Evening star., 1921-11-23
ARTS Commission
URGES NEW PLANS
TO BEAUT|FY CITY
Elaborate Gardens Between
Union Station Plaza and
Capitol Recommended.
"F0RT DRIVE" NEEDED;
WAR BUILDINGS SCORED
Annual Report Lauds Mcmillan
Plan and Notes Great Progress
in Twenty Years.


in Twenty Years.
Inherent excellence of the Mcmillan
plan for the development of the park
system OF the District Of Columbia and
iocat tion OF government buildings lis
proved by the fact that its main outlines
have remained unchanged since it was
nrst reported twenty years ago, accord
ing TO the report of the commission of
fne arts. made public today.
Several departures have been made
from the original outline of the McMil-
Ian plan. the report says. which are con-
ceded to be mistakes and blemishes, but
there is no movement to change the
plan On the contrary, the report says,
all forces are working together toward
the realization Of it. The departures
mentioned include the location Of the
Interior Department, the architectural
design Of the War Risk Insurance build
ing and the location of the Navy and
MunltIons buildings. Regarding the new
war Risk building, the report says, that
IN the hurry OF war needs the plans for
motel at Vermont avenue and II street
were used for a building to house the
war Risk insurance activities. The
building in its design and its height is
SERIOUS departure from the plan of
1901, and for an indefinite time the only
purpose it can serve the cause Of good
planning is that Of terrible warning"
In comparing the projects for the
Improvement of the park system OF the
District of Columbia, as presented in
the report of the Senate park COM
mission, with the actual accomplish
Hent during two decades" the report
says, one must be struck with the
iargeness Of the actual accomplishment.
IL is tribute to the inherent worth
OF the plan that. while so little has
been done contrary to it, SO much has
been achieved in accordance with it.
Il is doubly fortunate, also. that the
great features of the plan, its general
outlines, its fundamental principles as
to the disposition of public monuments
and buildings and parks and parkways
! have been adopted and are the con-
| trolling motives for future work"
Record OF Twenty Years.
1t is worth while to review the record
OF the past twenty years in order 10
attention on projects of immediate con-
cern. and to specify those portions of
the plan which well may be postponed
In making such 4 survey there is no
| intention to urge action on the part
either Of Congress or OF officials. AS
one generation succeeds another it be-
comes necessary to reiterate the fact
that there is q logical, well considered
plan for the continued and continuous
development of the entire District of
Columbia. The plan provides for such
harmony Of parts as shall conduce to
convenience in doing public business
and to good conditions Of living for
! public servants.
1nasmuch as Washington exists pri-
marily as the seat of government, all
else should be subordinated to this
main idea. Members of Congress and
their families, as well as government
ofhcials generally. must live here dur
ing their terms of Office. Moreover.
| the capital to transact public busi-
ness. Hence the city must be pro-
| vided with all those facilities de-
| manded by the civilization of today
with libraries. schools, hospitals
and asylums, parks and Fairgrounds.
dignity, power and permanence of the
| nation and those national memorials
and monuments which not only COM
| memorate great men. but also teach
the history of the country should be
| erected here.
Two great obstacles stood in the
way of restoring the Mall to its orig
inal status. the report said: The locs-
| ton of the Botanic Garden and the
Pennsylvania railroad station. Til.
latter point was settled after a con-
ference with President Cassatt Of the
Pennsylvania railroad. and the Union
station has been constructed in ac-
cordance with the commission plans
Today it forms the gateway to Wash
inSton and in its architecture, its
landscape setting and its relation 10
| the buildings on Capitol Hill is un-
surpassed among the railroad ter
minals of the world.
Speaking of the property between
the Capitol and the station the re-
port says:
Temporary buildings to house wom-
en- employees of the government
| buildings slightly and well designed
| in themselves, but manifestly short
lived) occupy a portion of the space;
the remainder is ungraded, unim-
proved. neglected and unsightly. The
gateway to the capital leads only 10
the weed-grown fields.
The Union station plaza needs a
frame and the now neglected space
in part may properly be occupied by
public buildings designed to form a
portion of the group begun by the
station and the new post office build
ing. The remainder Of the space may
well be occupied by gardens as fine
and as beautiful as can be devised
Congress should provide for a plan
for the development of this entire
| area, leaving to the fture the carry
ing out of the work.
At the south below the House Office
building the frontage is occupied by
nondescript buildings. by a grave
stone factory. and by billboards. all
undignified and unsightly. The OBJ
vious use Of this land is building sites
and House gardens to balance those
to be put into the area to the north.
This also is q project for the future.
The plan Of 1901 aiEns to restore
the area directly west OF the Capitol
grounds to a broad thoroughfare SO
enriched with parterres OF green as
to form an organic connection be-
tween the Capitol and the Mall. That
section of the Mall between Sd and
planted with elms. in accordance with
the plan OF 1901. Congress has au-
thorized the occupation of the north
side of the Mall between 9Th and 7th
streets by the George Washington
Memorial. The commission recon-
mends that until Congress shall de-
termine to erect a war memorial a
convention hall should be construct
ed to serve actual needs.
streets is reserved for the site of n
building to house the National Gal
lery of Art, under control of the
Smithsonian Institution. Turning 10
the Freer Gallery, the report says
the gallery 10 q type Of the small.
adequately housed and well-endowed
galleries which doubtless will be
established from time to time By
private individuals.
Due to the firm stand OF President
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