The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-09-11

spsY commission. created BY Republicans about
ei7b.een years aqo. IA few years before The Demo
crsts took control Of the administration the Fine Arts
commission was established by the Republican COM
GEES and such recognized authorities on landscape
and building architecture Frederick Law Olmstead'
Daniel Chester French, Thomas Hastings and Cas-
Gilbert giY:n supervision future development OF
III. National capital By executive order OF Pres
ident Taft all plans for public buildings in Washing
ton must first be submitted to the commission and they
advise also upon the location and selection OF nonu-
ments erected by federal authority.
The seven and half years Of Democratic admin
,tradon have Witnessed ruthless departure from the
Republican ambition to make own capital the most
beautiful in the world In the erection OF buildings
to house the horde of clerks that were added to the
government offices during the war, the parks OF the
city suffered almost irremediable injury. With little
attempt to find more suitable SITES magnificent groves
of trees were sacrificed TO make way for miserable
wooden shacks the appearance of the beautiful LIN
coin Memorial building, now nearing complexion was
almost ruined by the erection in close proximity there.
to Of mammoth reinforced concrete structure said
to be the largest Office building in the world; the park
way between the Union station and the capitol was
obliteated by the erection thereon OF stucco domlo
RES costing millions of dollars and providing living
Quarters for some of the girl war workers; and IN
other essential particulars the Republican, plans tor
the establishment Of Washington were done injury
from which ii will take years TO recover.
That the Republicans intend, in spite Of the setbacks
of the past few years. pereyere in their work TOR
better capital city is evidenced already. Congressman
Carl E. Mapcs, Of Michigan, was the author OF
bill which became law at the last session establishing
Washington Zoning commission, whose duty it is 10
set of the entire District Of Columbia comprising
about 90 square miles. into zones for industrial com
mercial and residence purposes. One feature OF the
law provides that no building shall be erected the
height of which exceeds by twenty feet the width OF
the street Already the Zonlng commission has per
formed its work. after extended hearings, and on Sep
TENDER fst the new regulations went into effect The
result will be preservation of the Washington sky line
against infringement by many-stoned buildings, and
the restriction Of factories and warehouses to districts
where they will not encroach upon The rest OF the city
Another project which the Republicans Of congress
are sponsoring is the establishment the outskirts OF
Washington Of the most extensive botanical garden IN
the world, 10 which eventually will be transferred the
collection Of plants now in the gardens near the capitol
There will be determined effort, also, to remove the
unsishly structures now littering the city parks and
restore the grounds to their natural beauty. hose who
take pride in the artistic development of their nation
capital will do well to assist in placing the city once
more in charge of those who will take up again and
carry forward the work.