Evening star., 1934-06-29

ton of and addition to our White
House Office Building Is to be started.
Tne architects have planned few
new rooms built into the present
all too small one-story structure. We
are going to include in this addition
and in this renovation modern cleo
trio wiring and modern plumbing and
modern means Of keeping the Offices
cool in the hot Washington Summers.
But the structural lines of the old
Executive Office Building will re-
main. The artistic lines of the
White House buildings were the
creation Of master builders when our
Republic was young. The simplicity
and the strength of the structure re-
main in the face of every modern
test. But within this magnificent
pattern the necessities of modern
Government business require constant
reorganization and rebuilding.
Pokes Fun at Critics.
If were to listen to the arguments
of some prophets of calamity who are
talking these days 1 should hesitate
to make these alterations. 1 should
fear that while / am away for few
weeks the architects might build some
strange new Gothic tower or a fac
tory building, or perhaps a replica of
the Kremlin or of the Potsdam Pal
ace. But l have no such fears. The
architects and builders are men of
common sense and of artistic Ameri-
can tastes. They know that the prin-
ciples of harmony and of necessity
itself require that the building Of the
new structure shall blend with the
essential lines of the old. 1t is this
combination of the old and the new
that marks orderly. peaceful progress
not only in building buildings but
in building government itself.
Our new structure Is part OF and
a fulillment Of the old.
All that we do seeks to fulfill the
historic traditions of the American
people. Other nations may sacrifice
democracy for the transitory stimu-
lation of old and discredited autocra-
cies. We are restoring confidence and
well-being under the rule of the peo-
pie themselves. We remain, as John
Marshall said a century ago. "em-
phatically and truly a government of
the people" Our Government, "in
form and in substance - emanates
from them. It's powers are granted
by them. and are to be exercised di-
rectly on them, and for their bene-
fits"
Anticipates Good Trip.
Before / close / want to tell you Of
the interest and pleasure with which
1 look forward to the trip on which
l hope to start in a few days. 1t is
good thing for every one who can
possibly do so to get away at least
once a year for change of scene.
l do not want to get into the position
OF not being able to see the forest
because Of the thickness of the trees.
hope to visit our fellow Americans
in Puerto Rico, in the Virgin Islands,
in the Canal Zone and in Hawaii.
And incidentally it will give me an
opportunity to exchange a friendly
word Of greetings to the Presidents
OF our sister republics, Haiti and Co.
lombia and Panama
After four weeks on board ship
plan to land at port in our Pacific
Northwest. and then will come the
best part of the whole trip, for I am
hoping to inspect a number of our
new great national projects on the
Columbia, Missouri and Mississippi
Rivers, to see some of our national
parks and, incidentally, to learn much
of actual conditions during the trip
across the continent back to Wash
ington.
While 1 was in France during the
war our boys used to call the United
States Gods country" Let us make
1t and keep it Gods country"