Evening star., 1928-10-19
BY the Associated Press.

v, ll.
authorized to use this money in the
purchase or condemnation of land and
the erection OF public buildings.
Inc new structures, the Secretary
aooeo. VIII include a new and larger
bullolng Tor the increased activities of
the Department of Commerce. a ST.
preme Court structure, an archives
building and buildings for the Bureau
OF internal Revenue, Department of
agriculture and Department of Labor.
/ AT the conclusion of the Founders
day exercises the annual international
/ eXhloltlon OF paintings was thrown open
| to the public, and tonight Secretary
Mellon was the guest of the institute
trustees at dinner.
Mr.. Mellon in his Pittsburgh address
reviewed the original plans for wash
ngton as made by L'Enfant and later
by the commission of 1901.
said:
'At the foot of Capitol Hill, looking
toward the Treasury and the White
House. the plan of 1901 contemplates
that there shall be great open plaza
with monuments and fountains. some
what like the Place de la Concorde in
Paris. 1t was intended that this space
should provide a dgnified entrance to
| A'oAAA1 aFIlitAC dlIu dISO AlGO pIlC
Mall leading westward to the Washing
ton Monument, a mile away. The me-
mortal to Gen. Grant has been located
| In this space in accordance with these
plans, but there progress has stopped
| The development of the plaza and the
| Mall has been delayed until arrange
mentS could be made for the removal
| OF the Botanic Garden to larger and
more suitable quarters on land to be
a tFNl IL ~
/ toi. The State of Pennsylvania has
erected memorial to Gen. George Cor
| don Meade, as companion to the Grant
| Memorial, and in doing SO has also
| provided for suitable landscape setting
| IN accordance with the Mall plan. Thus
| these two memorials will stand in the
/ great Union Plaza at the head of the
| Mall and the way will be open at last
| to complete the developments required
to make the Mall into beautiful park.
To Raze Buildings.
First, 1t will be necessary to demolish
the temporary buildings and the smoke
stacks erected during the war. Then
| great avenue of greensward, bordered
| by drives and lined with four rows of
stately trees, will be projected through
the Mall. leading westward from the
Capitol and the Union Plaza to the
Washington Monument and the Lincoln
+ Memorial beyond. Along this avenue, at
intervals will be such buildings as the
Agricultural Department. the Freer Gal
lery the National Museum and the
Smithsonian Institution. This avenue will
end at the Washington Monument, and
beyond the Monument. at the point
where the new axis meets the Potomac,
has been placed that beautiful white
marble structure, the memorial to Abra-
ham Lincoln.
From the foot of the Lincoln Memo
rial great bridge commemorating the
union of the North and South, is now
in process of building. When completed
it will lead across the Potomac to the
slopes of Arlington, where, surrounding
mansion once the home of Gen. Rob-
ert E. Lee, are the graves of those who
died in their country's service, including
that newly erected national shrine. the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier From
Arlington a boulevard will stretch to
Mount Vernon. the home of Washing
ton, and all of this region and the sec
ton known as Potomac Park, with its
river drives and famed cherry trees, will
be joined, under plans now being car
ried out, with Rock Creek Park and
that section Of the city where the great
Gothic cathedral is rising on the wood
ed height Of Mount st. Alban.
Pennsylvania Avenue.
"Now, I must ask you to return for
moment to consideration OF another
vast project which will eventually real
ize I.Enfant's dream for a great avenue
bordering the Mall and leading from
the Capitol to the White House. You
are familiar with the distressing spec
tacle which Pennsylvania Avenue pre-
SentS today. 1t is perhaps our most I'M
portant street, and certainly there Is no
avenue Of corresponding Importance IN
any capital which can compare WIN
it in sheer ugliness or lack OF archl-
tectural dignity. 1t is the street over
which our great professions pass IN
triumph to the Capitol Iet never III
| the davs of either the ancient or tne
modern world. has any one seen before
great triumphal way bordered,
| throughout much of its length, by gaso-
| line stations, lodging houses ana chi
neSe laundries
This state of affairs, am glad 20
say, will soon be remedied. congress
| has determined that the Capitol snail
be approached by al avenue conmen-
surate in dignity with It's importance.
| Senator Smoot, who has such clear
conccpt,on Of the future possibilities ot
Washington has taken the lead III TINS
work and he has been ably seconded
by Senator Swanson, Senator Bruce,
| Representatives Elliott. Lanham and
others. An appropriation of 500 ,OOO.0 .0oo
! has been made, supplemented last VIM
ter by an additional $25,00o,000, and
other amounts will be Forthcoming as
the work progresses. The amounts al
ready appropriated will be used to IN.
itiats the most important features o.
! the plans for Washington's development.
| with special regard for the Mall and
for improving Pennsylvania avenue.
Building Plan.
Departmental buildings are to be
/ placed along the south side OF Penn !
! sylvania avenue from the Treasury !
to the Capitol In addition to facing |
cn Pennsylvania avenue, these buildings
will face also on grand boulevard which |
Is to be cut through the city bordering |
| the Mall and stretching from the Capt. |
! tol to the new Memorial Bridge on the |
Potomac near the base CT the Lincoln |
Memorial. Plans Ale now being made |
TO secure com1Ieher i've treatment |
OF this entire area be.Ween PennSyl- !
vanla avenue and the new boulevard !,
! both as regards the location and the !
| grouping Of the various buildings A |
group OF the leading architects Of the |
! country has been formed to study this |
! problem aOH n all