Evening star., 1936-02-16
Interior
Continued From First Page.)

Of similar ground to the West for the
projected War Department Building,
. this has signified what some of the
city planners regard as a complete
change in the character of the entire
neishborhood, and was opposed by Mr..
Moore and others whose views he rep
resented.
Two Commissions Verdict.
The attitude of the objectors was
supported January 81 by a unani-
NOUS verdict reached by the Fine
Arts Commission and the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion in joint meeting assembled. The
. judgment of the two bodies, acting
together, was that the new Pan-Amer-
lean Union annex should be placed
, In the triangular plot bounded by
Constitution avenue, Nineteenth street
and Virginia avenue. to which it had
been assigned by Congress and to con-
meet with which the union has con-
structed tunnel costing $4,000.
But MIR. Roosevelt is reported
on good authority to have declined to
accept the findings of the city PLAN
ners. He and Secretary of Interior
1ckes argue that erection of the annex
between Constitution avenue and the
south elevation of the Interior Build.
ing would create an architectural
anachronism" which would be the
horror and the jest of unborn gene.
p rations of people with taste enough
TO recognize the contradiction. The
President personally inspected the site
Immediately after the announcement
OF the commissions refusal to recon-
mend another location for the Pam
American addition. He then let it be
understood that he was not satisfied
and promised further fight.
The opposition. however, also is un-
willing to surrender its position in
the matter. Hence the disagree
l1ent which has put a stop to further
procedure for the time being.
Mr.. Ickes has summarized the prob
lem in this fashion: ''The proposed
Administration Building for the Pam
American Union would practically
ruin the view Of our new $4,000. 900
Department of Interior Building. AS
designed by the unions architect, the
roof OF their annex would reach the
main cornice of our structure. Also
the union building is intended to be
placed of axis with ours as well as
out Of line with existing edifices along
Constitution avenue. The effect, we
believe, would be one of architectural
anarchy"
Authority Of Congress.
Mr.. Moore answers: Our attitude
IL that the original conception of the
northwest rectangle ought to be pre-
served. We rec-et that Mr.. Ickes did
not build further north, but now that
he has invaded the Constitution ave-
nue. region we do not feel that the
intrusion should be permitted to af-
fect the Pan-American Union plan.
AL the union proposes to do Is what
Congress authorized"
Mr.. Roosevelt meanwhile has
sketched q substitute proposition of
his own. Insisting that one impor.
tant building should not be impinged
upon another arbitrarily, he argues
that the Pan-America annex could
be located within the grounds already
owned by the union. The land
bounded by Constitution avenue,
Eighteenth street, c street and Nine
teenth street then might be laid out
Is a garden memorial to the great
Hberators of the Western Hemi-
sphere-heroic leaders like Simon
Bolivar. Jose de San Martin, Antonio
Jose de Sucre, Bernardo O'Higgins,
Miguel Hidalgo, etc.
To dramatize this alternative con-
ception, the President gave to Mr..
Ickes rough pencil drawing, showing
In outline central monument of the
type of the District War Memorial
surrounded by four statuary groups,
I lawns and beds of flowers. This draw
ing inspired a plan which the Secre-
tary Of the Interior offered for the
consideration Of the Fine Arts Com
missions members. It was rejected
because it obstructed Virginia avenue,
: an artery Of traffic which the COM
mission believes should be kept clear.
Still another proposal was that of
Mr.. Delano, who tentatively supported
q suggestion intended to compromise
! the differences. Eighteenth and Nine
J teenth streets, he thought, might be
! closed to allow additional grounds to
{ the Pan-American Union on the west
. Of its present holdings. II this we're
sgreed upon, the annex could be erect
] ed In convenient proximity to the
. unions main building and without
!. interference with any other structure.
Also, Virginia avenue could remain
open. The city would gain an addi-
tional garden spot. and Mr.. Roose-
velt's tributes to the liberators like
wise could be accommodated-ifd de-
sired.
But Mr.. Delano's effort failed Of ac-