Evening star., 1932-02-07

> AllNItN =" NltlIOIi VI iblo-
" burgh steps out Of the role Of
~ Secretary of the Treasury to go
4 4 t. London. where he is to take
up his new responsibilities as
American Ambassador, be leaves in
deltDly impressed upcn this city the
material results of his enthusiastic
interest in the development and beau
tifCation of the National Capital.
Now that he !" going, it can be told
that he poured into the Federal build
ing program here not only his official
daytime attentl~n but his genuine per-
SOnal interest, his love Of art, archl-
lecture and beauty. and thousands Of
dollars Of money from his own for
tune
L was not a passing fancy with Mr..
Mellon, nor was It merely the discharge
OF necessary public duty to generally
direct the TreaSuryS part CT the Capt.
tai Development program. He was en-
thusiastic; he watched the old struc-
turCa come down and new ones go up,
he carefully studied the plans for new
buildings. gave them his critical at
tentiOn. Now that he is about to go
he has told friends that the incCm-
peted public building program is one
Of the things he most regrets leaving.
Leaves tnuuGiHS
As great as is his reputation as a
fpanCier and director Of the hscal
policies of the Nation under three
Presidents - Harding, Coolidge and
HOOver-Mr MellCn's interest and IN
1ucnce in the public building program
will leave enduring monuments IN the
National Capital corner stones bearing
his name. which in a materla! way Will
equal If not Outlive his reputation as
the greatest Secretary OF the treas
urv since Alexander Hamilton.
Not all of the development Of WASH
lnqton has been due to Mr.. Mellon
alone. Three Presidents have given
enthusiastic impetus. Congressional
support has been strong behind the
programs. and not all of the public
works in washington have been
executed by the Treasury Department.
For instance there are the ma]eSuc
Lincoln Memorial. Arlington Memorial
Bridge George Washington Memorial
Boulevard. the new Capitol plaza,
Supreme Court Building, new House
Office Building. enlargement OF the
Capitol grounds. expansion and de-.
yel0pmcnt of the great park system OF
washington and the new munlclpal
center. None Of these was under the
Treasury Department. but the treasury,
with Mr.. Mellon at its head, has mao
the respOna, ,bility for carrying out the
program of housing the Federal Gov
ernment in new homes, and in adequate
buildings not only here, but through
out the country. The work has been
done through the office of the Super
/ viSing Architect of the Treasury.
Although the general plan for de-
vclOpment of the Mall and the Federal
part OF the city had been outlined in
previous administrations. with specific
vigor during President RoOSevelt's ad-
miniStration. and through the Nc
MILAN plan carrying forward the orig
| inal scheme of L'Enfant and George
washington. the SO-Called Federal
| Triangle" plan was evolved under the
Mellon regime with cooperation from
many agencies and from Congress.
In this triangle, bounded by Pennsyl-
! vania avenue. Constitution avenue ano
| Sixth street is now arising a great
group of monumental public buildings
| which will eventually have the effect
! Of a unified architectural compost
( ton to use the language Of the Off
| Cial Treasury Board Of Architecture
! Consultants This board and the Fine
| Arts Commission have had large re-
! SDOnsibilitiCS in working out the major
| features and the general scheme to be
/ followed in architecture for Uncle
| Sans new homes.
When Secretary Mellon wanted tC
give new impetus to the public build
| ing program at a strategic time he die
not have to fuss and figure over Gov
ernnent appropriations. He dug into
| his own pocket for funds, and Wen'
! ahead.
Financed Entertainment.
For instance. one famous function il
| the early DAYS of the Hoover administra
! ton. out of which grew great enthusiasm
| for the public building program wa
arranged ard personally financed by MI
! Mellon. A motion picture tracing tn
! historical development and future pros
poets of Washington was made ant
! presented as a feature Of two brillian
| affairs held in the then new Chambe
| of Commerce Of the United State:
! President Hoover led a distinguish
group of speakers there on April Il
, 1929, and a second gathering was he'll
! the next night, with other speakers an
different group of invited guests bu
with the same motion picture and musl
by one of the service bands. Tremen
|
ment of the Capital was generated.
cost Secretary Mellon several thousan
dollars. This occasion was directed b
his special assistant, David Edward Fin
lev. an able adviser, upon whom Nj
Mellon has conferred increasingly re
sponSible duties.
Under Mr.. Mellon there have bee
able assistants to carry forward hi
plans for Washington, notably the las
three assistant Secretaries of the Treas
ury in charge of the public buildin
program: Charles S. Dewey, in offic
when ground was broken for the Fed
eral Triangle Carl T. Schuneman, an
the present incumbent, Ferry K. HEATH
The same man has been acting super
vising architect through All this perioe
James A. Wetmore.
In referring to the public buildin
program Mr. Mellon likes the languag
of President Coolidge and Presiden
Hoovtr. Coolidge said: IF OUR countr