Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-25

The new Attorney General is by no means
to be blamed for desiring to hasten the con-
struction of the Department of Justice
building. which has Jagged for many
months. He comes into office to find his
department inadequatey housed with a
million dollars awaiting expenditure upon
the construction of new home for him
and his clerks. He sees the site cleared
the plans drawn. and he naturally wonders
why progress has not been made. The his
tory of this enterprise is rather unfortu-
nate from first to last. 1t required several
years of repeated warnings to persuade
Congress that the old building was unsafe.
Finally. just on the eve of adjournment,
largely as result of persistent publica
lions by this paper. bill was passed pro-
viding for the removal of the force from
the crumbling structure and for the cree
ton of new building. There was no time
for sufficient considerable of the case
then and everybody was glad that the re-
moval had been provided for before the old
shell had collapsed
After the clerks and records had been
sa fely removed the work of clearing the
site for the new building was begun and
then the suspicion previously entertained
that the ground was not sufficient was veri-
fed. 1t became at once apparent that If
the million dollars Were spent as contem-
plated the result would be a structure
which. while artisticalIy. satisfactory in
point of lines. would not be of such materi-
al as to maintain the high governmental
standard and would occupy a wholly mad
equate site huddled upon a corner as
though the government We're too poor to
buy sufficient land for it's accommoda ton.
These and other disclosures, together with
difficulty over the bids. caused delay in
the execution OF the plans and Congress
was asked for a larger sum, which should
have been at once granted, together with
provision for the purchase of more ground,
either In the same locality or preferably on
the south side of Pennsylvania avenue. But
committee chairmen We're Indifferent. the
question became complicated. and Congress
adjourned without increasing the allotment,
leaving ii incumbent upon the Attorney
General to erect the new structure out Of
the inadequate appropriation upon the pal
pably insufficient lot.
Attorney General Knox is reported as be-
lieving that the law is mandatory, and that
it is his duty to execute it, even though
the result may he deplorable. Against this
view stands the opinion of Chairman Mer-
Ger Of the House public buildings commit
tee, who is thoroughly acquainted with the
circumst anCes of this enterprise The
question should be decided upon broader
grounds than that afforded by a scrutiny of
the precise language OF the appropriation
act. Is the necessity for a new structure
SO pressing that the department can not
walt another session or two for corrective
| legislation in line with the broad scheme Of
capital Development? Chairman Mercer
happily the ground at this iuncture Is
an earnest advocate of a great palace of
justice construction 10 accommodate the
department and the courts. He is further
more alive to the Importance of developing
the grand plan of locating all future public
buildings with reference to one central
thoroughfare with proper consideration for
the approaches. 1T is TO be hoped that his
judgment in the matter will prevail and
that matters will be allowed to rest where
they are at least until Congress has had
one more chance 10 repair it's initial blum
der and to provide a department building
which will take its proper place among the
governments working houses at the cap
ital