Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-20
REPORT TFAV0RAB[Y
ON ARCHITECT BILL
Commissioners Inform Sen
ate Committee of Approval
of Registration.

As an aftermath of the knicker-
report on the Calder bill to provide
for the examination and registration
Of architects in the District Of Co
lumbia was submitted to the Senate
District committee today by the Dis
trict Commissioners.
The Commissioners in their report
said that they had given the matter
careful attention.
The bill was referred to the Com
missioners February 6. "At that
time," says the report. "the collapse
of the roof of the Knickerbocker The
ater and the best methods OF insur-
ing against similar action were being
considered, not ,nly by the Commis s.
sioners. but by all the thoughtful
members of the o,mmunity. One OBJ
yious suggestion of remedy was
i4he registration or licensing of archi :
tects. and of such engineers as might
struction of the various types of
buildings to be found in large mod
ern city, and your reference OF the
aforementioned bill was received
Just when study was being made of
the experience had with registration
Protection to Increase.
$50 far as can be ascertained, when
properly supervised by competent
and impartial registration boards. the
registration or licensing Of archi-
tects and structural engineers has
proved to be protection to the pub
lie against incompetent practitioners,
and the measure of protection prom
ises to increase with the decrease in
the number of those who originally
are authorized to register, because of
the fact that they have previously
been engaged in practice. and not
because they have demonstrated the
possession of the qualifications set up
in the various registration acts.
The technical professions, particu.
engineers, have, however, not agreed
as to the desirability Of registering
engineers; and there is some doubt
today as to the position Of the lead
ing civil engineer society-the Amer
ican Society of Civil Engineers
most, IL not all, Of the structural
engineers who, for the purpose of
protecting the public against i'm
proper building design. should be
registered.
"A further point that has been more
or less discussed is whether a regis
tration should not include not only
architects, as contemplated by the bill
under consideration, but also the
structural engineers. who are, as
above stated, frequently associated
with architects during the design and
construction of large and complicated
buildings.
"As the Commissioners were without
much direct knowledge Of the vari-
Gus points involved, other than gen.
orally described above, they deemed
1t advisable to call the attention OF
gineers to the proposed legislation;
and, after allowing a reasonable time
for preparation, a public hearing was
held by the Commissioners on Friday
May IL. At this hearing it developed
that the architects were opposed to
any plan for the Joint registration Of
architects and structural engineers.
while, on the other hand, the en-
gineers present, while disposed to ac-
cept separate registration for en-
gineers as a step in advance. were
unanimous that Joint registration
bill would be preferable. 49,
After careful consideration, the
Commissioners have come to the con-
clusion that the Senate bill, providing
for 2 tho separate registration OF
architects. Is, on the whole. meritorf-
GUS, and that its enactment into law
would be advantageous to the public.
They also believe that legislation
should be framed and passed provid-
ing for tho registration of structural
engineers; and they are taking steps
to secure the preparation of q suitable
bill which will be forwarded to you
at an early date.
The report was signed by Commits
sfoner Rudolph for the, Board of Com.
missionerA