Evening star., 1932-04-29
ARCHITECTS FEAR
CAPITAL NEGLECT
IN ECONOMY ERA
Ask Congress to Provide
Adequate Funds for
Projects Here.
MAP Definite PROGRAM
FOR D. c. DEVELOPMENT
Oppose Bill to Exclude Prominent
Experts From Taking Part in
Beautifcation Plans.

Adequate appropriations for the de-
velopment and maintenance Of The
National Capital and the adoption of
q definite schedule of progressive steps
to carry major items of the program
to completion, were urged on Congress
and the administration today by a
joint conference Of IL national organi-
zations, held in connection with the
convention here of the American In
stitute Of Architects.
These recommendations were con-
tanned in a group of nine resolutions
adopted by spokesmen for the pro-
feSsional and civic organizations, in
which they proclaimed their united de-
sire that the National Capital be made
"a worthy and living memorial to the
ideals, vision and glory of its founder. y
Join in Conference.
Participating in the conference ac-
tions were officials of the American City
Planning Institute, American Fedora
ton of Arts, city-plapning division OF
the American Society of Civil Engineers
Association of Alumni of the American
Academy in Rome, the Mural Painters
National Sculpture Society, American
Civic Association, American Institute OF
Architects, American Society of Land
scape Architects, the Garden Club OF
America and the National Conference
on City Planning.
Declaring that the National Capital
should express in its physical planning
and development the highest ideals and
accomplishments of American art, the
conference body held that such ideals
can be realized only with the collabora-
tion OF the ablest professional advisers
in the various arts and 1--WE urge that
their services may be made available by
definite legislative authority"
This was in reference to bills now
pending In Congress which would limit
the designing and planning of Federal
projects to civil service personnel.
Urge Hearing Of Experts.
I'VE believe that the pride of the
American people in their Federal City
warrants ample appropriations for its
adequate development and maintenance,
and when retrenchments may be ex-
pedient, we urge that the cost limits
be established without limitations af-
fecting the procedure or the high
quality of whatever project is under
taken" the joint statement continued
The conference recommended that a
definite program be set up for compile
ton of such major projects here as
the Mall, the Washington Monument
Grounds, the George Washington Me-
mortal Parkway, the Arboretum and the
Fort drive.
1t was urged that this be done 'be-
fore property 6evelopement and conse-
quent appreciation in value makes cost
prohibitiye." The conference pointed
out that while it is the duty of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission to indicate what should be
done, and the relative importance Of
various projects, Congress alone must
decide what appropriations shall be
made to carry out the plans.
With the object of giving a more
definite official status to the plans for
the development Of Washington drawn
by the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, the conference
recommended that the supervisory and
co-ordinating authority of this COM
mission be clearly defined and estab-
nshed.
This was placed on the basis Of the
responsibility placed by Congress upon
the commission to prepare, develop
and maintain a comprehensive, con-
sistent, and co-ordinated plan for the
National Capital and its environs"
want ADkcSt hclp.
Further, the conference recommend
ed that in the public buildings of the
Capital, the collaboration OF the ablest
architects, sculptors and mural paint
ers be provided for definitely, under
proper authorization and with adequate
appropriations.
Also it was urged that the employ
nent Of landscape architects Of these
outstanding reputation be authorized to
be called into service in connection with
the designing of parks and development
of street paintings; and that in prob
lens involving engineering, public utili-
ties and construction, the collaboration
of outstanding engineering authoritie:
be obtained.
These proposals were made 'in ordel
that in design, execution and mainte-
nance such work in the National Capt.
tai may not only equal The highest type
of similar work in other cities and II
private practice, but may set standard:
for the country at large"
Representatives of the IL groups
agreed to a proposal that committees
of the various organizations Of the Ma
tional Capital be constituted as {
central civic and professional commit
tee to make effective, as occasion re-
quires, the full force Of organized pro-
fessional opinion"
Horace w Peaslee Of this city, sec
ond vice president Of the Institute o.
Architects, presided over the session.
Capital Man Honored.
DR.. Leicester Bodine Holland Of thi
city was included in list OF 20 fel'
lows to the American Institute of Ar
chitects whose elections were announced
at the convention session last night.
DR.. Holland is chief of the division
of fine arts of the Library Of Congress:
and during the last year served as chair
man of the institute Committee or
Preservation of Historic Buildings.
The others elected fellows of the in
stitute are:
William G. Kaelber, Rochester, N. Y.
James M White, University Of Illinois
Urbana: Frank A. Carpenter, Rockford
Ill; Melville Clark Chatten, Chicago
Herbert Edmund Hewitt Peorio, Ill.
Reinhardt Dempwolf, York, Pa; Henr!
Closson Hibbs, Nashville, Tenn; Charlie
r. Ingham, Pittsburgh, Pa. Dwigh
James Baum, New York; Richmond
Harold Shreve, New York; william
Harmon Beers, New York; G.. Howard
Chamberlin, YonkerS, n Y; Andrew J
Thomas, New York; Ralph Thomas
WALKER New York; Sumner p. Hunt
Los Angeles; Richardson Brognard Okie
Philadelphia; Arthur Peabody, Madison
Wis; William Wallace Tyrie, Mime
apolis, MINI, and Willard c. Northup
WINSTON Salem, n. c.
Devoted to Education.
Last nights session was devoted Il
architectural education, Charles Butlel
of New York presiding. Fiske Kimbal
of Philadelphia spoke on Mechanism
and the Spirit"
The visiting architects yesterday aft
ernoon made tour of inspection Of tht
new Federal buildings in Washington
the Pan-American Union Building anc
various exhibitions.