Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-23
BY JEROME v. HEATING.

capital Of the world. It Is q vista still
so dimly seen that it may well remain
only mirage. Yet there would seem
at last to be substance TO it-this old
vision in new outline. It may lack
something Of the poets conception. Not
in the full realization Of the poets
fancy will the major palace house the
Parliament Of Man." perhaps. But In
its new prospect this dream city Is not
poets idea. 1t takes the semblance
of tangible form because today 1t Is
the vision OF practical minds project
that has forced itself upon the atten-
ton Of the leaders of this modern world
Of practical affairs.
With the signing of the reparations
agreement, this protector such 1t has
been growing to be-acquired a new
seriousness. Another world interna-
tional institution is to be set up-the
International Bank Of Settlements. Pri-
nnarily the function of this bank is to
facilitate the transfer of German war
payments, but there Is foreseen for it
status Of gathering importance which
will survive the termination of the war
liquidation. 1t promises to be perma-
nent and highly useful adjunct to world
finance.
Where this bank will be located is
still to be decided. But its creation
brings acutely TO the fore again the
movement for a great international
center grouping the accommodating or
CARNATIONS having international entity.
World Organizations.
A catalogue of the international or
CARNATIONS now In existence, as COM
pared with those Of pre-war days. gives
graphic evidence Of the extent to
which the affairs of nations have be-
come tnterlinked. The war and It's aft
ermath may have been the chief i'm
petus, or 1t well may be that the great
strides in the facilities of communica-
ton has been the determining factor.
Whatever the explanation, there are
today scores OF activities and movements
international in character where there
were only scattered ones before the W.T.
And as these organizations have multi
piled, so has gathered-but even yet in
world capital" which would concen-
trate all these varied activities.
Outstanding among these interna-
tional organizations Is, of course, the
League Of Nations. And assembled
about it at its seat in Geneva are the
HEADQUARTERS of more than two score
other organizations of world outlook.
Geneva today approximates the world
capital" in the stage to which the ideal
has progressed thus far.
The Peace Palace.
The Hague, seat Of the World Court
Is only of secondary Importance as a
center for the promotion Of the aims
to which virtually all of these interna-
tional organizations are dedicated
world harmony and good will. Brus-
sells, most conspicuously mentioned as
the base for the new reparations bank
has its quota of Observation-Disclosures
headquarters. Paris and London have
numerous international organizations
operating from them as center. The
United States-Paris, Washington-also
shelter important ofices Of interna-
tional activities.
The movement to set I'm an oficial
"world capital either in one of 4he
cities now forming the base for lead
ing intellectual organization or In an
tnternationalized area set aside and
Q movement involving many conflicting
considerations.
Architectural Possibilities.
Foremost In favor of the plan, per-
haps, Is the consideration Of conven-
fence. The clustering Of all these ran1i-
fed activities in one center would en-
able superior coordination and.
theoretically, a greater effectiveness
Less inpelling, but more glamorous, is
the scope the plan would provide, for
esthetic development. A world capt.
tai" with the nations of the earth CO.
operating in its creation, captivating
in its artistic possibilities. 1t rises In
conception panorama OF exquisite
beauty, idyllic In setting and magnifi-
cent In architecture, the modern worlds
wealth and the modern worlds esthetic
resources lavisted upon its creation.
Accessibility would, Of course, be an
influencing factor In the choice Of the
site. But sharing no less In this selec-
ton, undoubtedly, would be the part
played by sentiment-and by politics.
Inevitable Competition.
With the plan still in the visionary
stage, nations and municipalities al
ready. are vying for preference in the
choice. Sentiment and logic dictate q
site Oh the Continent equipped some
where between the capitals Of the two
major belligerents in the World War
Luxembourg are In rivalry, with the
nations which were neutrals having
perhaps the ascendency. Points in
France and Germany near the border
are not wholly out of the question
italy might be contender. Any Of
these nations. undoubtedly. would
readily cede tract to be vested with
extraordinarily.
The rivalry among cities. based on
q populous center might be considered
preferable. Is perhaps more keen than
that among nations And in this rival
~ Is a large element of sentiment
Existing Edifces.
A city Of international palaces estab-
lished elsewhere would mean the
"scrapping" of palaces" In the cities
which now contain the chief interna-
tional headquarters. The Hague has
its Palace of Peace, built as the home
for the World Court. The scrapping
of this, however, would perhaps occa-
sion less regret than would the relega-
ton of the Palace Of the Nations. the
temple now being erected on the shore
Of Lake Leman to house the League OF
Nations.
The World Courts palace, supervised
in its construction by the government
of Holland. has been criticized as defi-
Client and inappropriate In some Of its
architectural features. It's general de-
sign, Sicilian Romanesque. has been
called too Anticipated for building OF
such a modern use; its towers and
1oopholes have been characterized too
rnilitaristic for an edifice dedicated to
the cause Of peace; its proportions. its
height in relations to its ground area,
have been termed a blemish
Palace Of Nations.
The new Palace of the Nations at
Geneva, still mostly on paper, has
drawn more favorable notice. The de-
sign was selected In an international
(but not a world competition. The
United States and other nations not
In the League were excluded. The
chosen design, however. has met with
general approval, and the site is ideal.
The completed structure will look