“For example, ‘Venus Wounded by a Thorn' was found to be genuine after it was viewed by the government’s own expert as well as by the two greatest living authorities on paintings by Rubens.”
The government in its action reduced the value of the paintings that Hammer had claimed on his income-tax return as a
charitable contribution for six paintings donated to the university and a bronze statue given to the University of Texas.
It also said that Hammer failed to qualify for the rule of unlimited charitable contributions and allowed Hammer only $974,000 in charitable contributions for 1969-70. instead of $6.6 million.
The value ofthe Rubens painting was reduced from $75,000 to $45,000 by the Internal Revenue Service.
In his petition to the Tax Court, Hammer said that he had not even claimed the full value of the painting as a charitable contribution and that it was worth approximately $140,000.
Five other paintings that Hammer had donated were cut in value by the Internal Revenue Service.
“Queen Henrietta” was cut from $35,000 to $4,000. “Gentlemen and Lady at Tea” was slashed from $58,000 to $7,500. “A Merry Trio” was dropped from $21,000 to $6,000 in value. “A Village School” was cut from $22,500 to $12,000.
The fifth painting, ‘The Letter,” was listed by the Internal Revenue Service as $5,000. Hammer’s petition failed to list the figure he had deducted from his tax return for the last painting.
The claimed deficiency in taxes for the two years in which the paintings were given is $154,000. according to figures supplied by the Internal Revenue Service.
Hammer, in his petition, claims that he has a refund of $18,000 due for 1967 and makes no request for a refund for 1966.
51 student nominations filed for council seats
A total of 51 nominations have been received for the 12 seats from the College of Letters. Arts and Sciences on the President’s Advisory Council.
Positions to be filled by the election include three representatives from the residence halls, three from the fraternities and sororities and six representing the commuters or independent students.
A total of 16 nominations were received from resident students. 14 from fraternities and sororities and 21 from commuters and independent students.
Candidates must have a 2.0 grade-point average and be members of the constituency they are running to represent. After the nominations have been checked by the registrar, the names of the candidates will be announced today.
Candidates may submit a 100-word statement on their platforms by today.
Increase in health fees is expected
A proposed $6 increase per semester in student health fees is expected to be approved Monday at the monthly meeting of the President’s Advisory Council.
The council, a joint body
comprised of administrators^ faculty and staff members and students, will meet at 3:30 p.m. in Town and Gown Foyer.
The agenda of the meeting consists of a special report on tenure and promotion, a resolution asking Congress for tax deductions for private schools, and a special report concerning the council elections.
“We expect no opposition in regard to the proposal,” said George Bolanos, coordinator of the student caucus of the council. “Everyone thinks it’s a good idea.”
Donald Brewer, director ofthe University Galleries, said he considers the paintings to be authentic unless proved otherwise. He said if the Internal Revenue Service continues to pursue the claim of the Rubens being a copy, he would have to have it checked out.
Brewer said the gallery makes no concerted effort to check the authenticity of paintings that are donated.
“Scholars come in and give their opinions on paintings verbally, but we really can’t use that,” he said.
He also said the gallery does not keep a current value on each piece of art. He said that it is given a value only when it is insured before it is lent to another gallery or museum.
The spokesman for Hammer said that the only thing in question is whether Hammer qual-
(Continued on page 9)
THE RELIGIOUS APPROACH—These two unidentified Hare Krishna devotees were among several that circulated through campus Thursday talking to students. The followers of the ancient cult are devoted to the Hindu god Krishna. DT photo by Gehrig Ikeda.
Associate medical dean appointed to head new finance committee
set up previously, recommendations went to a single constituency and then through a lot of channels,” Mathies said.
The new committees will report directly to the advisory council.
Mathies said the tuition hike of $210 that will go into effect next year is necessary.
“From the information available to me, it seemed that the tuition income had to increase. One of the jobs of this new committee is to try to better forecast projected incomes,” he said.
"This method will enable us to determine whether tuition increase must occur. If so, it will enable us to set a time interval for increases.”
Mathies said that the composition ofthe committee will reflect that of the council. The committee will consist of 25% administrators and staff members, 25% students, and 50% faculty. The appointments are expected to be announced next week.
In addition to serving as associate dean of the School of Medicine. Mathies also teaches pediatrics.
He currently serving on the Master Plan Steering Committee for the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and is also chairman of the Residency Task Force Department of Health Services for Los Angeles County.
Mathies said that since his appointment he has decided to limit his participation in the other committees.
‘“The chairman of a committee must identify the issues that come before it. He must keep the committee moving toward solutions for problems.” he said.
“Being chairman doesn’t mean you direct the committee or have a vote that’s more powerful than others.
“The chairman must keep the committee from becoming a debating society.”
BY ELLEN NORMA XT
Staff Writer
Allen Mathies, associate dean of the School of Medicine, has been appointed chairman of the new Resource Management and Planning Committee of the President’s Advisory Council.
President John R. Hubbard made the appointment March 7 after nominations were screened by the executive committee of the council and approved by the council as a whole.
In describing the main function of the new committee, Mathies said it must look at the resources the university has and decide how they should be allocated.
“It is our job to make recommendations for changes, if indeed they are needed,” Mathies said.
A revision of the university committee structure under the council, approved recently by Hubbard, specified that the committee should be concerned with tuition and fees, fiscal planning and development, physical-plant operations and maintenance, business services and energy conservation.
Mathies said there is definitely an advantage to the newly formed committee structure.
“The way the committees were
SONTAG SPEAKS—Susan Sontag, author and filmmaker, spoke on "The Contemporary Revolution in the Performing Arts" in Bovard Auditorium Thursday as part of the Festival of the Arts. She discussed the contemporary arts and showed one of her films, Duet For Cannibals. DT photo by Bob Chavez.