Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-17
TO ENLARGE THE HOUSE HALL
MI. Boutelle's Reeolution-ff IL Is Adopted
the Press Gallery Must Go.

the Press Gallery Must Go.
The attention of newspaper men generally
does not seem to have been directed to the fact.
made public in The STAR yesterday, that
proposition to evict them from their point Of
vantage in the House of Representatives is
being seriously considered by the House COM
mittee on ventilation and acoustics. That
committee win soon be ready to report on the
following resolution offered on the 10th in
slant by Representative Boutelle:
Resolved, That the committee on ventilation
and acoustics be and they are hereby directed
to examine and report without delay upon the
practicability and cost of removing she parti-
tons and galleries on the south side of the hall
of the House of Representatives SO rs to in
c1ude the present lobby passage within the bar
OF the House, thereby obtaining additional
floor room for the hall and the benefit of addi-
tional light and ventilation on the south side"
WHERE WILL THE PRESS GANG 90?
II the committee report happens to strike
the House favorably and affirmative action is
taken, what will become Of the press gallery?
The result would be wholesale eviction and
the creation of an organized band of modern
Ishnlaelltes. IT would be impossible TO make
gallery out of the present press lobby. because
the wall which divides the lobby and the gal
1ery cannot be cut or removed: il is the main
wall of the chamber and supports the roof. A
press gallery on either end of the hall would
be 1aliure for the reason that speakers who
are afflicted with weak lungs could not be heard
at the opposite end of the chamber. The news
paper men cannot be located opposite the
Speaker because they could not face both the
Speaker and the House, and of the two they
would prefer to gaze into the eyes of the latter
there is more OF it.
WHY THE CHANGE TO BE MADE.
One of the reasons for the proposed .hange
is the necessity for additional seating room
which, will be apparent under the new appor-
tionmeBt, but there are those who insist that
there Is ample space vet unoccupied in the
northern corners. That plan has worked Sat
isfactorily in the Senate. and the only labor
involved was that of the salaried employees.
who moved a couple of sofas out and put in
place OF them the necessary desks.
THE COST AND THE EFFECT OF THE CHANGE.
The cost of the proposed enlargement of the
hall and the consequent journalistic eviction
will not be small-certainlv not less than from
$40. 900 TO $4,000. The removal of the parti-
tlon wall and the galleries could not cost that
much but there are other matters to be con-
sldered. The Speakers throne would be moved
about sixteen feet further south. and this if the
members preserved their present femi-circula
arrangement. would necessarily make those
who sit directly in front of the Speaker sixteen
feet further away from his eye and his ear than
they now are. 1t is therefore evident that the
seml-clrcle must be iiattened into segment of
Il circle. This involves the tearing up of the
entire floor, the Encouragement of heating and
VeEtllatlng apparatus and a new floor The re-
moval Of the press gallery would call for the
repaInting and redeeoration of the entire hall.
For years past Architect Clark's esthetic sense
has been shocked by the somber hues prevalent
on the walls and he will be only too pleased 10
have both opportunity and appropriation at
one time. he will use lighter and brighter
tintS.
REPRESENTATIVE CASEY YouNG's PLAN.
Ten years ago Representative Casey Young
of Tennessee was the enthusiastic advocate of
plan which may Yet meet with popular favor.
now that the House of Representatives is be-
coming cumbrous and unWieldlv. Mr.. Young
idea was to have the desks of members removed
entirely from the hall. In their place. he
argued, there should be eighteen tables-each
three feet wide and most of them nine feet
long-ranged around the rear of the hail. and
at these those members who felt SO inclined
could do their writing. Four other tables-two
on each slde-werc also to be provided for the
use of chairmen of committees or other orators
who might need large quantities of material
from which to draw inspiration and facts. MI.
loungs arrangement brought the rear row of
seats fourteen feet nearer the Speaker than
they now are.
The committee will probably report in few
DAYS.
REPRESENTATIVE BoUTELLE AND THE '.SEws-
PAPER BOYS"
Representative Boutelle laughed heartily
when a STAR reporter asked him if he was
going to press his evictive resolution. The
idea that the removal of the press gallery was
involved never entered my head until long
after the resolution had been offered or
course the newspaper boys have to be provided
for. and if the plan now being discussed is ac-
ceptcd believe an arch could be cnt Out of
the main wall and gallery made of the pres
ent press lobby. Then we could give the cor
respondents the ladies' retiring room and they
could write and hold caucuses in that. Don't
you worry about the ladies; We can find place
for them"