Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04

wv parade, demonstrating the
acclaim of the American
people for their new Chief
Executive, the real heart and essence of
the occasion Is in the ceremony on the
main steps of the Capitol Building.
There Is a historic setting where
Herbert Hoover took the oath of Office
as President and delivered his inau-
gural address, which was heard by
millions of people in all parts of the
country as carried to them by record
breaking hook-up of radio stations.
And this historic setting will never
be the same again. For the surround
ings of the Capitol are being improved,
with the new Supreme Court Building
about to be erected just where the
President saw today the rim of the
crowd that faced him, and the plaza
between the Capitol and Union Station,
into which the paraders thronged, is
soon to be one of the most beautifully
Handicapped parkways in the world.
The west front of the Capitol grounds
also, where in the past the inaugural
paradeS have started from Peace Mon
ument, is to be greatly improved with
a great. formal Union Square," where
the Botanic Gardens now are, which
will extend across to B street, which
Is to be Strengthened and widened from
the Lincoln Memorial past the Capitol
grounds, and with new approach and
vista from Union Station via new,
wide avenue which will meet Pennsyl-
vania avenue at Second street.
The very rostrum on which the Pres
ident stood and made his inaugural ad-
dress will probably never again be in
exactly the same location. because the
entire central section of the east front
- CAy~S II L. ~ I.A N
complete the plans that have beer
awaiting execution for some IS years
This improvement Is to be urged upon
the next Congress and is expected tt
have the heartiest support of President
Hoover as a monument to his ad-
ministration.
! Press Importance of Plans.
The Capitol of the United States
which yisualizes the self-governins
power of the American people anc
which dominates all of the many beau.
tifuf Federal buildings in this "most
beautiful city in the world" is mot &
creation but growth" erected piece.
meal and never completed, although
plans for this work were prepared ir
1860 and formally presented to Con-
gress In 1864.
1t is now proposed to impress upor
| the next session of Congress the i'm
portance of carrying out these plans
| various adaptations of which have beer
| repeatedly recommended.
| For three score years Intermittent
efforts have been made by Senators anC
Representatives to secure legislation di.
recting the execution of the plans made
by Thomas U. Walter, architect, fol
the extensions, the corner stone O
which was laid July 4, 1851. will
Daniel Webster as orator. The origina
building is of sandstone from quarrie:
on Aqua Creek, Va, the walls OF thu
| extension are Of white marble from
quarries at Lee. Mass, and the columns
are from quarries at Cockeysville, Md.
OF recent years the leadership ha
been taken In the Senate by Senate
Dale. Republican, Of Vermont. and Il
the House by Representative Montague
Democrat, of Virginia, who have re
/ peatedly declared that it is a nationa
disgrace that this most important o
all Government buildings should remain
uncompleted The present architect O.
| the Capitol, David Lynn, is prepared Il
submit plans and specifications and es'
| Inmates of cost.
Leaders in both houses of Congress
have expressed willingness to coop
crate in getting early action upon this
| proposed legislation.
It is not generally known, and few
of the hundreds of thousands of Wis
itors annually notice that the magnifi-
cent dome on the stately structure
| which towers 287 feet, Is over one side
instead of over the center Of the
building. This is due to the fact thai
in 1861 Congress adopted the plan oil
Mr.. Walter for the extension Of the
Capitol under which the wings used as
the House and Senate chambers were
added. Subsequently Mr.. Walter erect
ed the western addition, which was long
used as the home of the Library oil
Congress. He also designed an eastern
extension. which when completed vii
balance" the building and while