Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-19

Almost coincident with the passage
by the Senate of the bill providing for
the immediate purchase of all the
Mall.Avenue triangle plans is the pay
ment of a large sum for lands within
the zone of the enlarged Capitol plaza
In settlement of a bargain made some
years ago, but uncompleted in conse-
quence Of a dispute over compensa-
ton rates and titles. This transaction
does not end the matter, however. for
other areas remain to be secured and
legislation Is necessary for the re-
moval of the Government hotels and
some other buildings which still &C.
cupy the land.
With the Mall-Avenue land pur-
chase provided for by a bill halfway
through Congress and with bill on
its way to enactment for the purchase
Of lands for the new boulevard which
will flank the extended plaza and con-
meet with the mainway to the Lincoln
Memorial and the Memorial Bridge,
there is occasion for belief that in a
few months the greatest public i'm
provement works ever known in
Washington at one time will be under
way. There will be building construc-
tons at the western end of sthe Mall
Avenue triangle, with other construc-
tons Immediately in hand for early
hA a1A NJ
disfigurements in providing the con-
Meeting link between the Plaza and
the Mall. There will also be a clear.
ance of the CapitoI-Station plaza and
it's Improvement as a park.
Washington Is at the point of the
fruition of plans that have been held
in check for years. The Great War
both delayed and precipitated the ex-
ecution of these projects. 1t checked
them because of the urgent need OF
concentrating all the Federal re-
sources upon the one object of war.
making. 1t complicated the situation
by bringing into existence numerous
temporary constructions in the parks.
And yet 1t fastened the solution of
the problem by causing such a growth
in the departmental business, much
of which became permanent, that
more space for administrative work
became imperatively necessary.
There remains the matter of the
disposition of the two buildings on
the northern edge Of Potomac Park,
which are oficiaily rated as tempo
rary, but are built of obdurate ma
terials and are in active use. Those
two structures must eventually be
removed. 1t In inconceivable that they
should he permitted to remain in the
park. where they are a Disagreement
and an intrusion. They are not con.
veniently located for public purposes.
Though made of concrete. they are
distinctly Of Temporary" character,
planned and built in a hurry and not
we'll adapted to efficient administra.
tive work.
The immediate construction pro-
gram comprises buildings for the De
partments of Commerce. Justice and
Labor, for the Internal Revenue Blu
reau, the Hall Of Archives and the
general supply establishment. These
will not afford any material relief
from the congestion in the War and
Navy Departments. with their an
nexes In the concrete structures in
the park. The hope Is that the pub
lie buildings commission will at once
proceed the planning of a new struo
ture in the great triangle that will
house all of the offices and bureaus
now accommodated In the so-called
Munitions Buildings and permit Their
early razing.