Evening star., 1932-04-28
FEDERAL DESIGNING
OF BUILDINGS IS HIT.
Institute of Architects 0p.
poses Plan to Use Only
Government Employees.

VI O41C NCo46AAA4AB dAAO PAdAA-
ming of Government building projects
to Civil Service personnel, as proposed
in legislation now before Congress. was
opposed vigorously in actions taken
today by the American Institute Of
Architects at its convention at the
Mayf1ower Hotel.
The institute termed the proposal
uneconomic and proposed further
invasion by the Government into the
field of private business and directed
that the architects of the country call
on their representatives in Congress to
strike this feature from the McDuffie
economy bill. -,
At the same time it was declared
that features of the Cochran public
works administration measure strike at
the fundamental features of the bills
of Representative Green Of Florida and
Senator Walsh Of Massachusetts,, pro-
viding for employment Of private archl-
tects and engineers on Government
projects, which the institute favors.
Report Approved.
A report submitted on the issue by
the Committee on Public Works, head
ed by Louis LaBeaume Of ST. Louis, was
approved by the institute directors ana
the convention this morning.
The institute already is on record ia
voring in principle the proposed public
works department or administration OF
the Government, but is fighting limita-
tions against the employment OF private
architects and engineers in the plan
ming of Government projects.
Passage of the Green-Walsh bill, pro-
viding for wider employment of archi-
tectS and engineers in the design and
construction of public buildings, would
result in large savings to the Govern
ment, the committee report declared.
1T is quite possible that the aSser-
tions of the Treasury Department, re-
garding its cost, may weigh heavily
with the present Congress" the re-
port continued. ''The word economy
radiates a kind of magic at this time.
AS applied to architects fees, however,
it is often very misleading, for COM
petent professional service frequently
may result in savings in the cost of
completed structure which would far
outbalance any difference in t4e mere
cost of the preparation O. drawings"
Fiye-Day Week Favored.
Adoption of universal f1ve-day week
for employment in this country and
flotation Of huge bond issues to finance
needed public works programs were
advocated today before the convention
by Paul Mazur, of the Lehman Bros.
investment banking firm of New York.
Balloting for officers OF the institute
to serve during the new year was being
conducted today, with Horace w. Peas
lee proposed for a vice presidency and
Frank G.. Baldwin, also Of this city,
nominated for reelection as institute
secretary.
Inquiry Authorized.
A scientific inquiry into the Nations
housing problems was authorized by
the convention Of the institute yester-
day in adopting a report OF the COM
mittee on economics of site planning
and housing, which declared that the
traditional inadequately controlled,
purely individualistic and competitive
process of house building in America
is wasteful and productive of harmful
social and economic results to the
community"
The institute directed that the in
Quiry be directed to the economic
processes Of community development
and change so that there may be dis
covered, first, the unsound economic
causes Of blighted areas and slums, and
second what constructive economic
measures can be found to rehabilftate
the blighted areas and eradicate the
slum areas.
The social evils which result from
the present housing process, 1t was
pointed out, do not directly affect
maintain high-standard housing.
Excessive subdivision Of land into
building lots of which vast quantities
remain unoccupied was called a par
ticularly costly handicap to the
community. The purely speculative
land subdivider, the committee urged,
should be compelled to give way to
those who carry through to final
completion that whole synthetic process
of land subdivision and construction
Of utilities and dwellings.
Slums Stin Problem.
"The technique of site planning and
housing already has made great
advances" the report continued. PRO
jects have been completed in this
country and abroad which are in
valuable demonstrations for the guild
ance of the architect and others IN
undertakings yet to be launched.
"At the present time, and probably
FOR many years to come, the methods
of the large scale operation will pro-
duce the maximum financial economy,
the most efficient planning and the
most extensive provision Of amenities
and social good.
However, the problem Of slum
elimination and the rehabilitation OF
blighted areas remains and cannot be
ignored. These retrograde dwellings
and disintegrating neighborhoods are
an economic drag on community i'm
provements, particularly on new hous-
ing ventures. Therefore the sub
stitution of standard housing for
degenerating and low-standard housing
must be accepted as q major objective
of both social and economic i'm
portance."
Others speakers participating in the
housing forum were Charles F. Lewis
of Pittsburgh, Eugene H. Klaber Of
Chicago, Henry Wright and Robert d.
Kohn Of New York, and Harland
Bartholomew, past president of the
American City Planning Institute,
Ernest ]. Russell Of st. Louis
presided at a session last night on
1.-The Practice of Architecture During
a Depression" Speakers and their
topics were: Dwight James Baum Of
New York, Farm Building; Arthur
B. Holmes of New Jersey Consultation
Service; Merritt Harrison Of Indiana
polls, Repairs, Alterations and Mainte-
nance; Allen H. Kimban Of Anes,
Iowa, Small Structures; William S.
Parker of Boston and Julian Clarence
Levi of New York, Relief Measures" !"