Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-14
NEW EXECUTIVE OFFICES.
Convenience of the Arrangement of
the Presidents Quarters.

Some question has arisen as to the desig-
nation Of the new office building on the
White House grounds now nearing compile
ton for the use Of the President The
architects are desirous that 1t should be
called the Temporary office building" with
an emphasis suggesting that this is not a
permanent solution of the question. They
believe that the President of the United
States should have more dignified office
home than this.
While this desire of the architects will
find some response the convenience of the
new arrangement is likely to give it consid-
cradle permanency. The new quarters. al
though smaller than those which railroad
president would occupy, will be so great an
improvement over those recently vacated as
to seem generous. President Cleveland
used to remark that his office quarters at
the. White House seemed contracted
after an official residence in the state CAPT
tol at Albany, as to make it hard to realize
the size OF the promotion involved in the
transfer. Even the new office quarters
will not be comparable with those Mr..
Roosevelt occupied at Albany.
There will be really three rooms in which
the President can see callers. His own
room will occupy quarters in the south
east corner of the structure, and look out
over the lawns and gardens of the south
front. The cabinet room, where he
tertain other callers besides those for whom
it is specially designed. opens out of the
Presidents room and occupies the north
east quarter of the building little ante
room, just the right size for a confidential
chat, separates the Presidents office from
that of his private secretary, and makes
third place at his disposal. A telegraph
room, to which a President often has an oc-
casion to go, in connection with personal
messages, lies between the private secre-
tary's Office and large room for the cleri-
cal staff. There is in addition a beautiful
reception room, into which one directly en-
ters from the outside, lighted from a glass
dome and provided with a welcoming fire.
place.
The basement Of this new building will
contain fireproof facilities for the official
files and records the first time any security
of this kind has been possible. The White
House itself, it may be remarked Incl
dentally, Is also being treated with fireproof-
ing material in all its first-floor partitions.
President Roosevelt and his successors may
be so pleased with the new office arrange
ment that there will not be much motive
for a change to a grander structure.
The quarters vacated in June last by the
presidential offices have been transformed
into two suites, each consisting of large
room, small one and private bath The
old cabinet room will be made a Presidents S
study, while for the library opening out of
1t cabinet work bookcases are in prepara-
ton.
A question over designation is raised not
only by the temporary office building. but
by each of the four entrances to the reju-
vernated White House. There will be four
entrances at as many points Of the COM
pass The ordinary caller on the Presi-
dent will go to the temporary office building
during business hours. The persons in
whose honor reception is given will go
to the south door Of the White House; the
rest of the guests, invited socially, will en-
ter at the north door. or at the treasury end
of the new terrace. The Presidents per-
sonal visitors will enter the north door.