Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-16
PUBLIC BUILDINGS LACK
OUTER EMBELLISHMENTS
War Debates at 18th and Pennsyl'
vania Avenue Cease as Citizen
Tells of Omission.
Chairs Along the Walls Needed
to Make People Happy on
Summer Nights.

81 have just discovered what is the
matter with the public buildings OF
Washington"
He said it with such an air of final
lily. as if the discovery was complete
and perfect in every detail. and SO
impressive was the way he said 1t that
the crowd in front of The Stars war
map on the 18th street side OF the
building ceased it's clamor OF war
tention to the newcomer. If there was
anything the matter with Washing
tons public buildings the crowd
wanted to know about it.
One man, leaving tine kaiser" hang
ing in the middle of a sentence, turned
upon the man who knew exactly what
is the matter with the buildings of
Washington.
~, what IS the matter with 'em? Look
like pretty good buildings to me-"
Murmurs of assent from the crowd
made him look a bit fiercely at the
man who knew what was wrong archl-
tecturally with Washington
Come on, what's the matte: with
emp
Well" said the first speaker. bit
the buildings Si Iii tell You"
GO ahead" Don't believe YOU know
Lets have it, and otner cries came
from the men who constitute the Sat
ni.SHt forum il lllH street anu
Pennsylvania avenue.
His Dream of Contentment.
The man settled his straw doggedly
to one side of his head, and then spoke
on.
We'll, friends, far be it from me to
stir the wrath of you good citizens.
first prerequisites to good citizenship.
That city where no one gives hang
what happens is doomed to go the
paths along which slid Nineveh and
Tyre and exc that famous city of old
called Babylon.
But, friends. the case against the
buildings of Washington is one which
behooves you all. 1t is a sin not Of
commission. but of omission. Your
Commissioners look after the commits
sioners to watch out for the omissions.
| am here tonight to tell you in all
solemnity that one terrible omission is
being perpetrated by every public
building in Washington.
The full advantage of your public
buildings is not being taken, friends.
The inside of them is being used, but
the outside of them is not being uti-
liked. Especially the fronts of them
are not being put to their proper use.
l can see greater Washington, in
days to come, when this wrong will
be righted. when every building in this
great city will be put TO its proper
I'm my dreams l see city magnifi-
cent. 1 see Pennsylvania avenue lined
with stately buildings, cleaning in the
sunlight. And what else do 1 see?
| see 1900 chairs tipped back against
see 1900 citizens sitting in those
chairs. feet clearing the ground. smiles
of content upon their faces, while,
to and fro on the boulevard pass
other people by the hundred, and
countless others stand and wait for
one of the 1900 to vacate his chair.
"Ah, friends, who does not remember
the old days when he was a lad in
the village of Podunk. when the viii
layers sat in chairs tipped against the
nights-sat and dreamed as the people
passed! After hard days toll. it was
bliss and more bliss thus to sit o. hot
summer nights and while away the
while the bullfrogs croaked in the
pond and the katydids sang their
songs to the evening star.
Visions of youthful days, they come
again, and this time we are grown
hotel, again chairs tipped against the
front wall, again sweet rest and peace
o spring nights. when there were ex-
aminations waiting in the offing, but
the sails were not set. nor were they
ildpie " pe, Whlle VIC sat tnefe anchor
ed in front of the old hotel, drinking
in the peace that passeth understand
ing.
Yet one brief second, friends, and
! am through. Visualize with me 977
chairs tilted against the 18th street
side of the Treasury Department See
those 977 satisfied citizens, their 1854
feet grazing the ground, dreaming 977
dreams. or telling 977 ways by which
the European war might be stopped
"Oh. see 1900 citizens happy and at
peace on wam summer nights, with
thousands of other citizens waiting for
one of the 1900 to vacate his chair"