Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-31
PLAN FOR EACH
STATE TO HAVE
EXPO BUILDING
Capital Suggested as Logical
Place for Permanent
Exhibit.

each State. and possibly for each for
eign country, to be represented in Wash
ington by a permanent exposition build
ing is being considered. The States
spend large sums regularly to erect
temporary buildings at the big exposl-
tons that last only a few months. Now
they are to be invited to consider es-
tab1ishing permanent exhibit buildings-
The National Capital has been recon-
mended as the logical place for them for
two reasons. First, because State rivalry
is so keen that no other city would meet
with general approval, whereas Wash
ington belongs to the country as whole.
The other reason is that a permanent
exposition at Washington has been urged
for over twenty years, and Congress is
getting used to the idea that when there
is such an exposition it will be at Wash
ington. Back in 1897 there was a bill
providing one thousand acres Of land in
Rock Creek Park, IN Washington, ana
since then there have regularly been
bills by which Congress was to make 1t
possible for the States to be represented
by buildings at the National Capital.
Something of the sort would undoubt-
eddy be of great value in advertising the
States. Most foreign visitors who make
flying trips to America see only lin
tied part of the country, and leave wltR-
out ever gaining any real conception OF
its extent. Many Americans also have no
idea of the distinctive characteristics OK
each State beyond a few facts CLEANED
from pages Of a school geography.
collection of exhibits cannot, OF
course take the place of actually travel
ing through the country and visiting
factories mines. and farms, but tour
Of forty eight State buildings would GER
tainly give any one a fair understand
ing of the complex material that goes to
make up the United States.
Ar present, the visitor to the Capital
goes away with an impression Of the
Importance and dignity of the United
States as a Government, but there is
nothing in Washington to make him
feel the existence Of the States for which
the Government functions.
He is reminded Of some ancient his
! tory Of the States in Statuary Hall at
the Capitol, where a motley crowd OF
statues is supposed to include the State
/ heroes The basic idea of Statuary Hall
was sound and the earliest entries were
names still familiar to every one, but
! since then delegates selected are in a
! great many cases minor heroes, unrecog-
nized even by the tourist from his own
| State. In a country as well supplied as
I this one Is with really famous charac-
! ters, Stutuary Hall could be one of the
/ inspiring spots in the Capital City. 1t
could remind the visitor of the biggest
I achievements of the States, but it does
not.
In the Washington monument, blocks
of marble and granite sent and inscribed
by different States COVE an excellent idea
of the many varieties Of one product that
the different sections Of the country yield.
Most visitors, however, have little oppOr
tunity to regard this interesting collec-
tion Of stones. From the monument ele-
vator it is possible to catch q heeting
glance Of a few State blocks is you hap
pen to be near the sides of the cage. To
study the walls more carefully 1t is neces-
sary to walk either up or down the 500
foot shaft, and this is an experience that
the average tourist is willing to forego.
There are a few other vague reminders
of the States In statuary and painting
around the capitol and other public
! buildings, and Congress is, supposedly,
a collection Of sample products of ths
States. Throughout the city, however,
there is nothing to give any impression
Of each State as it actually is-its indus
tries, art science, its agriculture, prod
ucts and commerce. An exhibit covering
these points would be visited and used
not only by tourists, but by students,
business men and Government and for
eign representatives.
The project IS being shaped up now
for congressional consideration because
the time is regarded as favorable The
building industry is beginning to veer
toward normal, and in the time taken te
have the plan Endorsed by Congress it is
expected that q public building program
could be mapped out at reasonable ex-
pense.
When Congressman Davis Of Minnesota
introduced bill for a permanent inter-
national exposition. in 1919, he urged
that It would not be a financial burden
either on the Federal treasury or on any
one State The idea has always been
that Congress was to buy and donate
the land and each State would then be
at liberty to use its share for a building
and grounds The cost Of the land would
not be great. From 200 to 1000 acres
would be needed, according to various
estimates and plans.
There are several sites suggested. one
in Rock Greek Park, and another, a
tract of 500 acres across the Potomac
River in Virginia. This latter site is re-
garded as especially good. 1t is a part
of the land which was originally in the
District and was later coded back to
Virginia. 1t is already owned by the
I of Agriculture as an experiment station.
We have been told that the station needs
a larger piece of land and would be will
ing to move. The Virginia land is near
Arlington, the National Cemetery, and
commands an attractive view of Wash
ingtou. 1t is also desirable in that it is
easily reached by street car.
The Rock Greek site is not so ac-
cessible. Still another site, near the
Capitol, would involve a great deal of .
preliminary work, as whole blocks of
old houses would have to be torn down.
The Government appropriation would
be needed only to pay for the land, if
privately owned property were selected,
and to pay for a small office force to
do the clerical work necessary in devel-
oping the plan. Representative Davis fig
ured that board of trustees composed
of the Vice President, ex-officio, the
Speaker Of the House of Representatives,
ex-officio, and four Senator'S and four
Representations would manage the
project. He proposed that they give their
services without additional pay The
only appropriation in his bill was sum
not to exceed $4,000 a year for clerical
hire.
The cost of the buildings would be
decided by each State and no State
would be urged or compelled to build at
all if it preferred not to. Each State is
to be left to itself to plan its own build
ing, according to the present scheme. but
the board of trustees and the Fine Arts
Commission would probably pass upon
plans to make sure that they were prac-