The Washington times., 1913-04-24
DEVELOPING THE AVENUE.

Historic PENNSYLVANIA avenue would at last be
set fairly on the way to realization of its manifest
destiny worthy national highway if the measure
by Senator Jones should pass. The Washington
Senator proposes the appointment of commission
by the President, to study the real estate problem in
voved in carrying out the proper development of the
Avenue.
The commission is to determine and report the
expense to the Government of acquiring tine land
now in private hands, south of the Avenue, to the
Mall and also in addition to this lands north of the
Avenue, east of Eleventh street to the Capitol for
public building sites.
This is an elaboration of the project which Sena-
tor William B. Hepburn long pressed. The Jones
plan, however goes farther 1t would not only open
out and perfect the Mall, right up to the Avenue,
but it would plant public buildings the north
side of the Avenue, in place of the structures now
there, from Eleventh street east to the Capitol
grounds.
1t is the intention of Senator Jones to make an
effort at concentration of the great Government
tablishmens along this splendid avenue. He directs
that the commission, in addition to determining and
reporting the proximate cost of getting the lands,
shall also indicate what buildings needed for Gov
eminent use now, their probable cost, and the time
necessary to provide Them Beyond this, he demands
detailed statement of the facts concerning the Gov
ernments rent list. He wants to know exactly what
buildings Offices the Government is renting for its
official uses, at what rates, and who own the proper
ties
This is long step in the direction that the Gov
eminent ought to have been travelling for several
decades past The Pennsylvania avenue of today is
as far from what it ought to be, the unpaved,
stump grown more of Andrew Jackson's time was
from comparison with the Avenue of today.
No capital in the world presents the possibilities
for logical, artistic, commanding and economical
development that are within the future of Washing
ton if Congress will but realize what the future
means to this nation and this city
Pennsylvania avenue is the natural highway
through Me center of the city. But it is good deal
more than that 1t is the road from the White House
to Capitol Hill 1t is only physical fact of the
first significance in the plan of Washington but it is
the sign and emblem of that relationship between
co.. ordinate departments which makes this Govern
rnent what it is 1t is rich in history tradition senti-
ment Patriotism thinks of it as an institution, a
center of the keenest interest of every true American.
The development and completion of the Mall, the
erection of the Grant and Lincoln memorials, has
been in process for long time That much is now
assured the determination to the character and
location of the Lincoln memorial having brought this
part OF the PROJECT approximately 10 perectlon But
the problem of the Avenue, though intimately re-
lated, has Jagged. Enough has been done on it to
make perfectly certain that one day another, the
Jones plan in effect, will be adopted. To adopt
now means to get the property vastly cheaper and
more easily than in later years To adopt it now
MEANS too, that the Government could presently be
about the business of erecting the structures of which
its service is in crying need The economy in rentals
alone would 90 far toward compensatng for actual
expenditures. The sentimental reasons for such
development of Avenue and Mall together are even
more striking.