Evening star., 1933-10-08
lCKES MAY BLOCK
COURT BUILDINGS
EARLY ERECTION
Interior Secretary Declares
Project Must Be Studied
in National Program.
FINE ARTS COMMISSION
INDORSES FUND REQUEST
Approval Follows Visit to Present
Structure at Invitation of
Judge Gus A. Schuldt.

building to initiate the Municipal Cen
ter development here rose yesterday
with the Endorsement by the Fine Arts
Commission Of the action of the Dis
trict Commissioners in asking Tor M
mediate public works funds. 1t became
known last night that Secretary OF the
Interior Ickes, who holds the purse
strings, offers little prospect for their
early realization.
Writing to Wilbur La Roe. jr.. chair
man Of the Civic Committee OF the
Washington Federation of Churches,
Secretary Ickes. who is also the public
works administrator. conceded the
need for these buildings and their de-
STABILITY" but pointed out that this
must be studied in conjunction with
Nationwide program. This, he SAID,
i. SO extensive that he is mot persuaded
that at this stage of the public works
program We could allocate the money
desired"
Mr. Ickes wrote in response to the
recent action of the Church Federatlon'S
Civic Committee advocating new Police
Court facilities The committee called
the Secretarys attention to the most
inadequate" facilities, contendng this
situation is "hampeTing the administra-
tion of justice in the District of Co
1umbia.' Accordingly, it sought to de-
termine the Secretary's stand.
Back Immediate Building.
The Fine Arts Commission mean
while heartily Endorsed" the desire Of
the District Commissioners for immedi-
ate construction of a new Courts Build
ing on the east side of John Marshall
place at Pennsylvania avenue as the
first unit of the Municipal Center. This
action followed the Commissioners re-
quest for S4,900,000 from the Public
Works Administration to carry out the
mandate of Congress. The heads of the
municipality set forth 10 reasons why
the Public Works Administration should
authorize the funds without delay.
The Fine Arts Commission indorsed
the Commissioners plan after its mem-
bers had personally visited the Police
Court Building at Sixth and D streets
at the request of Presiding Judge Gus
A. Schuldt. They saw that conditions
there were most unsatisfactory for con-
Guctlng the police and other courts in
the building and realized that the erec-
ton of the new Courts Building is most
urgently needed" H. R. Cammerer. the
commissions executive secretary, said
later.
The commission. previously had ap-
proved the design for the Municipal
Center group. which will grace the
north side Of Pennsylvania avenue ad-
jacent to John Marshall place. These
structures will conform in design to the
Federal buildings in the Triangle, on
the south side of Pennsylvania avenue.
proposed plan for development of
The Mall. which has received the ap-
proval of the National Capital Park and
planning Commission. was laid before
the commission by Arno B. Cammerer.
director of National Parks. Buildings
land Reservations. and the Fine Arts
Commission, which has long studied
fhis subject. indorsed the program. The
Public Works Administration has allo-
Gated S600000 for this work, enabling
the Federal Government to carry out a
large part of The Mall scheme. for
the area lying between the Capitol and
the Washington Monument. Actual con-
Struction IS expected to get under way
soon.
The Fine Arts Commission also in
dorsed in general the NAVY Department
program for the projected Naval Test
Gng Basin, to be located in Maryland
Ion Conduit road near the Potomac
fRiver, not far from Cabin John Bridge.
or In the Fort Mver. Va. area. This
will replace the testing basin in use
e7t the Washington Navy Yard which
has been considered by naval authori-
ties AS out of date. The Public Works
administration is being asked to ad-
Nance funds for this project which has
q bearing on the Nations national
defense. as we'll as its merchant marine.
as ship models are put through their
PAGES there The Navy submitted
model Of the new basin.
Commission sanction was given. with
a minor change to a design for new
entrance to the U. S. Army Engineer
post at Fort Humphreys. Va. submitted
by Col. Edward H. Schulz. the COM
mandant Recently. an inspection was
made of the grounds by Maj. Gilmore
D. Clarke. landscape architect member
of the Commission, who advised con-
cerning a general landscape program
for Fort Humphreys.
New Site May Be Needed.
A site other than that tentatively
chosen at Massachusetts, and Nebraska
avenues for the location of the Gen.
Artemas Ward statue may have to be
picked, according to the commission.
Because of delay in carrying out plan
prepared by the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission for a circle
at the junction of the two avenues.
near American University. erection OF
fhe statue has been delayed To AVOID
further delay the memorial to the
Revolutionary War hero. sponsored by
Harvard men. may be located else
where. The commission has the matter
under consideration and no final de-
cision has been reached.
Landscape plans for the new Public
Health Service Building, at Twentieth
street and Constitution avenue, which
were brought forward by the Treasury
Department, are being studied further
by the commission. The commission
inspected the new American Institute
of Pharmacy. at Twenty-third street
and Constitution avenue, which is now
ready for occupancy and expressed it
self as highly pleased" with the struc-
ture, designed by the New York arcnl-
tect. John Russell Pope.
The Interior Department submitted a
plan for the proposed internes' resi-
dence, to be built at Sixth and College
streets, as part of the Freedman's Hos
pital group. This the commission ap-
proved, with few suggestions in mat