Evening star., 1923-01-13
BACK Up PROGRAM
: FOR IMPROVED CITY
President and Cabinet Favor
Beautifying Mall and the
Public Parks.
ASSENT. is UNANIMOUS
Erection of a Number of Hand
some Departmental Buildings
b Also Is Endorsed.

President Harding and his cabinet
heartily approve of the general pro-
gram calling for the beautihcatlon or
the Mall Potomac and Rock Creek
parks, and the erection of number
of handsome departmental buildings
in this city.
This was made known at the Whlte
House yesterday when it was an
nounced by high official that the
public buildings and park program
for the District of Columbia was
the principal topic of discussion at
yesterdays cabinet session. The mat
ter was brought before the meeting
in an informal manner and the dls-
cuSsion was general and impersonal
IN its nature.
Unanimous View Voiced.
The discussion of this important
local question disclosed in most con-
vincing manner that the executive,
the Vice President and the cabinet
are unanimous in their opinions re-
gaTding this program. 1t was made
very evident that each of these ad-
ministration leaders is enthusiastic
over the proposition to enlarge and
add to the beauty of the public parks
of the capital, and that they firmly
believe future governmental build
ings should be erected in various
points of vantage in the Mall or else
IN property adjacent to it or other
wise peculiarly situated or adapted
! 'or tho general usefulness of the
building in question.
The present administration, although
tnxious for the carrying out OF this
zig program, has let it be known,
however, that it does not believe the
lime is ripe to start Immediately upon
he execution of the program. which
.alls more especially for this beauti
tul TRANSFORMATION of that section of
he capital Immediately south of
'ennsylvania avenue and east of 18th
street. Because of the adminiStra-
ions announced intention of prac-
icing the Strictest governmental econ
pmy for the present the President
md his advisers hold that the public
Treasury at this particular time is
Tot quite in a. position to permit the
expensive step as proposed.
Will Not he Sidetracked.
At the same time the White House
'siVeS assurances that the admiRiS-
ration does not intend to permanent
;ontrary san' it was as intimated Pfin that the the
transformation al provided for in the
general program will be realized in
large part, if not entirely. during
he present administration.
The discussion by Yesterdays cabi-
1et is known to have indicated that
she President is impressed with the
necessity of not delaying long the
proposed Improvement of the two
blocks south of Pennsylvania avenue
,etween 18th and 14th streets. 1t is
-hought the blocks south of Pennsyl-
yania avenue east of 14th street 10
he Botanic Gardens should 1olIoW
his.
The program as considered at yes
lerday,s session calls for the erection
IF a large handsome building for the
Department of Justice somewhere ad-
AGENT to 18th and T. streets. Not Tar
Instant it is proposed to locate the
Lrchiyes building. which from the
,iewpoint of architecture and con-
;truction is to be a work of art. 1t
las been suggested to locate the
building for the office of the con-
roller general in the vicinity of the
present munitions building, although
there are some who favor more
centrally located site for this pro
posed office building: The site of the
present government dormltorleS Is
among other sites proposed.
Other Departments Considered.
The plan calls also for the erection
Of suitable buildings to house perma-
nently the Department of Commerce
and Labor in the Mall. Several sites
have been suggested for the future
home of the State Department among
them being the one now occupied by
the United States Court of Claims,
formerly the Corcoran Art Gallery,
directly opposite the north side of the
State War-Navy building.
It is limited at the White House that
the public buildings and parks pro-
gram will be discussed again by the
cabinet when it is expected that the
matter will be gone into in a more
detailed manner and when 1t is hoped
that some definite step looking toward
the realization of the great work will
be taken.
White the President is enthusiastic
over this development plan for the
National Capital he has let it be
known very positively that he does
not approve at this time the large
omnibus public buildings bill which
Representative Langley, chairman of
the House committee on public build
ings and grounds, is known to have
prepared for introduction in Congress
at this session.