Evening star., 1927-11-21
The Dirt Is Flying.

| W oIh STARTS OH tnc HrSC OF 1ne new
Government buildings in the Mall-Ave
nue-triangle today. Actual digging be
gan this morning on the site chosen
for the new Internal Revenue structure
and though no ceremony attended the
event. the occasion is worthy of com.
memoration. For this is the first ac-
tual operation toward a developme mt
that has been many years in con-
temptation and preparation. and that
will, when completed, transform cen
trail Washington completely and give
the Government for the first time In
| its existence an adequate housing for
it's work.
Recollections are revived by the
chug grunting of the steam shovel on
the Internal Revenue Bureau site Of
the early efforts to secure authorize
ton for the requirement of an ade-
quate and appropriate space for pub
lie structures. Despite the fact that a
definite plan had been provided long
long ago for the emplacement of the
Government buildings, it had been
ignored, and structures were dotted
about here and there. with no relation
ship and without regard for public
convenience. Meanwhile a vague con-
temptation of the triangular space be-
tween the Avenue and the Mail.
stretching from the Capitol to the
Treasury, as a proper location for the
future Government constructions was
entertained by some, and at last the
proposal came to a focus for a brief
period. An appropriation was made
for the purchase of the five squares
at the western end of the triangle,
and it was contemplated that three
public buildings should be there
placed. The land was bought-and
nothing was done toward its use.
Even with this area in the possession
of the United States. when the time
came to erect a new home for the De-
partment of the Interior this area was
ignored and the building was placed
considerably to the west. out of all re-
lationship to the already existing Fed
eral housings.
While some mistakes, such as that
Of the Interior Department. have been
made meanwhile. the delay has not
been dsadvantageous. For it has re
suited in the adoption of a project of
constructions that eclipses any hereto.
fore proposed and undertaken. 1t i.
not properly to be measured in terms
of cost, for land or buildings. But
rather is It to be measured in terms
of utility and beauty. The structures
that are to arise on the great mile
long site will be monumental and har-
monious. They will be conveniently
placed, and will be designed with due
regard for future needs. They will af-
ford convenience of access and will be
adapted in their locations to the mod
ern traffic requirements.
This great project, which starts to-
day with the first throbs of the stear
shovel at Eleventh and B streets, will
do more than provide the Government
with facilities for it's administrative
work. 1t will create in Washington a
true Federal center, linking the ex-
ecutive and the legislative branches.
1t will redeem Pennsylvania avenue,
the Nations most famous highway,
from condition of decrepitude and
unsightliness caused by the long hest
tation on the part of Congress regard
ing the best plan for housing the FED
eral operations. 1t will actually save
the Government money by concentrat-
ing it's activities in public buildings in,
stead of, as in so many cases today,
in privately. owned structures at high
rents.
So today Is a memorable occasion.
Several years must pass before the
results appear. But they will not be
years of anxiety or despair. For the
sound of the steam shovel today means
that now at last the ideals Of the
Capital makers are about to be real
lied.