Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-01
FOUNTS PLANNED
AT NEW BUILDING
StrauS Memorial One of Two
Beauty Features for Com
merCe Department.

Fountains may flank the new De-
partment of Commerce Building, both
on the east and on the north, 1t de-
veloped today.
on the east, located in what is known
as the Grand Plaza, between about
Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets. Ohio
avenue and d street, there will be
placed a memorial fountain and pool to
oscar S. StrauS, the immigrant boy who
became cabinet officer. Designs for
this fountain. approved by the Fine
Arts Commission, include carved lions
heads with their mouths spouting water,
tall Jets of water to play about the
fountain and other features.
To the north of the Department OF
Commerce Building, in the smaller park
area where old Polls Theater now IS
being torn down, between Fourtcentn
and Fifteenth streets, E street and
Pennsylvania avenue, 1T has Just-been
proposed to the War Department that
there be erected the historical Bar
tholdi fountain recently removed from
the Botanic Garden, at the foot of
Capitol Hill In this same plot, the
Poll block, there was once movement
to provide a beautiful fountain as gift
from the state of Pennsylvania, and a
bill was introduced in Congress to au-
thorize it. But the legislation never
was enacted. The status of the move
ment from Pennsylvania is now uncer-
tain, according to the best information
available at the Treasury Department,
which is planning the park on Polls
site For the present the Poll park is
to be leveled of, filled with good soil
and sown in grass. 1t now is rapidly
being filled with good earth, even be-
fore the remains of the old theater have
gone.
Fountains Famous Designer.
The Bartholdi fountain was designed
and constructed by the celebrated
French sculptor, creator OF the Statue
of liberty. in New York Harbor. It
was presented to the United States
Government and erected in Fairmont
Park. Philadelphia, during the Centen-
NAL Exposition of 1876. At the close of
the exposition it was brought to this
city and placed in the Botanic Car
den. where 1t remained until a few
months ago. when it was removed with
other structures. It is considered an
excellent specimen Of the work of Bar
tholdi, and if not erected in the Poll
block park will be put up in some other
park here in washington.
The Straus memorial, in honor of the
former Secretary of Commerce and La
Dor, has been designed by John Russell
pope of New York. who is also mem
Der of the Treasury Board of Architec-
tlIraI ConSultants. Allegorical figures,
depicting the life of oscar S. Straus,
viii appear in the memorial, and the
head of the former Secretary viii be
carved in low relief, with fitting inscrip-
tons filling the panel to the right ana
left. TWO groups of statuary, executed
in marble, are to be mounted on pedes-
tails at each end.
The memorial was authorized by Con-
gress m 1929. Oscar Solomon Straus
was born in Bavaria, Germany, but
came with his family to the United
States, settling first in Georgia and
later in New York. He had an illus
trious service in the public cause, hav-
ing done duty as United States Min
lister to Turkey, becoming in 1905
United States Secretary Of Commerce
and Labor. and being named as a mem
Der OF the Permanent Court of Inter
national Arbitration at The Hague.
During the latter part of bis life he
was chairman of the New York Public
Service Commission. He died in 1925.
President Hoover Member.
President Hoover is honorary presi-
dent of the association, the president
being William Loeb. Other members
Of this organization are Henry Morgen-
THAI and Alfred A. Cook, vice presi-
dents: David Hlpsha%, secretary, and
Archibald B. Roosevelt, treasurer. The
directors are Cyrus Adler, Lawrence F.
Abbott, EDWIN Beer, DR.. Nicholas Muir
ray Butler, Emanuel Celler. William M:
Chadbourne, George B. Cortelyou, J. j.
Curran, Frederick NJ. Davenport, James
r. Garfield, VIII H. Hays, George S.
Heliman. Zion H Hooker. Hamilton
Holt. Miriam w. johnson, Robert Under
wood johnson. Darwin p Kingsley,
Louis S. Levy, Noses d. Mosessohn,
Charles p Neill, Adolph s. Ochs, Mary
Mills Patrick. George Foster Peabody,