The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-05
THE CHANGED WHITE HOUSE

lie OnANUED WHITE HVJSE
Tt was not to be expected that the
radical changes made in the White
House would escape criticism, but il is
confidently believed that as the public
becomes used to the changed conditions
the directors viii become comparative
IS few in number The history of the
presidency shows that from the time of
President Washington down to today
there have been frequent bitter and
wholesale criticisms of the entertain
ments at the White House.
The present DIRECTORS, apparently, do
not realize how intolerable were the
conditions at the large receptions prior
TO this winter and yet It would be easy
enough to turn to the files of the Wash
tngton papers during the last social
season to read how crowds OF ladies' in
evening costume were kept waiting.
sometimes for an hour, before they
could gain access to the house The
north portico was not sheltered in the
least and there were some particularly
bitter nights. when the suffering was
intense.
ON the evening Of the diplomatic re-
ceptiQn, i'm January the first Of the
season. the outer doors of the Vesubule
were tied open. and the wind doors
We're not sufficient TO prevent draughts
sweeping through the corridor. More
over. too many invitations were issued,
and neither the employees of the house
nor the people were familiar with the
possibilities of comfort under the
changed conditions. 1T was natural.
therefore that there should be confus-
IOu but this was ODNlateQ at the sub
Hequent receptions. and, the number of
guests having been limited to 1000.
there was ample room for all More
over. the new method of dispOsing of
wraps is certainly vast Improvement
over the use of the main hall the state
dining room. the private dining room.
and the offices on The upper floor AT
the diplomatic reception there was
great delay Id getting carriage owing
10 the fact that the electric signal was
not employed and there was much dis
comfort because of the winds that
swept through the new p0rte-cochere-
IDIs latter defect he's been Eemedied by
CHASING in the east entrance. and now
there is In this city of entertainments
100 other facilities for getting carriages
that is SO comfortable as that at the
White House.
There has been critism on the removal
or the greenhouses, mainly because they
were supposed to be historic. tt is true
that their origin is lost in uncertain
antiquity, but they never we've intended
TO form part of the White House
structure and architecturally they were
always DETACHMENT. The removal or
SO much heated. moist air has increased
the healthfulness in the house, and the
removal of them to the propagaung
gardens has enabled the use of the west
terrace for the comfort of the servants,
ana mas vastly improved lilc SANITARY
conditions connected with their quarters
The office building. on which the
hrunt of the criticism falls. was the only
possible solution at the present time OF
the problem of getting the offices out OF
the White House. The Offices had en-
CrOached upon the residence portion of
the White House so that there was but
one room available for guests. Congress
was not ready to decide upon building
permanent Offices for the president. and
the only thing to do was to erect a. tenn
porary structure of such dimensions and
SO located as to be of the slightest pos
sible Interference with the dignity Of
the White House The new building
gives so per cent more space than the
offices occupied in the White House
itself so Tar as the arrangement goes,
it was planned by Mr.. COrtelyou, who
has had the largest possible experience
of the needs of the executive offices.
He was limited, Of course. by the
ground available for the purposes OF the
building, and the president and the
members of his official family ind the
office building suited TO their needs at
present, although if it were four times
as large the room could be used to adj
vantage. This simply means that con-
gress should begin at once the question
OF permanent and adequate Office
building for the presidential offices, to
be located somewhere beyond the White
House grounds. which are not large
enough for any other structure than the
White House itself
president there can be no question that
Alr. 1Ickim is the dean of his profession
at the present time He Is the president
of the American Institute of Architects,
and the great buildings with which his
name is associated have won Tor him
The highest recognition fin Paris and
other cities of Europe. He has always
had the reputation of being able to
subordinate the architect in the work,
and for that reason the architects them
selves felt safe when the restoration Of
the White House was intrusted to him.
Mr. Mckim had made a study of the
great country places of Virginia with
which Washington, Jefferson. Madison
and Monroe were familiar, and it was
this special knowledge that enabled him
to restore the White House on the lines
that Washington and Jefferson original
- approved.
Nothing historic has disappeared from
tho White House On the contrary. the
good things have been retained. and
their value has been enhanced by more
appropriate settings The house has now
about four times the available space that
it had under the cid conditions; and, while