Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-05
WASHINGTON PRAISED
FOR ITS CIVIC BEAUTY
Selected by Chileans as Best in the
World From 200 Exhibits
of Cities.
John E. Lathrop, Former Correspond
ent Here, Tells of Showing Plans
Of National Capital.

John E. Lathrop, a former Washing
ton newspaper correspondent, who is
now stationed in New York, in charge
Of the city planning exhibition. which
was gathered for that city and Is on
display there, has recently returned
from travels covering $4,000 miles in
the United States, Canada and South
America, bringing back to Washington
high praise for that section of the
New York exhibit, which shows the
plan and beauty of this city.
Mr.. Lathrop has been in Washington
the past few days attending the conven-
ton of the American Civic Association,
at which he delivered an address. He
regards the section of the exhibition
with which he is connected, which
shows Washington's plan and beauty,
as one of the most valuable portions
of it. and in discussing it with a re-
porter for The Star last night said
that portion of it is also SO regarded
in South America.
In all the $4,000 miles I travelled"
Mr.. Lathrop said, the only city I found
with even the approximation of mod
ern ideals of city-planning is Wash
ington. The past summer I was in
Santiago. the capital of Chile, with the
New York city planning exhibition. 1t
was displayed in the National Palace
of Fine Arts there. and the best people
of Chile came to see it. The better
class of Chileans are. as rule. Euro
finest municipal development of Eu-
rope.
Call Washington every Beautiful"
They paid particular attention to
that section of the exhibit depicting
Washington. Passing through the al
coves of the exhibition devoted to
Washington, these Spanish speaking
visitors would invariably stop and ex-
claim, 'Muy bonita! Muy bonitar which
being interpreted means very beauti-
full! Very beautiful
But this was not all All Chilean
engineers, architects, landscape archi-
tects and town-planners have obtained
their ideas from Europe, and are
strongly predisposed toward German.
French or English methods of laying
out streets and co-ordinating the vari-
Gus functions, which, combined COM
pose a municipality.
These men are students, masters of
their professions. The national depart
ment Of public>works. known as Obras
Publicas, sent experts to study the ex-
hibition, and obtain ideas. for the
transformation of Santiago, in which
every Chilean has immense pride. The
plan for the transformation involves
expenditures approximating $4,000, 900,
and the spirit of the people there Is
that nothing in this big, broad world
| is too good for their capital city.
These trained men studied the rep
reservations of the more than 200 cities
| of the United States and Europe shown
| in the exhibition. and selected WASH
| ington as incomparably the best in the
world.
Economic and Sociological.
1T was their verdict that Washing
| ton is not only tmuy bonita but eco
| nomic as well as sociological.
"On the several ships on which ]
travelled on the South American jour-
ney were many foreign engineers. In
spite of prejudices, they always con-
| coded Washington's value as a munich
pal product, and admitted that it is
| the only city in the world which was
constructed on a comprehensive plan
which will be suitable SO far as its
| structure is concerned permanently
LAS to the United States, in every
part, in every state, in every CITY.
note a growing pride in the National
Capital 1t is my opinion. after having
| lived here nearly ten years, and hav-
| ing made more or less careful studies
of most of the cities OF the country
during the past years. that the people
| here do not appreciate what they have
However. the further execution OF
| the broad plans for the Improvement OF
the city will be carried out. The peo-
pie OF the country are moved by this
growing pride to support measures
| excellence of the world, which 1t now
| is. but which 1t will also be even after
| other cities have sought to rival it by
| elaborate betterments"