Evening star., 1933-08-19
LOCAL ARCHITECTS
PRAISE POLICY ON
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
hisher Standards Seen as
RestM of Opportunity Given
Private Bidding.
POLITICAL INFLUENCE
HERE NOT so GREAT
Members of Profession Discuss
Extent of Effects as to Plans,
Competency and Achievement.
BY VINCENT TUTCHING.

The extent to which the recent de-
cision of the Treasury Department
granting private architects an oppor-
tunity to qualify for Government work
will affect Washington persons in the
profession became the subject Of de-
bate in architectural circles here this
week
While competency will be primary
requisite, 1t was pointed out that po-
ltical influence will be material fac
tor in the selection of architects for
District, it is not expected that such
influence will be brought to bear in as
widespread fashion as in the States.
The public buildings program here,
in which the Treasury Department
utilized the services of private as well
as Federal architects is closed in SO far
as the drafting Of plans is concerned,
it was said at the Office Of the super
vising architect of the Treasury. No
projects are at present contemplated
here which will require the services OF
architects.
4S Projects Authorized.
The full effect of the decision of
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
L. W. Robert, jr., will depend on the
amount of public building authorized
uuQeT GIlc ETcSiucutS PupliC puiloAA6
program. To date 43 projects have
been authorized. and 20 of these were
approved only Thursday.
Commissions to prepare plans for
these building projects will be allo-
Gated by the Secretary OF the Treasury,
and will 60 to an architect in the COM
munity of the project if competent
one is to be found there. The recon-
mendations Of the American Institute
of Architects. supplemented by posi-
BILE recommendations from Senator
or Representative from the State, will
be the basis for the commissions, 1t
was explained
The effect Of the order on employees
of the supervising architects office
also was in doubt. since the Treasury
Department has not made known to
what extent that Office will oversee
the work of the private architects, or
whether any public buildings work will
be allocated to it.
The Treasury's action in letting
down the bars against the private archi-
tects constitutes victory Tor the
American Institute Of Architects, which
has led q battle for complete recog-
milton of the architectural and engi-
neering professions by the Government.
At the suggestion of the Institutes
Committee on Public Works, pre-
qualification form with an explanatory
letter is being sent to every registered
architect in the 80 States having reg
istration laws, and to all listed archi-
tects in the remaining Is States.
The Disqualification forms. as exc
cuted and returned, will give the Treas
ury Department valuable information
concerning every architect who consid-
ers his ONCE competent to do Govern
ment work.
As projects come up the prequalln-
cation forms Of architects IN the State
or city concerned will be examined.
With this data, and with such infor-
nation as may be obtained by direct
inquiry, the department will make It's
own selections. In no case will there
be any preferred list or individual des-
ignations offered by the American In
stitute of Architects or any of its rep
resentatives.
practically, it would have been q
comparatively simple task for the Com
mittee ON Public Works Of the insti-
tute to submit to the department Sc
lected lists of architects in all sections
of the country" says a statement by
Louis La Beaume of st. Louis, chair
man of the institutes Committee on
Public Works. But consideration OF
all of the factors involved caused the
committee to advocate to the depart
ment the adoption Of quite a different
procedure.
Object Of Organization.
"The American Institute of Archi-
tects was organized to promote the
esthetic. scientific and practical EN-
cheney of the architectural profession,
and to make it Of ever-inreaslng use
fulness to society, and not primarily
to get Jobs for its members.
For many years the institute has
been working to bring about the Fed
eral recognition of private archltects
and their employment to design FEEDER
al buildings 1t has been making this
effort because it believes that the en-
ployment of the private architect Tor
public work will be to the ultimate ad-
vantage of the public, and result in the
betternent of the architectural pro-
fession as a whole Mr.. Roberts de-
cision to appoint private architects and
engineers for the balance Of the Fed
eral building program coming unoer
his department Is one which renects
his professional training and his lib
eral point of view. We sincerely be-
lieve that it will meet with the hearty
approval of the American people.
The new attitude of the Treasury
Department, the spokesmen Of organ
lied architecture points out, encourages
the development of higher standards
of public architecture in the United
States.