Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-14
WORK FOR CAPITAL
OUTLINED BY FINE
ARTS commission
improvements for D. c. Rec
commended in Harmony With
Mcmillan Plans.

An outline OF the work to be done
in the imm ediate future for the de-
velopment of the National Capital ir
harmony with the plans OF the Nc
MILAN commission Of 1901 is given by
the national commission OF fine arts
in its eighth report to Congress. made
public today.
Probably the next quarter Of a
century" says the commission. will
mark the greatest building activity
ever undertaken by the government
since the city of Washington was be-
gun in the last decade of the eight :
eenth century. These new buildings
should express the dignity Of the gov
ernment and the highest taste in archi
lecture: they should be located ac-
cording to the well considered plan
that has been prepared: they should
not be set down in a haphaEard fash
ion on lands put on the market by
real estate promoters.
Congress should control the loca-
tions in such manner as to enhance
the dignity and satisfy the require
ment of convenience. There should
be a proper subordination among the
buildings. Not all should be 'moru-
mental in character. In each case
the problem of the use for which the
building is intended should be ex-
pressed in the structure, and hoca-
tions should be selected accordingly.
One of the most useful (but least
has been to insist on simplicity and
appropriateness of design in govern
ment structures"
Principal Recommendation.
Chief among the recommendations
made by the commission for the COM
prehensive improvement OF the District
and its development along artistic lines
are the following:
Removal of all temporary war build
completion of the central composition
from the Capitol to the Lincoln
square in the Botanic Garden. compile
tion Of the Anacostia Water Park. es-
tablishment of Botanic Garden on
Mount Hamilton on Bladensburg road.
completion of the purchase OF the area
Immediately south of Pennsylvania
avenue between the Capitol and the
Treasury and the construction thereon
Of government buildings, erection Of
State Department building on the
square west Of Lafayette Park. in
creased water supply and control by
the government Of the area between
the Conduit road and the Potomac
river, development of parkway con-
nection between Rock Creek and Ana
costa parks. completion Of Klingle
and Broad Branch parkways to the
District line, completion of parkway
connections between Potomac Park
and Geological Park, improvement OF
Water street and the Washington
channel docks. improved connections
between Potomac Park and the Army
War College and Anacostia Watet
Park, censtrucffon~sSfsaa " . In4enpTf4l
bridge on q line from. tire Lincoln
Memorial to the Arlington mansion
house, acquisition of the Palisades of
the Potomac on the Virginias side OF
the river to Great Falls. establishment
Of garden suburbs about the city. en-
coura6ement Of efforts to make Wash
inGton city a center Of arts and let
ters. construction Of building for a
National Gallery Of Arts and encour-
agement Of the policy of building or
maintaining headquarters in WASH
ington by organizations, national or
International in scope
1t is shown that the work Of the
commission has grown rapidly since
its creation by Congress ten years ago.
whereas at the beginning there was
constant antagonism and criticism. 1t
Is stated that at present both Con-
gress and the executive departments
find the commission practical, help
full and ready to cooperate in order to
produce satisfactory results"