Evening star., 1932-01-02
Government Housing.

Occupation today Of the new home Of
the Department of Commerce marks
another step in the progress toward the
provision of an adequate housing OF
the Federal agencies Of administration
in Washington. This great structure,
largest in the world in point of floor
space and other dimensions, is the Sec
ond Of the group Of Government build
ings to be erected within the Mall-Ave-
nue. triangle. which has been pre-
empted for this purpose, the Internal
Revenue office having preceded it by
several months. Work is under way to
prepare the foundations Of other build
ings which are to house the Depart
ments Of Labor, Justice and Post ONCE,
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and the Hall of Archives, together with
a structure which will connect the De-
partment of Labor with the Interstate
Commerce Offices and serve as an audi
torium. When the new Post Office De-
partment is finished the old one, stand
ing Immediately to the east Of the site OF
It's successor, will be razed and the build
ing of which the Internal Revenue oftice
forms q part will be completed around
the group Of squares, the addition TO
house various bureaus. At the eastern
point of the triangle will rise smaller
building, which has for the present
been allocated to independent Offices.
There will then remain only the space
directly west of the new Post Office De-
partment, now occupied by the old
Southern Railway Building, the con-
struction efTecting a continuous facade.
including the present Municipal Build
ing, which is to pass into possession
Of the Federal Government.
This great group of Government
structures, which according to present
plans will be completed within
decade, will be the largest assemblage
of buildings definitely erected for
government administration In any
capital. There will be other construc-
tions, to house the War and Navy De-
partments, the Public Health Service,
the Supreme Court The Department
of Agriculture is now being provided
with an extensible annex, which will
house the scattered bureaus Of that
branch of the Government. An ad-
ditional Office building for the use OF
the House Of Representatives is ap-
preaching completion south of the
Capitol.
1t has been often pointed out that
the Federal Government has never had
a complete outfit. Possibly even with
this broad program Of constructions the
Governments needs will not have been
fully met when it has been completed.
Additional services may be created,
departments which are soon to be
housed In these new constructions are
likely To grow In personnel and ex-
psnd in activity beyond the capacity
Of their Immediately prospective homes,
necessitating additions and annexes.
The planning of these constructions,
however, has been upon a liberal scale,
with provision for development which
may adapt to the increased require
ments Of the next half century.
Had this great work been under
taken twenty-five years ago, when
the proposal was advanced for the
concentration Of Government struc-
lures, as far as the space permit
ted, within the Mall-Avenue triangle, it
is probable that the need of extensions
would by now have been felt, for it is
not likely that the buildings would have
been planned upon as large a scale as
that which has since been adopted. A
different spirit prevailed then in mat
tsrS of appropriation, and there was
lacking the disposition to build greatly
In accord with the artistic requirements
Of Capital-making. While these works
could have been accomplished much less
expensively than is now the case, there
has undoubtedly been a gain in the
character of the architecture and the
dignity and impresSlveneSs of the results
that will soon be evident with the COM
pletion Of this present installment Of
Government housing.