Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-26
CONGRESS WILLING
TO PROVIDE OFFICE
Sentiment Toward New
Structure for White House
Work Believed Favorable.
Continued From First page.)

(Contlnued From First Page)
fees with tunnel-such as connects
the Treasury Department and its an
mex Just to the north-linking up the
WHITE House and the presidential work.
shop. The State Department, Mr..
Moore said, should contain apartments
Tor distinguished visitors, as it is mad
vlsable to have notableS, such as Prime
Minister Macdonald, go to hotel or to
a private house, while officially visiting
the american Government Mr.. Moore
cited the accommodations prevailing for
this purpose in England, where the
mayors OF large cities, such as Leeds,
have mansion houses in which to enter
tain distinguished guests.
Mr.. Moore pointed out that the War
department cannot well be placed on
the west side of Lafayette Square un-
less 1t is desired to extend it westward
across Seventeenth street, with a con-
meeting tunnel. The War Department
requires 100000 feet for proper space,
he said.
Against B Street Site.
The Fine Arts Commission chairman
is opposed to placing such a large build
ing on b street, which is to be the great
ceremonial avenue of the city. B street
Leading from the Capitol to the preten-
tlous Arlington Memorial Bridge, SPAN
nlng the Potomac River, Is to be re-
served Tor smaller buildings, such as the
Red Cross headquarters, the Pan-Amer-
lcan Building and the National Academy
Of Sciences.
That area must be reserved for
said. --e
On the east side of Lafayette Square
IL is proposed to extend the Treasury
Department annex to occupy the site
OF the Cosmos Club, at H street in
order to make the frame" for the
square in harmony
The triennial report Of the Fine Arts
commission, recently made public, con-
talns copy OF letter, written in 1924
70 tne director OF the Bureau of the
Budget by the commission relative to
the proposed new Department of State.
The letter says:
building for the Department of
State, to be located on square 1877 (west
SIDE or Lafayette Square,, the structure
to contain, besides of the offices of the
department, halls for international con-
1erences and for those large functions
at which the attendance is greater than
can be accommodated In the White
Rouse; also few suites for the ac-
States. The plans already adopted for
this building include these features
Inc purchase Of the land would be re-
location" -
Tenth Report Statement.
The tenth report of the Fine Arts
commission, covering the period from
tuly. iSzI, 70 December, 1925, con-
taNnS IniS statement, with reference to
the Presidents office building:
Plans for increasing the available
space in the Presidents offices came
before the commission in April, 1928.
In their report this commission ad-
verted to the fact that when, in 1902.
It became imperative to remove the
executive offices from the second floor
OF the then overcrowded White House
to separate building, a small struc-
ture was built at the end of the west
terrace on the site occupied by the
PRESIDENTS office in the days of An
GREW jackson. This building was de-
signed for temporary uses until Com
gress should provide for more ADEQUATE
quarters elsewhere than in the White
House grounds. These grounds, ample
and even spacious at the beginning of
the nineteenth century, were en-
croached upon by two Of the largest de-
partment buildings in Washington
Treasury and the State, War and NAVY
Buildings. While there was space in
the White House grounds for a small
one-Story structure accommodating the
omces OF the President, and a room
Tor cabinet meetings. there was neither
space nor place for q building which
should provide room for large oficial
functions and accommodate oficial
delegations from foreign nations. Dur
ing the World War and the Limitation
OF ArmamentS Conference the lack of
such q building neceSSitated a resort
TO private homes, the Continental Me-
mortal Hall and the Pan-American
Building, none of which were adapted
to the purposes for which perforce they
were used.
I'm 1909 the original offices of 1902
were doubled in area by an extension
to the rear, and twice since that date
needed storage space has been turned
into ottices. The files are kept, some
In the basement and some in the attic:
but most OF the official correspondence
has been returned to former Presidents
or their families. BY good fortune the
official papers Of some Presidents have
Immediately found place in the
Library of Congress, but in most in
stances they have passed into private
hands, to be purchased by Congress.
or they have been withdrawn for the
use Of historians. In many cases on
cial papers belonging to department
files and forming constituent portion
Of department records are missing.
This lack of care of Government
archives will go on until Congress shall
provide a hall Of records similar to
the archives departments of all other
civilized nations, and shall enact that
every communication addressed to an
officer of the Government in his ofiicial
capacity shall be deemed a part of the
public records and be treated as such.
Can archives building is now provided
for under the great public buildings
program here.)
For the larger official entertain
mentS and for international confer
ences, adequate provision should be
made in the new building to be con-
for the accommodation of the
Department of State, as provided for
in the public buildings act Of June
Is, 1910"