The Washington times., 1910-12-10
HOUSE RENOVATION
TO BEGIN IN MARCH
Radical Changes Planned
for Comfort of Mem
berS and Public.

Wnen the Democrats come TO take pos
session OF the House Of Representative
next December they may discover that
Ihelr Republican brethren have so far for
sottsh lhe bitterness Of political quarrels
=. 20 PROVIDE them with a House which
VIII not De q menace 10 the health of
S.Ne5y IneInDeT who spends most Of his
time tnere- Unless there Is an unlool<el
IoE nltch In present plans the work OF
rezs0Vating the House viii begin shortly,
efter the adjournment of CONGRESS On
-AaFcn ana be completed when Con-
greSs reassembiss next December
Representative Samuel " Mccall of
massachusetts, chairman Of the Gem
mittee on Library. mas received 2 new,
set OF plans from the architects who
nave Deen working out scheme where
by the hall OF the House would be re-
duced IN size and would also hermit OF
better ventilation than is now Dossihle
IheSe plans. drawn By Carrere < Hast
lnSs. and Oscar Wenderoth. Of New
York are q modification of plans SUP
United q year ago, and members of the
committee charged with the work OF
Tearranglng the House regard the plans
as q great Improvement on anything
yet submitted
Do Away With Chairs.
1t IS intended 70 reduce the size Of
the House at least one-third. and to in
stan rows Of desks TO the front of which
shall be attached benches, after the
fashion OF the house Of commons, OF
England This feature Of the plans
wound do away with the individual
chairs now provided for members ON
TOP. Of each desk would be z rack, or
pocket 10 which members could place
books, and al 4 convenient height there
would be a ledge on which members
could write
The most radical change contemplated.
however. is the removal OF the Speakers
oais from It's present position back to
The corridor. between the floor OF the
House and the members lobby, which
would result in moving the Hail OF the
House forward prOportiCnarely
II IS planned 70 retain the present
lobby Tor the use Of members, but 50
arranged that fresh air can easily find
its way into the House. Moving the
House 10 the south viii result in movIrlg,
the press gallery back 50 that here too
there VIII be an opportunity TO let fresh
air directly into the House.
Awaiting Adoption.
It IS proposed 10 abolish the two cloak
rooms now situated at the north end
Of the hall, and with the space thus
acquired, in addition to the great
amount Of SPACE left vacant BY moving
the House 20 the south II is intended to
make an immense lobby IL which mem
bers can receive their visitors with com
fort, instead Of standing IN the CORR
doris as at present There VIII be two
cloak rooms. much larger than the
present ones. on the east and west
sides OF the chamber.
Il IS estimated that these extensive
alterations can be made at a cost OF
S5l5.ett1, provided, OF course, the mem
berShfp Of the House IS not materially
increased By reason Of the new census
nEures- Under the terms OF a reSolu-
ton which passed the House AZ the
last session the committee OF which
Mr. Mccall IS Chairman. has full power
10 begin the work Of renovation as soon
as the House itself adopts a plan. so
that the Sixty second Congress may
come into existence with a House in
which there VIII be good ventilation
acoustics far better than in the present
chamber and more comfort for the
members and for the public.