The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-21
TAFT WILL SPEAK
ON CITY PLANNING
Makes Address at Opening
Meeting Tonight at Ma
sonic Temple.

To give impetus to the movement for
ideal municipalities and as testimony
of his belief in the great economie
value of peTfecting municipal archi-
lecture. President Taft will tonight
address the opening meeting of the
National Conference on City Planning
at Masonic Temple.
This meeting. which will begin at 8
o'clock, viii call together some Of
Americas leading authorities on archi-
tecturaI and municipal subjects, and it
viii emphasize here the need of con-
tinuing the work of upbuiIding the
city and to correct some of its slum
and sociological evils if washington is
to have the distinction of being the
most beautiful among the capitals of
the world
Model City Exhibit.
One of the striking features Of the
congress on city planning viii be the
exhibit of model city conditions at the
Raleigh Hotel, which opened to public
view this afternoon to remain until
Saturday evening. Nay o. This exhibit.
conceived by a group of New York
citizens who are identified vrh Tie
correction OF civic evils, and assembled
at a cost Of $4,000 drawn from the
Sage Foundation, was brought here at
the inst&nce of the Chamber of Com
meree, tie Board of Trade, and the
Federation Of Laymen.
In brief, the displays are founded
chiefly upon the need for preventing
congestion, slums, the spread of dis
ease, an untowaTd growth along old
lines, and providing In advance for
park space and Fairgrounds, the con
suructlon of houses which shall offer
opportunity for the making OF real
homes at low rentals, and the safe
guarG-ng or breathing space every
where. Most OF this is shown by charts
ana maps. Even a cursory glance over
the exhibit viii reveal this fact of inn
mediate interest to all-that American
IN the rear Of cities of the old world.
Plan For Washington.
Represented in the exhibits viii be
about forty cities and eight States, as
Wei as many foreign countries, show
ing their plans for sewers. parks and
Fairgrounds, and various other public
and Industrial conditions as well as
housing conditions.
A striking feature Of the exhibit will
De the proposed plan for Washington,
and the housing conditions in this city
as found by the Presidents Homes
Commission. There viii be present
many mayors, city engineers. landscape
architects. heads OF charity Organfza-
tions, presidents Of chambers Of COM
merce and boards of trade. and a roll
call VIII be made Of what has been
accomplished in city planning in this
country and abroad.
Tonight's meeting at Masonic Temple
VIII signaitze the formal opening OF
the national conference sessions Of
which follow tomorrow afternoon at 3
O'Clock in the board room Of the Dis
rrlct building, when the broad subject
Accom- n IL In
City Planning in the United States"
VIII be discussed in all its phases.
In addition to the President at to-
night $ meeting addresses Will be mCde
by Commissioner II. b. 7. MacfarIand
and He nry morgenthau, of the COM
nlttee on congestion Of population in
New York, on a National Construc-
tive Program for City Planning" while
Gen. George NJ Sternberg, president OF
the Presidents Homes Commission
VIII illustrate his address, Housing
Conditions in Washington" with Ian
tern slides.
The Meeting Tomorrow.
At the meeting Of the national con-
ference in the board room Of tie Dis
trict Building tomorrow morning at 1890
o'clock. the subject viii be City Plan
ming In American and Foreign Cities"
Those who Will discuss the subject VIII
include Frederick Law Olmstead. ir, Of
DIbDhiltitH eAdSEss ItuEIlCh L. rOTUs
city engineer of Hartford: John Nolen.
Of Cambridge, Mass; Robert A Pope,
of Norfolk. Va, and George B. Ford,
Of New York.
The speakers at the meeting tomorrow
afternoon will be Arthur A. Shurtlem
of Boston: Andrew Wright Crawford,
of Philadelphia; J. Q. Adams, of New
York. secretary OF the mayors art COM
mission: Charles Milford Robinson, OF
Rochester, y. Y; Representative W, T.
BorlaDd Of Kansas, Senator Francis @.
NewIands of Nevada Allen 7. Burns.
secretary Of the mayors civic commits
sion, Of Pittsburg, and Josias Perning
ton. Of Baltimore, secretary OF the Mu-
nicipal Art Society. At a dinner TO the
delegates in the banquet hall Of the
Raleigh Hotel tomorrow night at Z
clock, Commissioner Macfariand viii
again speak, as will Mrs V .. Sim
khovitch. OF New York, on Congestion |
in American Cities" and Benjamin c. /
March. on The Economic Aspects of
City Planning"