Evening star., 1934-11-08
Member Of the Associated Press.
Municipal Center Plans.

IVA 'ohS'
The meeting arranged for tomor-
row between the Commissioners and
the representatives OF civic and
trade organiza tions may result in the
adoption Of q plan for the construc-
ton of the first unit Of the proposed
Municipal Center-s plan on which
there will be some general agree
ment and which can be proposed 10
Congress with the united support of
the community. 1t is not 10 be ex-
pected that one meeting would pro-
duce such a plan. But a start on
resching the necessary agreement
might be made tomorrow.
One of the difficulties faced at the
outset is the very number and variety
OF plans already proposed. These
range from Commissioner Aliens sug-
eestion that municipal engineers su-
perviSe construction of the first unit
instead of contracting for the con-
strucIion-snd that the unemployed
be utilized in the work. TO Commis-
sioner Hazen's suggestion that the Dis
trict sell TO the United States Two
squares OF land already purchased
facing on the Avenue. and use the
money in construction OF Municipal
Center on a sms Her scale than orig
inally planned. There are number
OF other suggestions. One originated
some time ago in the Park and Plan
ming Commissions proposal 10 scrap
the designs already prepared. cutting
the cost and building cheaper and less
imposing structures. Another pro-
posal. following generally the lines of
legislation introduced in 1880 by Sen
ator Capper, would have Congress
authorize a Treasury advance, 10 be
used as needed in constructing the
Municipal Center and TO be repaid
in annual installments of about q
million dollars a year at nominal
rate of interest. Two recent pro-
posals have been TO have Congress
authorize the Public Works Admin
istration TO lend the District the
necessary funds for the undertaking
or 10 have existing legislation amend
ed 10 permit the use of loans, already
authorized but not made, in the con-
srruction
There are two separate, but related,
questions involved. The first is the
total expense TO be involved in
building the Municipal Center, and
the second i. the financing of what
ever plan is adopted
II will be recalled that original plans
for the Municipal Center estimated
a total expenditure Of about $4,000
900, which would have been sufficient
to construct the sorely needed courts
building-twice authorized by Con-
eress. and once appropriated fOr-snd
an administration building. 1t will
also be recalled that had these plans
been adopted the buildings would be
well on then way TO completion, and
the financing would have been pos
sible out Of current revenues and sur
plus revenues which the District then
had. The revision of the plans by
Congress raised the total estimated
cost 10 more than $40 900 900. Much
OF the surplus revenues of the District
was spent in acquiring six instead
of two squares of land Money ap-
propria ted for the courts building has
been spent on something else, and
practically all surplus revenues have
been exhausted
The District has been left land
poor" with no new resources on
which 10 draw for constructing the
very urgently nee0ed building 10
house the activities of the lower
position by Congress. which did not
carry out its side of its own bargain.
The chief hope of obtaining an i'm
mediate start on the new courts
building is to convince Congress Of
the real demand that has been ex-
isting for years, and TO demonstrate
the existence of the United States
obligation in financing. The extent
OF the obltss tion that Congress will
recognize will doubtless determine the
scale of the new building to be con-
structed.