Evening star., 1925-04-27

feature oil Olr Constitution; but have
improved upon their model, showing
in their treatment of the capital. from
its birth, greater wisdom, greater fair
ness and greater national pride.
South America Fosters its Capitals.
OF recent years America. in sharp
contrast with it's neglect of the in
fant capital, has developed Washing
ton into the most attractive of
American cities. Argentina and Brazil
have never ill-treated or starved their
capitals, but have consistently treated
them with proud and affectionate con-
sideration. While spending millions
to develop and adorn and maintain
the national cities. they have not as
a condition of such appropriations
deprived the people of the federal
districts of representation in the
national government, or of the in
creasing means of self-support which
accompany growth as prosperous com
mercial and Industrial centers. In
stead of crippling Buenos Aires and
Rio as business cities, Argentina and
Brazil have fostered their capitals
and commercially. in
creasing their wealth and taxable
values. While retaining control OF
the nations city in national hands
lIlSSS llol Ioubd IL iiCNCo-
sary in protection of their control to
disfranchise the capitals residents and
to shut them out from participation in
either the national or municipal gov
ernment. While thus treating the
people of the capitals as full-fiedgeo
or BraZilians' the South
American republics have not used this
fairness as a pretext for Sinking
financial responsibility in respect to
the national cities. Argentina and
Brazil have spent millions to create
and improve and maintain the ma
tional cities, without once referring
to the people of BuenoS Aires and
Rio as mendicants. or depriving them
as defective Argentines or Brazilians
Of any of the rights or privileges OF
citizenship.
Buenos Aires and Ayenida de Mayo.
The greatest works of capital build
ing in Buenos Aires, begun in 1889,
had been completed when ! was there
in 1910, and in that year an expensive
which will appeal es
pecially to Washingtonians, had been
perfected. 1t consists in the destruc.
ton of whole rows of buildings to
and broaden one end of
the Avenida de Mayo, the Pennsyl
vania avenue of Buenos Aires. and TO
make an environment worthy of the
imposing new capitol building, with
its lofty marble dome. The Avenida
de Mayo, like Pennsylvania avenue,
connects the buildings of the eXecu
tive and legislative branches of the
national government. The new CAPT
-ol stands out in the vista at one end
Of it; the Casa Rosada, corresponding
10 our White House. dominates the
other end. The avenida, unlike Penn
Sylvania avenue, is lined consistently
and harmoniously for it's more than
4 mile of length with a fine type of
buildings, and as a result is one of
he most impressive thoroughfares in
he world
Buenos Aires has many other
show avenues, including Avenida
Alvear, the Massachusetts avenue or
Sixteenth street of BuenoS Aires, the
oroadest of the city's thoroughfares,
the most. fashionable quar-
er, lined with the city's finest resi-
lences, with stretches of public gar
len and with palms and Towering
rees
Buenos Aires has been steadily ex-
banding its wonderful park system.
For example. the municipal program
planned for 1920 contemplated an in
,rease of the area of public parks by
II acres, and the carrying out of pre-
yious plans, of diagonal boulevards
the city, originally intended
70 radiate from the Plaza de Mayo, but
for a time on account OF
he heavy expense involved. A resolu-
ton has been adopted for city super
vision of all buildings to be erected on
,hese diagonal avenues in order to in
sure proper establishment of the city.
Buenos Aires already has more than
100 parks, promenades and plazas.
Transformation of Rio.
The work Of capital building done in
Rio between 1902 and 1910 is even
more impressive and inspiring. Be
fore 1902 Rio consisted of a series of
villages stretched along
q narrow shore strip and creeping be
tween steep hills which here approach
close to the edge of the bay, which
constitutes the city's harbor. AS a
general result of the rebuilding cam
paign these disconnected villa ges have
been united. Hills have been removed
or cut through. whole blocks Of squalid
tenements have been leveled, narrow
streets have been broadened, great
avenues have been made and lined
with fine buildings, and a new Rio has
been created, harmonious, homoge.
neous, one of the most beautiful capi-
tails in the world. The city in plan and
execution is made worthy of its loca-
ton on magnificent bay, picturesque