Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-19
Senator Heyburn's View Of
Architecture in Washington.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS CITED
Some New Structures Declared to Be
Of the "Horse-Stable Type"
DEBATE OF THE TARSNEY ACT
Senate Refuses to Repeal the Law.
Sundry Civil Bill Con-
sidered Today.

s1uereu Io00y.
Sharp criticism Of the architecture Of
some Of the newer public buildings In
Washington. specifically the New Ma
tional Museum. was voiced in the Senate
this afternoon by Senator Hepburn OF
Idaho.
The senator objected to the appearance
Of the New National Museum because II
was not all in one style of architecture,
but was a composite OF the Ionic, the
Doric and the Corinthian.
Some Of the other public buildings he
pronounced to be architectural night
Mares and he suggested that some other
newer types which have been apparently
beautiful parts Of the city might be call
ed the "storebOx" and the ''horse stable
or brick block" type.
The discussion Of the architecture OF
public buildings, not only in Washington.
but in other cities OF the country. came
up when the section Of the sundry civil
appropriation bill repeating the Tarsney
act allowing outside competition for the
plans for new buildings was reached.
The House proposed to repeal the
posed repeal The Senate agreed with
its committee - keep the Tarsney act
in effect.
Defense Of Tarsney Act.
Senator Newlands urged the good bene-
fits derived from the Tarsney act Tho
movement for a repeal Of that act, he
said, grew out Of an unfair comparison
OF the percentage OF plans and adminis-
tration costs for one year In the super
visfng architects Office with the Same
costs in private architects ofices.
He contended that a committee Of the
American Institute Of Architects had in
vestigated the comparative costs. running
over period OF I'VE years, and had found
the plans and administration percentage
for the government office about II Per
cent as compared with the usual charge
Of 8 per cent by private architects.
There Is no question OF the advance
In the architecture Of the nation under
the Tarsney act" continued Mr.. New
lands.
THE supervising architects ONCE has
been run well. but the salaries Of the gov
eminent employees are necessarily limited,
and the office cannot command the genius
and talent employed in the private Of
fees
Senator Hepburn wanted to know II Mr..
Newlands were advocating any special
class Of architecture, and Mr.. Newlands
replied In the negative. Mr.. Hepburn then
took up his comments on the composite
architecture of some new public build
ings.
For instance, the museum that Is pro-
jected into the Mall" he remarked. "One
part of 1t IL Dorlc, one part Ionic, one
part Cornthian in architecture. It looks
as if the architect was not able to de-
teru1ine just what he wanted and 20 he
included . little Of each.
Class Not Recognized.
IF We keep on in the direction we have
been going, no two rooms In q public
building win belong to the Same school
OF architecture. 4sEhere will be no recog-
nized class OF building. They will be COM
posite. resulting in architectural night
mares.
Il do not desire to 60 into an analysis
OF some Of these more recent buildings,
except to say that they represent nothing
in the way OF architecture-nothinga at all.
no school or class OF architecture.
Congress would say. in providing the
money, that this building shall belong
to q certain class OF architecture-that It
shall be Corinthian, Doric or Ionic, or
whatever may be selected. I sincerely
hope that whatever system is adopted
each building that will be peculiar to that
building"
Senator Newlands replied that he had
hopes to set some federal bureau OF arts
would submit to Congress a comprehen-
sive system for both efficiency and art in
public buildings.
II desire to take advantage Of this oc-
casion." Senator Hepburn remarked, Ito
suggest that we now introduce q new
school Of architecture, which I would
denominate the straw-box system. We
have 1t now in. the construction OF a
Red Cross building down here in the or
namental part Of the city. II looks some
thing like lot Of straw boxes run to-
gether with an uneven roof put over II.
Then again we have the horse stable,
which might be dominated brick block
class Of architecture, hight In the midst
and under the eye of those coming here
to see the beauties OF the city. Instead
will see something that looks like q cross
between a livery stable and q chicken
house. right here in the Mall in the orna-
mental part Of the city. I should like to
which would forbid the construction OF
those buildings and require them to be
removed in the night time"
sundry Civil Bill Considered.
The sundry civil appropriation bill was
taken up shortly after the Senate met. at
II o'clock. today and progress was made
In the adoption OF many amendments pro-
posed by the Senate committee on ap-
preparations.
A snag was feared at the very start
over the Senate committees proposal OF
an appropriation to continue the work OF
the tariff board. Senator Warren, In
charge Of the bill, avoided temporarily
the discussion the item Is sure to bring
on by asking that 1t be passed over.
That amendment to the bill embracing
the compromise between the Senate COM
mittee on printing and the plate printers
OF the bureau OF engraving and printing.
by which backs Of paper money are to
be printed on power presses. was agreed
to practically without discussion.
Senator Hepburn remarked that he
in the direction Of correcting a wrong"
Motion Provokes Discussion.
Much discussion was stirred up when
Senator Overman Of North Carolina pro
posed to limit to 5000 the amount OF
| money that might be paid for the ex.
penses Of medical officers OF the public
health and marine hospital service when
officially detailed to attend meetings OF
associations for the promotion Of public
health.
| Senator Root declared that such a limi
! tation would cripple the public health
service, because attendance at these meet
| ings was necessary to enable the doctor.
| to keep UP with the profession.
| The amendment had not been disposet
of when the case Of Judge Archibald
4 sv~ ~r,fAt