Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-20
Making Roadway.

1t is impossible to read the interviews
and statements of members of Congress
on the subject of the south side of Penn
syIvania avenue without marVellng at
the hardness with which this problem
of capital development is coming to the
point of solution. When the attention or
legislators is directed specifically to the
matter they recognize it's Importance at
once. They appreciate the absurd1ty or
keeping the city in it's lopsided condl-
ton with this great ideal building site ly-
ing fallow, so to speak, while the gov
arnment is paying high rentals for made
uuate quarters for it's workers and rec
ords The situation strikes them as who'll
" unbusiness like and inexcusable. There
fore they are prompt to express them
selves in favor of the early reclamation
of the avenue from its unsightliness and
the utilization of this land for the uses
Of the government.
Some of the members display conserva-
tive caution. They want to know all
about the project before they indorse 1t
fully. That is entirely proper Ihere
should be no pig in poke" feature TO
this enterprise. The Hepburn bill, which
met an undeserved fate in conference last
session after it had been incorporated IN
an appropriation bill, embodied no mys-
larious features. 1t proposed means ror
the immediate taking of the mall-avenue
triangle and its subsequent devotion TO
the building uses of the government, with
careful restrictions against the mulctlng
of the Treasury is extravagant sums for
securing title. The measure was good
business proposition.
There remains here and there a rem
SAINT of the old policy of let us provide
for these needs as they arise That is to
say, occasionally is met the man. who
Goes not appreciate that the government 8
needs today are very heavy. that it Is
crCwding its workers into small, ram
shackle, ill-arranged and lll-ventilated
buildings. exposing it's records to destruc-
ton, hampe-ing its work and delaying the
production of results There is today
need of at least ten new buildings in
this city to enable the public service to
catch up with it's growth. While these
are builCing other urgent needs will
develop. Who can foretell what the fu-
ture will bring? Who. a dozen years
ago, could have foretold the remarkable
expansion of the bureaus of the govern
ment incidental to the war with Spain
and the possession of outlying territories?
Who could have measured the enlarge
ment of the Department of Agriculture?
Who would have been believed If he had
been told that forestry and irrigation
bureaus would develop into almost the
dignity and size and departments? And
who can with assurance assert that in
another quarter of a century the gov
ernment's equipment will not grow heavi-
iy enough to call for at least half u
dozen large buildings beyond those
which are at this time urgently needed2
Now is the time to provide the sites
for all the buildings now required and
those which in the course of a few de-
cades will surely be NEEDED. Such pro-
vision can only be made economically on
a broad scale. with comprehensive plan
in view Such a plan is that offered by
the Hepburn bill. the provisions of which
are now being warmly Endorsed by men,
oers of Congress of all shades of political
opinion.