Evening star., 1933-02-03
CITIZENS REOPEN
,CUPOLA DISPUTE
Burroughs Group Denounces
Shift in School Plans
as Dangerous"

The long controverted cupola ques-
ton cropped up once more in the Bur
roughS Citizens Association last night
with issuance of statement warning
that "a dangerous precedent" might be
set if the District subcommittee OF the
House Appropriations Committee con-
tinues to support the District Engineer
Commissioner in "his disregard OF the
. law pertaining to his outies IN rela-
ton to public building plans.
"And Congress might just as we'll
abolish the Fine Arts Commission" the
statement continued, thereby saving
from waste the funds which are appro-
priated for it's use and preventing the
loss by the distinguished persons max
ing up that commission OF their time
and efforts to make this, the greatest
Capital of the greatest Nation In the
world, worthy of its name from an
architectural standpoint
The statement was issued, according
to its preamble, lin order to correct
any misunderstanding in the public
mind as to the real issues involved" in
the cupola controversy, about which 1t
''noted with regret the appearance in
the public press of misleading informa-
ton" concerning the associations ef-
forts to have cupola erected on the
Taft Junior High School.
Funds Are Adequate.
The association emphasized 1t was
not now asking Congress to appropri-
ate one penny for this cupo,a," pointing
out that the 1882 and 1888 appropria-
ton bills carried funds necessary for
construction of the school, including the
cupola Appearance of members before
the subcommittee last month, it was ex-
planned. was at the suggestion OF the
subcommittee and for the purpose Of
making clear the associations attitude
toward public building construction and
cupolas.
Our fight" the statement asserted,
"haS been solely for the purpose of hav-
ing this school (Taft Junior High
SCHOOL, built in accordance with the
design originally drawn and intended
for it."
An explanation of the economies ef-
fected by the Commissioners and by
congressional order then was detailed,
the statement continuing:
I'm the light of these enormous saw
tngS thus mentioned, we feel that no
one can justly condemn us for trying to
have this school built in accordance
with the design originally intended for
it and in accordance with which it IS
now being constructed, minus the most
essential part Of its design, the cupola,
the cost of which will amount to about
\,$5,oO0.
1s Charge Violation.
" "By eliminating the cupola from this
school the Commissioners have, in our
opinion. violated a law and executive
orders intended to prohibit the mutila-
Hon of the design of public buildings in
the District by engineers and others
no have no training, and perhaps no
interest, in architecture. BY this law
a,7d these executive orders the Commis-
sion CT Fine Arts has final say as to
the design of public buildings, and in
some cases of private buildings, to be
constructed in the District. The duty
of the Commissioners in this respect IS
to draw the plans in the first instance
and submit such plans to the Fine Arts
Commission, but once that body has
approved them, they cannot by law be
mutilated by anybody. not even the
Commissioners. In this case the Com
-missioners had deliberately f1outed the
Fine Arts Commission by eliminating
the cupola from the design, but thanks
ito a favorable reconsideration of the
matter by our two civilian Commission
ers the way was paved for the restora-
, ton of the cupola to the design of the
school. And for that action we are
deeply grateful to DR.. Reichelderfer and
Gen. Crosby.
SHOULD the support which the sub
committee on the District of Columbia
Of the House Appropriations Committee
has given the Engineer Commissioner of
the District in his disregard of the law
and executive orders pertaining to his
duties in relation to plans of public
buildings in the District be continued,
most dangerous precedent will be
made whereby the architectural beauty
of all buildings-Federal District and
private-in this city will be left to the
unframed and sometimes disinterested
laymen and Army engineers who may
for the moment hold executive Offices
having charge of such buildings"
The association also went on record
las vigorously opposed" to any Govern
ment airport purchase plan which con-
tCmplated the District bearing the en-
I tire cost, with no Federal contribution.