Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16
APPEAL To CONGRESS
Endorsement of Park Commis-
|. sion's Plans to Be Sought.
STABILITY is DESIRED
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHI-
TECTS FRIENDLY.
Joint Commission of Both Houses Sug-
gested as a Solution of
the Matter.
STABILITY is DESIRED

There will be an effort In the next session
OF Congress to obtain an Endorsement by
that body of the plans of the park commits
sion and the appointment of commission
to see that in all future governmental con-
struction in this city those plans are car
ried out both in relation to the location Of
buildings and the style of architecture to be
adopted
The President having become convinced
that he could not appoint such a commits
sion, whether the members are to serve
with or without salaries, has adopted the
course of accepting the advice of the men
he appointed on the commission without
according them an official standing. This
has been done as to the location and eleva-
ton of the new building for the Depart
ment of Agriculture on the mall. But 1t is
now fully recognized that such a location
will be misfit unless the entire or prac-
t1cally the entire, plan OF the park COM
mission in respect to the Improvement of
the mall is carried out
Stability Desired
1t is also realized that in order to avoid
differences of opinion In the future in re-
gard to the plans of the commission and
notifications of 1t, 1t will be necessary to
a policy of the government Otherwise
there are likely to be suggested modifica-
tions which might be approved by those In
authority at the time but which In the
opinion of members of the park commission
might be out of harmony with their entire
project. For these reasons 1t has been de-
termined by the advocates of the park
commission plans that a united effort be
ma H. fho
to have the plans formally adopted as a
policy of Congress or to have commits
sion authorized for the location of public
buildings which would result in the same
end.
1t is well known that the President ap-
proves the plans of the commission as en-
cation of the nations capital for all time
to come. If such a commission should be
authorized 1t is also well understood that
the President would appoint on it the five
gentlemen he named for the commission
before he concluded that ne had no legal
authority for making such appointments.
That commission being composed of men
heartily in favor of the commissions plans.
three of it's five members constituting the
park commission itself is regarded as sure
to act with single purpose in the execu-
tion of the plans.
There has been a good deal Of effort to
obtain the sanction of Speaker Cannon to
the plan for the authorization of this COM
mission by Congress, he has in the past
been regarded as the chief opponent TO the
commission and its plan. The commission
being a creature of the Senate, its expenses
of $4,000 being paid from the contingent
expenses of the Senate, it was regarded by
many men of the House as having its ex-
istence without the least sanction of the
House, which had nothing to do with it,
except to appropriate money for the Sem
ate with which to pay the bills.
Attitude of the Architects.
The American Institute of Architects, it is
will cooperate earnestly to
bring about this result. The members of
that organization have in the past approved
the plans of the park commission and have
the consideration OF those plans
wherever possible. 1t is believed they will
act as a body in forwarding them before
Congress next winter. But there will be
a great deal of opposition to any propo-
sition which has for its purpose the COM
mitment of Congress to any comprehensive
plan for the Improvement of the city. The
committees which have had charge of the
District appropria ton bills have endeav-
ored at all times to keep within their own
hands the power to control the public
that are to be erected and to die
tate from time to time exactly what is to
be done, both in the choice of a style of
architecture and in the location of the
Joint Commission Suggested.
That feeling is so strong in Congress that
a suggestion has been made that at the
next session a joint commission of the two
houses be appointed to control all matters
directly connected with the location and
of public buildings Such a
plan would be Objectionable as it would
in a measure take from the executive de-
partments a part of the authority that in
the past has been delegated to them. But
the houses have been well pleased with
the success of the committees that have had
charge of the construction of the two
office buildings that the sentiment for the
py a congressional committee
of such work in the District has grown in
favor. Congress generally proposes to die
tate in a general way what shall be done
in respect to the buildings for which it
But it has generally left with
the executive departments the task of see
ing that Its suggestions are carried out
The suggestion for joint committee to
have charge of such work is likely to be
discussed next winter when this entire mat
ter comes up for consideration. At that
time the park commissions plans will be
debated and the entire matter of the i'm
provement of the District is likely to be
gone over very fully as it personally in
terests very large number of senators
and representatives.