Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-01

1t Is sincerely to be hoped that some
future Congress will see fit to drop tariff
tinkering and other political legislation
long enough to consider seriously and to
some end the problem of American archi-
lecture. BY this Is not necessarily meant
the question of lines, angles, materials,
styles and other matters Of art. but the
more important and serious problems of
administration. factors of the greatest
weigh: whenever successful bull ling is in
consideration. The country fas passed suffi-
GENTLY far through the period of organiza-
ton and establishment to turn aside now
to systematic these more artistic phases
OF its existence. and the public building of
the future should he worthy of a great ma
ton that has been founded for centuries
rather than for decades. Sufficient atten-
ton has already been directed to this ques-
ton for thinking people to realize that
without a change N the organization of the
bureau which controls and directs the Off
cial architecture of America there will be
this same narrowing indefiniteness, lack
of purpose, and of uniformity that has con-
tinued to make the public buildings of
America the laughing-stock of the archi-
tectural world. 1t is not that the buildings
that there are not some notable examples
of grand designs which nave commanded
the admiration Of citizens of this country
and visitors from others. But the essen
tia1 fault has been the lack Of coherent
lines of thought. 1t Is only lately that there
has been any similarity of plan in designing
the public building, and this has been
merely similarity of mediocrity, produc-
Ing the effect IF an anorphous. inconse-
quential school without a distinctive fea-
ture. composed of essentials borrowed from
other countries. other ages. and combining
the principles of all the established schools
of architectural art
But the great fault has been-and 1t Is to
this that Congressional attention should be
soon addressed-that the placing Of gov
eminent architecture within the SUPER
vision Of a subordinate official Of a great
department already overwhelmed with a
multitude of details has resulted in the
worst kind OF piecemeal work, producing
delays, changes of plan and an altogether
unwholesome state of things. The fire.
quent changes OF administration and the
more frequent changes of the individual
who Is nominally at the head of the bureau
tend to produce the least Conference and
system imaginable. 1t Is seldom that a
presidential administration does not pass
without at least two supervising architects
having been In charge of the bureau. Pro-
fessional as well as political jealousies tend
to frequent changes Of plans and aggra-
waiting and useless delays. faulty sys-
tenn Of contracts without adequate penal
ties for noI,-completion has grown up to
Increase the difficulties of the situation. A
recent architectural publication demon
49,. til
has a government building been completed
within the terms of the original contract
either as to time or cost. For this, much
of the blame is to be attributed to the lax
ity Of Consr in making inadequate ap-
propriations. but by far the major part Of
the fault must be said to lie with the ka-
leideoscopic system of administration,
which cannot fail to cause delay, and con-
sequently additional cost, through the in
cessant changes OF personnel and OF plans.
The most apparent solution Of the prob
lem, broadly stated. is the establishment Of
q non-partisan, scientific bureau of archi-
lecture. to be made as permanent as pos
sible through the employment Of the best
talent. and its retention as long as the gov
eminent gets the best work Of Its service
Remove the architects Office from the
plane Of politics. Select that functionary
from tn. ranks of scientific and artistic
men Pay him a salary that will be ade-
quate ret'.rn for his services. Reorganize
the system of contracts and throw wide
open the competition for plans. Exact pen
alties for non-completion with strictness,
and insist upon prompt execution of every
obligation Then, and not until then, will
the building of n public edifice cease 70
drag Itself through many administrations,
while scores and hundreds OF private
structures are being conceived, built and
occupied Then only. too. will come the
time when America will have a decent a
praiseworthy school of architectural design
and a business-Iike administration of this
most important function of government