The Washington times., 1923-01-27
HENDERSON
MANSION
URGED
Senator Fernald Favors Its
Acceptance As Home for
Vice President.
By GEORGE FRANKLIN.

Recommendation that the offer
Of Mrs. John B. Henderson, widow
of the late Senator Henderson Of
Missouri, to present the United
States Government the half-million
dollar mansion erected by her at
Sixteenth ans Fuller streets, as
a Vice Presidential White House,
be accepted by the Government is
the action which will be taken by
the Senate Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds, according
to Senator Bert M. Fernald, chair
man of the committee.
FernaH FavOrs Action.
IT shall call the committee to.
gether to consider Mrs. Hender.
Henderson mansion by Tuesday or
as soon as receive the offer and
recommend that it be accepted
said Senator Fernald today.
Certainly it would be in keep,
ing with the dignity of the Vice
Presidential office that the incumi
berant be provided with suitable
Washington residence. The Hender'
son mansion is ideally located at
Sixteenth and Fuller streets. It is
one of the most imposing private
residences in the city. OF course,
/ cannot anticipate what action the
Senate will take, but / believe the
country at large recognizes the i'm
portance of providing suitable &C,
commodations for national execu-
tives and will endorse acceptance
of the proffer'
That the time has come when the
Government should consider the
impression to be made by proper
official display was an idea ad-
vanced by the Senator who sug.
gested that the plan advanced a
year ago loking toward the cree
ton of Senatorial residence by the
various states should be taken up
by the legislatures of the forty
eight commonwealth.
Would House Senators.
1.-THE District of Columbia is a
ward of the nation" said Senator
Fernald. United States Senators
come to Washington and are com
PEELED to take up their residences
in hotels and flats. Would it not
be in keeping with the dignity of
each State should the latter erect
suitable Senatorial mansions at the
National Capital?
1.-The army and the navy provide
homes for officers at the various
permanent posts. The erection OF
homes for Senators by the States
would be but carrying the idea a
little farther. One thing is certain
such investments would prove sound
Washington real estate values are
not likely to depreciate.
but, aside from any such con.
sideration, merely for the moral eff
feet, is it not conceivable that the
erection of State-owned mansions for
United States Senators would create
a desirable impression. The plan has
already been advanced.
A Good Investment.
every one familiar with living ex.
penseS here knows that it is impos-
sible for a United States Senator to
maintain the dignified position he is
expected to occupy on his Senatorial
nav. At present the vast ma jority
of Senators are living in hotel and
APARTMENT mouse quarters. SuCn an
arrangement may have it's conVe.
rkences, but it also has it's disadVan-
tages. An investment of $500 900 by
each State in the erection of Sena-
torial residences would be adVan.
tageous to the States and the nation.
Washington is, and must remain
in the worlds eye to a greater ex,
tent than any other national capital
in the world. America s position has
become such that the Importance OF
developing it's Capital along cOnStruc.
tive lines is essential. Washington is
in many respects the most beautiful
CITY in the6 world. But think what
added attraction would accrue were
il to be still further beautified by
the erection of Senatorial mansions
owned by each State. Washington is
the one city in America in which the
entire country has a deep and lasting
interest, and it should properly re,
fleet not only the power of the Fed.
eraI Government, but the importance
of the confederated Commonwealth
1t represents"
M Bush Brown, artist and sculp-
tor. over year ago worked out q
nlan embracing the erection OF State
owned senatorial mansions. 1t was
first proposed that Pennsylvania
avenue between the Capital and the
White House be given over to these
official residences. Later the idea
of stretching them in a semi-clrcle