Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-16

At the recent meeting of the Ameri-
can Institute of Architects in Washing
ton much of the discussion conferred
about the plan of the Federal Govern
ment to foster efforts Ito bring to a
glorious realization the dream of Len
FAINT and Washington" for the develop
ment of the National Capital. APPROX
in echoes now have come from every
part of the country, revealing again
how warm a place the Capital occupies
in the hearts of the people.
I'm spite of various defects that have
appeared in the development OF the
past half century. washington has Tor
many years been generally regarded as
Americas most beautiful city" says the
Providence Journal. which considers the
CITY "would never have attained that
distinction had it not been for LEn-
fant's original plans and the degree In
which adherence to those plans has
been practiced." This paper agrees with
President Hoover on the uglineSS OF the
state, War and Navy Building, saying:
"The erection Of the State. War and
NAVY Building was one instance OF a
serious departure from the classic
beauty and simplicity of the original
idea, and Mr.. Hoover hardly eXagger-
ated when he described this structure
as the product OF an architectural
orgy"
How for a time the plan of L'Enfant
was forgotten or ignored in the build
ing up of the city is touched upon by
the New York Evening World. which
recalls how Jefferson never for a mo-
ment lost sight of the L'Enfant plan
during his presidency, but things were
naturally crude and the country'S re-
sources slight. But from his time down
until the time of Grant" the Evening
World continues. "the town was per-
mitted just to grow up like Topsy; then.
when the first steps were taken to give
To the CAPITAL something of the beauty
and dignity intended. the cost was such
that property owners suffered severely
and there was great turmoil.
Within another generation Washington
will be what James Bryce predicted II
would become-the most beautiful and
imposing Capital in the worlds history.
The present regime is to be congratu-
lated on taking the bit In its mouth and
going ahead"
''Wishing the Capital to be more
beautiful will not necessarily make 1t
So" warns the Brooklyn Daily Eagle,
serving beauty to say nothing of Great
ing it, grows more difficult as the ele-
ments of wealth and magnitude increase
beyond a certain point. The admins
tration can do a great deal to promote
beauty In further projected buildings
by demanding grace and harmony in
design and by insisting that adequate
ideals in form and character be main
the Eagle declares.
AS the Pittsburgh PoSt-GaZette states,
is lone place in particular
in which the people of the Nation have
a right to expect architectural correct
ness, consistency of design and well ma
tured plan, all working toward fine con-
ceptions of beauty with utility" This
paper analyses the benefits to be
gained" by an intelligent building pro-
gram on the part of the Government,
such as better housing for Government
employees. improved efficiency through
wiser grouping of activities. economy by
use Of owned quarters instead Of rented
space. and more modern sanitary ar
X
Quoting President Hoover as having
said that washington was not only the