Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-11
PUBLIC BUILDINGS COMMITTEE
MAY HAVE KEYES AS CHAIRMAN
New Hampshire Senator Well
Acquainted With Plans
for Progress.
Group Will Get Bill Concern
ing Purchase of Triangle
Land.

The Senate committee on public
| buildings and grounds, which will
| have before it two pieces of legiSla =
| ton Of great importance to the Ma
! tional Capital is to have new
chairman in the Seventeen Congress
! in place of former Senator IenroOt
! of Wisconsin, whose term expired
with the adjournment of the last
| session.
| The filling of this vacancy assumes
! a special interest to the District OF
Columbia, since the committee Will
have referred to it the bill to ac-
ouare all of the land in the Pennsyl-
vania avenue Mall triangle in con-
nection with the public building pro-
gram. as we'll as any legislation that
may be introduced 10 improve the
long -neglected Union Station Plaza.
Keyes Well Informed.
While Senate leaders will not turn
to serious consideration of the prob
lem of committee assignments until
nearer the opening of Congress, Sena-
tor Henry w. keyes. Republican. of
New Hampshire, in all probability.
will be the selection for chairman OF
the public buildings and grounds
committee This assumes that the
Republicans will have the majority
necessary to organize the new Senate.
Senator Warren of Wyoming is. the
ranking Republican member of the
committee on public buildings and
grounds, but in view of his important
position as chairman of the commit
tee on appropriations, it is not prob
able that he would take on the duty
of presiding over the public build
ings group.
If Senator Keyes becomes head of
the committee he will be able to give
careful consideration to legislation'
affecting the National Capital, having
spent a great deal of time here since
his election to the Senate In 1919. re
is well informed on the status OF the
project for development of the Union
Station plaza into fitting extension
of the Capitol grounds and he was
member of the committee which
reported favorably at the last session
on the bill to acquire the Pennsyl-
yania avenue triangle in order 10
make possible an attractive arrange
ment Of the new Federal buildings.
Senator Tess of Ohio ranks next
after Senator keyes among the ke-
publican members of the public bulld-
ings committee.
Study of Fact.
The triangle purchase bill passed
both House and Senate at the last
session, but the House added an
amendment increasing by Sl0O .O0o'OoO
the limit of cost on the Federal build
ings to be erected in the various
States. In the closing days OF the
session Senate leaders were unable TO
have the House amendment acted on.
Since the next session will mark the
opening of a new Congress, 1t VIII
be necessary to reintroduce the meas
ure and have it go through both
branches again.
Senator Smoot of Utah, who, as
chairman of the Public Buildings Com
mission, sponsored the triangle bill
last session, is expected to reintro'
duce it as soon as the new Congress
gets under way. This will be a long
session, with more time for its con-
sideration and final enactment.
AS to the Union Station Plaza i'm
provement, David Lynn, architect of
the Capitol. is having landscape ex-
perts study the tract with view to
recommending a definite plan to the
new Congress. The first question to
be considered before landscape treat