Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-25
The "White House" Fire.


It was a striking coincidence thai
within about three hours from the time
that President Hoover turned on the
lights at the community Christmas tree
in Sherman Square, Just east of the
White House. flames should break out
in the Executive Offices, to the west OF
the mansion. For the third time ir
history the white House" was burned
Fortunately, the structure that was at
tackled by the fire was not the his
toric home of the Presidents, which is
regarded with respect close to reverence
by the American people. The burned
building was that erected about twenty
eight years ago to provide adequate
accommodations for the transaction
Of the Executive business.
BY a merciful dispensation the fire
occurred at night, after the work OF
the day was finished, when the building
was unoccupied save by the caretakers
And by an equally fortunate chance it
was discovered at q sufficiently early
stage to permit the salvage Of most OF
the important papers, documents, rec
ords and correspondence filed there,
The damage that has been done is
therefore comparatively slight. A YER
liable disaster might easily have re-
suited from the blaze.
Announcement is made that the Ex-
ecutive Offices will be at once trans
ferred to the tri-departmental building
across the street. A survey will, Of
course, be instituted to determine the ex-
tent of the damage done to the burned
building, and this survey may be car
ried to the point Of determining as
wen whether it is advisable or desirable
to restore the damaged structure
It may be that decision viii be reached
not to replace It, or perhaps merely to
recondition It for provisional use
pending the construction Of q truly
adequate accommodation for the Elk
ecutive Offices on another site.
Some years ago plan was considered
for the erection in the square west Of
Lafayette Park Of a building for the
accommodation of the Executive Offices
and the Department Of State. That
was put aside, however, in favor Of the
taking of the space known IS the
Mall-Avenue triangle as a general site
for needed Government buildings. Now
that the program of construction In the
latter area is under way it becomes more
evident than ever that there will not
be q suitable site within it for the new
home of the Department Of State. If
one Is to be created.
Artistic considerations call for the
remodeling, II not the complete replace
ment, Of the building that for many
years housed the departments Of State,
War and Navy. Long since outgrown
by all three of these branches Of the
Government, it stands as an inadequate
and unattractive unit Of the public
housing equipment. A definite plan Is
tn hand for a new home for the War
Department. No specific provision Is
made for the Navy Department in the
present program. The State Department
IS yet to be allocated.
A combination Of Executive Offices and
Department Of State would be con-
sistent and convenient. A site i'm
mediately adjacent to the White House
would be desirable. Eventually it will
be In order, will indeed be necessary in
order to develop a consistent and
harmonious plan, to include the square
west of Lafayette Park in the Govern
ment's layout Of constructions. This
Christmas Eve fire. fortunately so In
nocuous, suggests that the time Is at
hand for q move to the end OF
accomplishing both purposes.