Evening star., 1932-03-13
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Fifty years ago the question of re-
modelling the Capitol to make the CEN
trail portion con-
Capitol and form to the wings
New Library. was discussed N
connection with the
proposal to place the new Library OF
Congress Building east of the Capitol
grounds. The Star of March 6, 1882,
says:
1T seems that the only opposition to
the Congressional Library bill pending
in the Senate proceeds from the theory,
entertained in a few minds. that the
Capitol is at present nothing but lot
of architectural shreds and patches;
that in order to be improved and beau
titled it must be enlarged and If the
Library Is removed therefrom there
will not remain any reasonable pretext
for enlargement. In other words. the
valuable contents of the Library are to
be sacrificed-for it is nothing short
of that for them to remain in their
present condition some years more-in
an attempt to enlarge the Capitol. One
of the advocates of this scheme re-
marked that nothing is ever accom-
plished in Washington except by in
direction and therefore, he matn-
tained. in order to get the Capitol en-
larged to the grand and massive pro-
portions it should display, the pretext
that this additional room is needed for
the Library must be kept in view.
What the people want, both residents
and those who come here to make use
of it, is a Library to which they can
have access in the evening as well as
during the day. The people of the
whole country also want it to be of
character, the building as we'll as the
contents, to reflect credit upon the
literary attainmentS and taste Of the
Nation. Congress will hardly sacrifice
these ends of enlarging the Capitol by
'indirection,' especially as in a few
years the additional space given in that
building will be again inadequate to
the needs Of the rapidly increasing
Library. What is needed is q spacious
separate building, on a plan that will
allow of additions to it from time to
time as more room is required for the
growing Library. It would suit the
public to have this National library To-
Gated in some central position-in
Judiciary Square, for instance-but
Congress seems to prefer having it
nearer the Capitol. and the site Sc
lected on the Capitol Hill. though not
as accessible as Judiciary Square, could
be reached pretty readily by street
cars"
"The plan for the reclamation Of the
malarial flats in front of the city" says
TIE Star of March Z.
River Plan 1882, prepared with
and Lohhv such care by the board
anu AooD'' of leading Army engi-
neers. has been hailed by everybody in
terested in the prosperity of Washing
ton as a measure of relief that could
not meet with single dissenting voice,
and which by its merits would claim
prompt congressional Endorsement in
season for the commencement Of the
improvement this Spring There are
signs. however, that it Is to be actively
antagonized by the lobby ap6 all the
greedy crowd Of SPECTATORS and land
grabbers who are, ready TO kin any
measure that does not bring grtSs 20
their mill The trouble with the plan
recommended by the Engineer Com mis-
sion Is that there is no plumber tn> Il.
There is not penny in Il for the lobby,
and 1t effectively shuts our the eater
prising crowd of land SPECTATORS II
proposes to have the work done hon.
estly, economically and thoroaghsy aa-
der the direct supervision Of the SeeFe-
tary OF War, and every foot et the
ground proclaimed Will be the property
OF the United States. This explains the
fact why the plan meets the hostility
OF the Kidwell bottom land gEaeeegs,
the Mike Bannon party OF MARYLAND
spectators, the A. Watson style OF
tramp engineers, the star route phla~
derers and the miscellaneous crowd Of
LOBBY highwaymen who cry halt apea
every public measure that does neg pay
tribute to theU."