Evening star., 1927-05-12
Horace w. Peaslee Advises
Institute Members to Get
Behind congressman.
COMMITTEE REPORT
HITS RIDER IN BILL
United Action to Insure Great
Identification Measure Held
Essential.


today at their annual meeting in the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
States, by Horace w. Peaslee of this
city. to acquaint their representatives
in Congress with the facts regarding
the plans for the development Of the
Capital City, and he promised that the
weight of the architects as a constit-
uent group would be needed.
Mr.. Peaslee delivered the report Of
hte committee on the plan of Wash
ington and enyirons, of which he is
chairman. He spoke particularly OF
the rider on the public buildings bill
which, in effect. would permit a hodge
podge of private buildings to be erect
ed around Lafayette Square. He
urged the chapters to unite to insure
the future greatness of the National
Capital.
Says Need Is Urgent.
"The need is urgent" he says. "The
situation as regards the White House
and Capitol frontages stands as
challenge to one of the most important
elements of the Macmillan plan. The
alternatives are abandonment Of the
plan, immediate purchase of the prop
critics involved. or subsequent pur.
chase with millions Of dollars added
ir. improvements.
LET us not think of the effort, OF
the cost or of the thankless task.
Let us rather regard 1t as our unique
privilege to grasp decades in advance
the vision of glorious Capital to be,
and our great opportunity, our greater
obligation. to work for the realization
of that vision.
"And let us keep humbly in mind
how little we can do compared to the
offering in genius, in enthusiasm, in
self-sacriflcing. of the young French
man who relinquished not iT'con.
siderable city practice to seek q vision
in the wilderness; who wrought that
vision within a mere tweivemonth, and
went to his grave without honor or
reward becauset he. anticipated the
ultimate greatness OF the Nation and
fought for his convictions.
LET us not lend our casual support
to any casual memorial to Charles
Pierre LEnfant until by our own
efforts we have brought TO full real
ization his vision OF 136 years ago.
Urges Solid Support.
eff each chapter Of the American
Institute Of Architects will do its part
in reaching all of its representatives
in Congress and in stating the facts
clearly and frankly. its technical ad-
vice and its weight as a constituent
group viii be needed.
The notable contributions of many
eminent architects toward the devei-
opment OF Washington have created
the impression that the profession an
a whole is watchdogging the Cap
ital's development as patriotic serv-
ice. We like to believe that this Is
the case, but 1t it not fully borne. out
by our works. AS profession we
have accomplished much for Wash
ington, but the efforts Of those who
work are not infrequently nullified by
the shortcomings Of those who are
supposed to be pulling and are not
I'VE are in no position to stir up
the public or to assail the shortcom-
ings of Congress, while many OF us
who ought TO understand and TO
fame with indignation ignore condi-
tions or are Indifferent to them. It
will be recalled BY delegates to the
1926 convention that the chairman
OF this committee was given special
opportunity to bring before the con-
ventfon at the opening session n
rider on the public build
ings bill. potent with dire results.
1t excluded all Government build
ings from the area north Of Penn
sylvania. avenue. being aimed di-
rectly at the defeat OF the Mcmillan
plan in so far as 1t concerned
Lafayette Square.
Cites Complications.
"The bill and rider passed and the
complications have occu-
pied the full time of the committee
Turing the year. The passage at once
removed the protecting arm OF the
plan and the commercialization Of
The White House frontage began with
hotel and two projected office
Two bills Were offered TO
relieve the situation. one establish
ing control of facades facing Cow
property and one specifically
authorizing the purchase of the
1otel site, at Sixteenth and II streets.
Both bills were lost and we now
submit to this convention, for its
the situation that one
IF the chief national monuments
should be surrounded by an archi-
ectural hodgepodge of Office. build
ngs, hotels. shops, opposed in char
lcter to st. Johns Church, which
stands for tradition all Of it's own,.
o the historic residences which are
alling by the hands of their owners.
Ind to the haif-begun monumental
,lan for the square as typified by the
me third completed Treasury Annex
md by the corresponding Chamber
# Commerce.
"The subject has been aided by the
'ress at large. and Is now in process
4 being forgotten. while the CONNER
ialization process proceeds. Soon
mother element of the plan win have
een lost for the next generation to
as we today struggle against
he handicaps of the Veterans Bu-
eau, of the State Department Build
ne, Navy and Munitions Building, OF
he blocked vistas and lost parks"
New Problems Told.
In submitting to the convention the
eport Of the committee on public
7orks, Abram Garfield OF Cleveland,
hartman, said that architects should
G prepared to cooperate in carrying
ut the Federal building programs.
his program. he said. brings with II
ew problems and new necessities OF
tudy.
"A provision of the existing building
Ill, he said. gives to the Secretary
the Treasury authority 10 reinforce
ederal architectural machinery by
mploying others outside OF the Office
the supervising architect OF the
reasury when in his opinion 1t Il
ecessary or useful to do so.
The duty Of the institute Is. there
(C.ontinued on Pa9e- Il. Colssnass. SIS /