Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-04
GRANT. 'GLUTTON FOR WORK,
HAS HEART SET ON DUTIES HERE
Man Who Turned Down
$4,000 Job in Ohio Per-
sonifies Activity.
Apparently Smothered by
Tasks, He Willingly Takes
on New Responsibilities.
nv WILLIAM A, MILLEN.

BY WILLIAM A. MILLEN.
What manner Of man is Lieut.. Col
II S. Grant, Sd, director Of public
buildings and public parks, who has
turned down an offer of $25 900 to be-
come city manager OF Cincinnati, Ohio.
preferring to remain in the National
Capital and carry on his task OF beau
Trying Washington on the salary OF an
Army ofhcer?
He is not so much interested In the
Identification of Washington as he Is
in avoiding the mistakes that might
mar its beauty. His Is preventive job,
a corrective process. Col. Grant thinks
that If suitable sites can be picked for
the great public buildings and suficient
land be allocated to surround them, the
architects and the artists, under guild
ance of the National Commission Of
Fine Arts, can be trusted to do their
part.
Has Valuable Background.
Col. Grant Is old-fashioned enough to
be an admirer Of Ruskin, yet advanced
enough to recommend the installation
of the latest and most modern devices
for carrying on affairs Of government.
He has had an excellent background for
knowing at first-hand just what o city
beautiful should be like. for he went to
school In Vienna, one of the most pic
turesque of European cities, for four
years and for a year after the World
War, while the Peace Conference was
in session, he lived in Paris. In addi-
ton, he has visited many other Eu-
ropean cities, and has studied them up
with the trained eye of an engineer with
penchant for beauty.
Illustrative of the corrective process
that his post as an administrative ofh-
Ger calls for, Col. Grant pointed out
that in the original plans for the
Arlington Memorial Bridge it was pro-
posed to connect this pretentious struc-
ture with the Lincoln Memorial Plaza.
It had been proposed to have roads
leading out Of this plaza to connect
with the Rock Greek and Potomac
Parkway and to bring the Riverside
Drive to the plaza, to make connec-
lions with B street. This would have
created . grade crossing for trafic,
Col. Grant said, which would distract
motorists attention from the serene
dignity and beauty Of the Lincoln
Memorial. Consequently plans were
changed to bring the park drive under
the bridge, eliminating the grade cross
ing.
1Gkk8 VI NURSB AVk ANOn01s
On Pennsylvania avenue, between the
Capitol and the Treasury, Col. Grant
said, the development toward making
this one of the most beautiful thor
oughfares in the world depends not so
much on fancy structures as on the
typs and plan of development.
He said that at present on Pennsyl-
vania avenue one visualiZes o saw
tooth effect, with buildings Of all diff
ferent types and different kinds" The
variety, he thinks, Is 30 great that lit
Is irritating"
The opportunity Is now offered, in
his opinion, to achieve q worthwhile
objective ON Pennsylvania avenue.
Col. Grant explained that the basis for
the immediate future development of
Washington Is found in the reports OF
the Office of public buildings and public
parks, of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission and Of the
Public Buildings Commission. He Is
vitality concerned with expansion OF the
Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, de-
velopment Of the great Anacostia Park
Identification Of Meridian Hill Park
and construction Of Arlington Memorial
Bridge and other projects that are max.
ing Washington more beautiful.
Under his Jurisdiction comes q wide
variety Of activities from the feeding
of the SQUIRRELS in the parks to check
ing over some difhcult engineering prob
| lem.
Col. Grant is adamant in insisting
| that the natural beauty Of the Grea
, Falls region be preserved and Is vital.
| interested in passage of the Capper
Cramton park purchase bill, to establish
! the George Washington Memorial Park
way. To insure the proper development
| of the region adjacent TO the Capital
| Col Grant is working in close co-opera
ton with the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Capita
Park and Planning Commission and tn
! Virginia authorities.
His is q task of many tangles will
which he is admirably fitted to cope b
tradition, temperament and training
In order to appraise properly the Hercu
lean Job that rests upon his shoulders
one only need be informed that he Is:
! Director OF public buildings and pub
lie parks, vice chairman and executiv
officer of the National Capital Park an
Planning Commission, executive and dis
bursting officer Of the Arlington Memo
rial Bridge Commission, co-ordinator
motor transport in the District OF Co
lumbia, executive and disburSing off1ce
! N
way Commission, member and executiv
and disbursing officer of the Publ
Buildings Commission. executive office
of the Meade Memorial Commission
member OF the Zoning Commission 9
the District of Columbia, supervisor
erection of the Women's Titanic Memo
rial, supervising erection OF the Georg
Washington Memorial Building an
member Of the Federal Real Estat
Board.
These duties have been assigned I
him "by specific legislation or by com
petent authority" He recently finishe
supervising construction Of the preten
tious Red Cross Building, erected !
commemoration of the services and Sacri
fices of the women Of the United State
In the World War. The care Of tn
statues and memorials Of the city Is sti
another task intrusted to him.
Days me Well Filled.
As II these tasks were not sufficief
for any one man to carry, Col. drar
has hecnYna uresident of tina Welfal