The Washington herald., 1916-02-08
Only the Treasury IN Danger.

While it may be doubted whether the consid-
crations involved in the projected establishment
OF a government heat, light and power-producng
plant. for the purpose of supplying the public
buildings in Washington with those commodities
really justify all OF the excitement and commotion
they have aroused. the widespread interest dis
played in an undertaking OF the sort in the
National Capital is gratifying. From all indica-
tions it is to be inferred that not only are the
citizens generally but architects and landscape
alarmed at the prospect that the power plants
chimncys will mar the beauty of vistas and sky
line or the marble whitcncss Of the executive de-
partment buildings So determined is the effort
to avert any such calamity that the President has
been asked to halt the undertaking until an nves-
tigation may determine to what extent, if any, the
Capital would be injured.
To Byron R. Newton Assistant Secretary Of
the Treasury, the interested public is indebted for
some illuminating facts concerning the project
From his public statement it appears that the pro-
posed plant, to be erected on the river front at
the foot Of Thirteenth street will be one mile and
eighth from the White House, fully as far from
The Capitol, and invisible from either Of these
buildings. There will be no smoke nuisance he
says; in fact at will eliminate from the city of
Washington seventeen smckcstacks now existing
Federal buildings which bech forth smoke and
gases from their individual plants"
Unless Mr. Newton is wholly mistaken in his
premiscs-and there is no reason to believe that
he is-thc proposed power plant does not threaten
to make Washington either dirty or ugly Our
artistic crusaders ought to feel rcassured But
Mr.. Newton goes further. He says: THE erection
OF the central heating, lighting and power plant
by the government will mean a net saving to the
government Of more than 100000 a year in the
cost OF heat light and power for the various gov
crnment buildings" And there Mr.. Newton passes
from the realm Of facts and, it is to be feared into
one Of fiction If saving Of $Goo,ooo year is all
he can promise he falls short and he falls flat IF
he had made it 100000 he might have con-
WINGED some OF our economists, amateur and pro-
fessiona that there fair prospect that the gov
ernment might come out even that beyond the
original investment the experiment would cost
nothing. But promise Of trivial $4,000 won't
do; the margin is too slender to be visible to
the naked eye accustomed only to scanning gov
ernment appropriations and expenditures There
would be every reason to expect that the SIoo 900
WoulQ DC sWdHoWed up IN an item Tor stationery
for the superintendent of the plant or for supply
ing ice water, individual drinking cups and paper
towels to the engineers and stokcrs. Tut, Mr..
Newton, with your S1oo,ooo 1t will be spent for
automobiles and gasoline by Treasury Department
officials making trips of inspection to the plant or
for blanks on which to record the average number
OF revolutions per fiscal working day Of the pom
derous wheels of the government power plant
! There is as much chance to save 100000 year
in the production of heat light and power as there
! Is for Mr.. Burleson to produce postal service
surplus in cash.
Even if ii is conceded that the proposed plant
will add to the beauty Of the Capital it must still
be eontended that investment in government