Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-21

have one of the most imposing build
ings in this Capital, noted as the
most beautiful city in the world, and
one whose buildings reflect the wealth
and power and dignity of the Ameri-
can people and the greatest Govern
ment that ever existed.
In answer to the second objection
to the larger site, with the straighten-
ing, widening and development OF b
street from the Arlington Memorial
Bridge to the north side of the Capt.
toll as a great boulevard of heroes for
official corteges from the Capitol TO
Arlington National Cemetery, Mary
land avenue would naturally turn it's
traffic into B street at Second street
northeast. AS a matter of fact, now
that traffic through the Capitol
grounds is being chased around a
merry go round" most of the traffic
coming in on Maryland avenue from
the northeast swings even now into b
street to avoid passing through the
Capitol grounds.
SO it is the earnest hope of those
most interested in the future develop
ment of the Capital that the entire
area between East Capitol and B
streets, First and Second streets, will
be taken for the site for the new SUI
preme Court Building.
Sat in Seven Places.
During the 1877 years of it's exist
ence the Supreme Court has sat in
seven different places: first, in New
York: second, in independence Hall,
Philadelphia; third, in the basement
of the Capitol, where ii was when the
British burned the Capitol in 1914;
fourth, while the Capitol was being
rebuilt the Supreme Court occupied
the magnificent residence Of the clerk
of the court: fifth, when the Capitol
wings were built 1t came into its
present chamber. which was previous
Iy the Senate chamber; sixth, when
driven out by an explosion and fire in
1898 it occupied the committee room
Of Senator Mcmillan, which Is the
District of Columbia committee room,
and for brief period also sat in the
Judiciary committee room, according
to the records of the clerk of the
court.
While for quiet and harmonious
beauty the present Supreme Court
room is one of the most attractive
in the magnificent Capitol Building,
theco urt accommodations have never
been adequate. This courtroom was
designed by Latrobe, after the model
of Greek theater, a semi circular
hall with a. low doomed ceiling. 1t is
historically sacred ground. Here
Webster answered Hayne. Here
Renton and John Randolph made
their great speeches. On the left side
of the Senate stood Calhoun in many
a contest with Clay and Webster on
the right.
This supreme Court room has
baen made further memorable. as be-
ing the Mace in which, in 1877. sat
the Electoral Commission which de-
cided the presidential contest as to
whether Hayes of the Republican
marty or Tilden of the Democratic
party should be the executive Of TINS
great Nation for a period OF -FOUR
wears. This tribunal and the wise
and self-sacrificing patriotism OF
Tilden and his party saved the
country from a bloody civil war. rms
supreme Court room will be pre-
served as a trophy room OF tne
Canitol when the Supreme Court has
Justly come into it's own new ouild-
ing.
Could Fill Large Building.
Those who are familiar with the
Sunreme Court work and who nave
lived with it for more than quarter
of a century point out that with little
exertion the court could expand COM
fortably into a building that would
match up tremendously with the
Library of Congress. Those who nave
never seen behind the scenes" OF the
court have little idea of how made
quately it has been housed.
First of all, in the new. building
there should be a large courtroom,
with sufficient space to accommodate
the public on special occasions. NOW
there is not sufficient space to accom-
modate more than a mere handful OF
visitors who are squeezed in one or
two at a time with their backs to the
uaN. so that tourists have to stand In
line for a chance to look in even for
q few minutes at the court in session.
This frequent dribbling In and shift
ing of the visitors, a great annoyance
to the court, would be minimized in
a larger courtroom. AS 1t is now,
when an important case is being ar
gued there is not sufficient space in
the courtroom to accommodate the
attorneys In the case, Facilities must
also be provided for newspaper. men.
They now have absolutely no accom-
modations for properly covering the
court proceedings in which the people
all over the country are so vitality
interested The line waiting for en-
trance to the court chamber now fire.
uuently extends along the corridor
into and around the rotunda- Even
the necessary court attendants have
not adequate working space. and this
frequently seriously delays the pro-
ceedings of the court.
More Filing Space Needed.
Adequate fling facilities must be
provided, with storage space. The
documents of which the court is Gus
todian are voluminous and cannot be
destroyed. The Chief Justice has
frequently ruled that none of these
documents may be taken away from
the. court, thus showing the value in
which they are held Some years
ago Senator. Bailey interested himself
to secure for the court storage space
in room In the Senate basement.