Evening star., 1925-07-07
WHITE HOUSE PLAN
NOT FRENCH STYLE
Survey Shows Furnishings
Are Hodge-Po Podge of
Many Periods.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Present plans of Congress and the
President 10 make the White House,
within and without a truly colonial
mansion are not in conflict with the
authority granted by Congress in
1902, during the Roosevelt admins
tration, for the first extensive i'm.
provements in the Executive Mansion
for many years. or with the report
TO Congress on the completion of that
work, made by President Roosevelt
and by McKim. Mead and White.
In the controversy over the colonial
restoration, started by the American
Institute of Architects, emphasis has
been laid on the fact that reproduc-
ton OF colonial interior with period
fittings and furnishings will throw
into the discard the French empire
style. which now is carried out in the
formal rooms on the main floor. and
that President Roosevelt recommend
ed continuance and extension of such
work rather than repeated changes
and refurnishings.
No Style Mentioned.
AS a matter Cf fact. the report sent
TO Congress by President Roosevelt
makes no reference whatever TO anv
French empire style or of a Louis XIV
scheme. The furnishing of the reno.
waited White House was entirely Incl.
dental AT that time Congress, in
recognition of the feeling prevalent
among the people of the United
States, stipulated that none of the
essential features of the White House
should be sacrificed in the restoration.
that the Nations historic house
should be left intact and that even
the state rooms should continue to be
known by the names made familiar
bv long use. The changes at that
time were principally structural and
included the erection of executive Of
noes and rearrangement TO permit
the comfortable and dignified enter
talnment OF guests, especially in pro-
vid1ng state dining room of dimen-
slons sufficient to enable the President
TO entertain at table on occa sion about
100 guests.
Rooms Described.
In the report then made to Con.
gress the treatment of the state rooms
about which the present controversy
centers is thus described:
The Red Room-The changes made
In the state dining room necessitated
the removal of the two marble mantels
that are cotemporary with the house
itself. Exquisitely carved in London,
and imported with other purchases
for the Capitol, these mantels were
almost the only historic furnishings
In the White House at the time when
the restoration began. Too small for
the spaces where they were placed
they now become the chief ornaments
OF the red and green rooms, respec-
lively. The wainscoting of the red
room is in white enamel and there is
a new cornice. The wall covering and
curtains are of red velvet and the
furniture is upholstered in red dam
ask. There Is a crystal chandelier
and side lights; new andirons, a mir
ror between the windows, and an
antique rug
me Blue Room.-'Rarely beautiful
in its proportions, the blue room has
been made notable for the events that
have taken place within it's walls: and
In the changes particular emphasis
mas been placed on this room. The
mantel is of pure white marble. the
shef being supported on bundles of
arrows carved in white marble with
bronze tips and feathers: the vain
scoting is in white enamel the wall
covering is of heavy, corded blue silk,
on which is embroidered at TOP and
bottom the Grecian fret; the curtain
hangings, of the same material as the
wall covering, are embroidered with
stars, and the curtain poles are sur
mounted by gilt eagles. The Grecian
fret appears also in the ceiling. The
furniture is in white and gold. UP.
holstered in blue and gold.''
Some Features New.
The Green Room.-'The wall cover
ing and curtains of green velvet are
copied from an old piece of Genoese
velvet; the marble console table shares
with the mantel the distinction of age
and grace; the furniture-upholste
in tapestry-the rug, the mirror, the
andirons, the crystal chandelier and
side lights, all are new"
The East Room.-"The walls of the
east room are covered with wood pam
cling, enameled; the ornamental cell
ing is done in stucco, and set in the
wall are IL low relief panels by Pic
cirilh Brothers, sculptors, the subjects
being taken from Aesop's Fables. On
the east and west sides of the room
are two mantels of colored marble,
CONTINUES on paes D. Column %