Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-15
Senator Hepburn Opposes
Erection of Building There.
HAS GALLINGER'S SUPPORT
Senator Root Denies ANY Effort to
Override Congress.
FUTURE SITES ON AVENUE
Plenty Of Room, idaho Senator Con-
tends, Without Encroaching on
the Historic Parkway.

Opposing the encroachment on the Mall
proposed by the national fine arts COM
mission. which would locate there one of
the new buildings for the Departments of
Justice, State and Commerce and Labor
Senator Hepburn declared in the Senate
today that Congress should take action
making 1t plain that the Mall should not
be disturbed further.
Senator Heyburn's remarks were ad-
dressed to a letter from the Secretary
of the Treasury in reply to a resolution
adopted by the Senate asking for in
formation In regard to the location of
the proposed buildings. This showed
that upon recommendation of the ma
t.onaI fine arts commission one of the
buildings is to be located south of b
street or on the Mall.
Sites on Avenue.
IN only is it Objectionable that
additional buildings for the govern
ment should be placed upon the Mall.
but in this instance the Monument
grounds would be encroached upon"
said Senator Hepburn. He said that
Congress had been specific in the law
authorizing the purchase of ground
and the erection of the buildings in
question and that they were to be
erected upon the land east of 10Th
street and south of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. purchased as a site.
The government now owns land 'front.'
ing on Pennsylvania avenue sufficient for
the erection of these buildings and for
any others the government may wish to
erect in the next few years." said Sena-
tor Hepburn. He declared that unless
the Secretary of the Treasury and the
fine arts commission took warning and
discontinued their plans for the erection
of the building on part of the Mall he
would call upon Congress to take dras-
tic action in the matter.
There are two buildings in the Mall
now which were not authorized by law"
continued Senator Hepburn. I've found
them there when We returned from a
recess
Senator Galinger. chairman of the Dis
trict committee, said that he, too, was
strongly in favor of preserving the Mall
as at present and that he would give
Senator Hepburn his assistance in case
tGere was a fight over the proposition.
defense of the fine arts commission
and the Secretary of the Treasury was
made by Senator Root of New York who
said that so far he knew no one was try
ing to erect bulldogs on the Mall with
out the authority of Congress. He said
that at the last session of Congress the
Secretary of the Treasury had sent a
written request to Congress asking per-
mission to erect one of the proposed build
fngs south of B street or on the Mall.
Request Not Acted On.
Owing to lack OF time. no action was
taken on the request at that session,
said Senator Root At the beginning Of
the present session. he added. he him
self had introduced bill embodying the
request of the Secretary of the Treasury.
When that bill comes up for considera-
tion." said Senator Root, lit will be
proper time, j suppose, to give the rea-
sons for the proposed change in the site.
l myself believe that the change should
b. allowed"
Senator Hepburn replied that 1t was his
belief considerable expensive work was
being done with the idea that the site
would be made to conform with the plans
of the fine arts commission. in contem-
plation OF a change by Congress, and he
thought that ought to be stopped. He
said that the Senate should make ii plain
to every one that the future development
of Pennsylvania avenue should be with
the idea of placing the government build
ings on its south side.