Evening star., 1925-11-30

tinuation on the original logical and
comprehensive plan for the city. II
was then emphasized that the Federal
Government should and intended to
acquire all OF the triangle between
the Mall and Pennsylvania avenue,
from the Capitol to the White House,
as sites for great departmental and
other fitting Government buildings.
That action laid dead hand" on
the property in this triangle SO that
the private owners have not dared to
make the improvements they other
wise would, not knowing when the
Government might take the property
by condemnation proceedings. That
is why properties in that area have
deteriorated and become an "eyesore'
and an affront to the hundreds of
thousands OF people from all over the
country who annually make pilgrim
age to their Capital city. In justice
to these property owners this dead
hand should be removed. Congress
should either acquire the property or
else officially declare its abandonment
of the plan for Government buildings
on the south side of PENNSYLVANIA
avenue.
But Congress has no intention of
abandoning that plan, for it is part of
our great heritage from the Found
ing Fathers" Congress is staggered
by the magnitude Of the permanent
building program-but il is thus eX-
tensive only because it has been so
long neglected. Congress must realize
its duty and do it. With the exception
OF the uncompleted Department of
Agriculture headquarters building
and the Interior Department Building
no department building has been con
structed for 45 years-since the com
pletiOn of the State. War and Navy
Building in 1880.
The Department of Justice is now
a tenant under protest with an eyiC-
ton notice served. Department OF
Commerce leases expire soon. with
no hope of renewal; Labor likewise
These three departments have never
had a home of their own. The Treas
ury Department has imperative needs
resulting from changes from the old
order Of things new building to
house the great task Of collecting the
internal revenue, and another to
house the general accounting service.
auxiliary TO the new Federal budget
system.
Along other lines of executive work
new activities and new agencies have
been established by Congress to meet
the requirements Of the rapid centrali-
Zation of Government. Congress must
meet these necessities frankly. fairly
and with the utmost foresight-So as
not to shift the burden of our days,
under the Government that affords us
protection, onto the shoulders of our
children and our children's children.
II new buildings shall be located
with reference to convenience Of ad-
ministration, in the interests Of eff
cheney. they will fall into certain
groups. Those departments which re-
quire quick and frequent access to the
Executive will be grouped about the
W hite House; those activities which
depend upon Congress will have the
Capitol as a center, and the courts,
while independent of one another, will
tend to draw together.
Museums and buildings of a semi
public character will be located for
the convenience of visitors and sight
seers. All streets. avenues and park
ways will be arranged SO as to afford
convenient means Of communication
The Mall, the great central peoples
park Of the L'Enfant plan, was de-
signed as an artistic connection be.
tween the Capitol and the White
House. During the slow growth of
Washington the Mall was cut into sec
tions. each Of which was subject to
special and individual treatment The
approach from the west to the Capt.
tol planned as an open public square
was fenced about and called "Bo-
tanic Garden" Congress in recent
years ordered the fence cut down, and
Congress has placed in this garden
precinct the Grant and Meade Me
MORALS, with evident intention Of re.
storing the area to its original purpose
as an approach to the Capitol.
Temporary and unsightly structures
hastily thrown up on other sections
Of the Mall during the war emergency,
TO house various wartime activities.
and which have long outlived their
usefulness, are still occupied at ex-
treme fire risk by important pernla-
nent activities Of the Government
They must be removed to save the
Nation from disgraceful scandal.
The general character Of new build
ings to be located along the Mall and
along the now authorized Way Of
Heroes" is determined by present oc-
cupations. The. Smithsonian Institu.
ton. the National Museum, the Army
Medical Museum and the aquarium Of
the Bureau of Fisheries bring into the
Mall daily throngs Of visitors and
sightseers. The Freer Art Gallery,
with its specialized collections, and the
already George Washington
Memorial, with it's auditoriums for
gatherings, great and small are es-