Evening star., 1926-06-10
The Summer CAPITAL.

! Washington's climate has come in
for wide range OF discussion. II is
often the subject Of comment by Wis.
itors. affected Nariousiy according tn
the season and the regions from which
| they come. ii Is casiunaIly men
| toned Ia Congress when the subj~c;
OF adjournment is under conSidera
ton and the Summer temperatures
| are urged as reasons for early uissui,l-
ton. Now il has come before the
British House VI cosnn,ons, where
Aester,iaN the sabject WAS mentioned
in connection with the desire of the
British Ambassador at this Capital to
move 10 cooler Zoue during the
"hea ed term"
In u Jocuiur spirit II was suggested
that instead of merely moving the
embassy during the Summer. the
} American Government might be
moved. to accord with the sensibilities
| Of the foreign representative Again,
Ii was proposed that instead Of mo,.
ing the embassy an effort should be
| made to staff that eSta bIishment with
personnel capable of withstandins
| the heat of Washington Summer
No decision, according TO available re-
ports, was made. aud presumably a
fund WAS assured for the defra wing Of
the expenses Of the Summer hegira
of the embassy.
The idea of peripatetic Capital is
uui new. Ii has been bruached fre.
Iuentiy by America MS. For almost
from the beginning of the occupation
of the ten miles square" there have
been protests that Washington was
too waru, in Midsummer. Az the
Years and the decades have passed,
however this notion has becvme less
seriously considered. In fact, 1t was
never seriously contemplated at al.
There was a period during which
Capital moving was 4 favOrite di-
version of certain political persons.
About fifty-five years ago so-cs lied
convention was held at st. Louis for
the purpose of forwarding a plan for
the transfer of the seat of Govern
ment to the Middle West. But 1t de-
veloped that there was too wide q
range of opinion as to the ideal place
for the Capital to permit any agree
ment upon a site.
Washington Summers have been
overeXploited. The average Of the
a Inn IIllV
and August is not excessive. 1t Is
eauaIed by that OF several cities OF
more northerly situation. Hot waves
affect other places with equal inten-
sity in higher Iatitudes. And tho Sum
mer stay-at-home Washing tonian has
la fact a more comfortable time than
the city bound dweller in the higher
ranges No other city has such ex-
panse of open spaces in the form OF
public parks Washington is near
enough to the sea to enable Its dwell
ers to get to the shores quickly. 1t is
close enough to tho mountains to per
nit easy access to higher attitudes
and cooler airs.
sympathy Is, Of course, always felt
for those officials who, accustomed to
cooler climes, cannot endure the
higher temperatures Of this region In
Summer. But they manage to relieve
themselves by migration, and the Offi-
cial business suffers but little. The
foreign embassies and legations con
trive to keep Ia touch with the Gov
ernment. BY shifts of relays there Ia
always means OF contacts. Congress
is seldom here throughout the Sum
lner. The departmental personnel
works vn a vacation basis. Business
is at lower ebb than daring the
other niue months Of the year. So 1T
liz not likely that there VIII lie any
change Of policy on the part Of any Of
the foreign governments In respect TO
their establishments in this country.
IL Great Britain will grant the neces-
sary funds for the maintenance Of a
Summer embassy at some northern
point, so much the better for the rep
resentative Of that country. For he
will get what many Washingtonians
woald like to have. but cannot afford,
and what even Eostonians desire, de-
spite the difference in latitude, y sum
mer residence.