Evening star., 1937-01-30
NEW ROW FO|STED
ON PAN AMERICAN
TangIe Over Location Of
Annex ReneWedEUnion
Remains Silent.
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

kNEAoO8N GvAs oAA6A HkSDs
The Pan-Arnerican Union appeared
today in the role Of innocent by
stander In the renewed controversy
over the proposed location Of its an
mex on q site that would obstruct the
view OF Secretary Ickes' new $l1 ,000,-
900 Interior Department Building
from Constitution avenue.
With Ickes threatening to seek
White House Intervention q second
time to keep the structure from i'm
pinging upon his imposing new edi-
fee, inquiries developed that the Pam
American Union had no part what
ever in precipitating this fresh row.
The initiative seems to have been
taken, without the knowledge Of the
union, by Chairman Frederic A. Del
ano Of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission and Chair
man Charles Moore Of the Fine Arts
Commission, original sponsor Of the
plan.
Pan-American officials, on the con-
trary, are quite apprehensive over the
new turn of affairs for the reason
there seems to be no compromise So
luton wholly satisfying to all con-
cerned. Now have they any desire at
this time, it was learned, to enter into
another dispute with Secretary Ickes,
and maybe the White House. involv-
ing international embarrassments.
Unison Fails.
There appeared today to have been
q lack of liaison work in connection
with the action of the Planning Com
mission to locate the Pan-American
annex on the Constitution avenue
triangle, bordering Eighteenth and
Nineteenth streets and Virginia ave-
nue.. Without knowledge Of this intend
ed action, Representative Fritz Lanham
OF Texas, chairman OF the House Com
mittee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, had reintroduced bill some
days ago offering another proposal.
This is the same bill he introduced
last year at the request of Ickes and
with the consent of the President. 1t
was the compromise suggestion OF
Delano, the Presidents uncle. who
now seems to have discarded 1t alto
gether.
Under this plan the Interior Sec
retary would be authorized to close
Eighteenth street from c street to
Virginia avenue. thus adding to the
existing ground of the Pan-American
Union. enough land to accommodate
the new structure in q location i'm
mediately adjacent to the old AN
mex" and the famous Aztec garden.
Lanham said today he had reintro-
duced the bill in expectation Of an
other request being made. He has
no plans for hearings and it was not
known today whether the administra-
tion would try to press for its passage.
Union Dissatisfied.
While the bill offers way out, 1t is
not satisfactory from the viewpoint
of the Pan-American Union. The
union had received authority from
Congress some years ago to build on
Constitution avenue. long before Ickes
invaded" the adjacent area. That
was the case made out for the Pan
American Union by the Fine Arts
chairman in opposing Ickes in the dis
pute last Spring.
The union had expended $4,000 to
tunnel under Virginia avenue to the
preliminary payments to Paul P. Cret
of Philadelphia, the designer of the
building. The Lanham bill would
provide $4,000 reimbursement to
the union for these and other neces-
sary expenditures involved in relocat-
ing the annex on the existing grounds
That reimbursement, 1t was suggested
today. isn't large enough.
There Is one objection to the COM
promise offered by the Lanham bill
With the congestion soon to be caused
by the opening Of the new Interior
Building, there is strong opposition
to closing Eighteenth street or chang
ing its course so as to provide addi-
tional ground for the union. More
than ever before, it was claimed. Is
there q need for uninterrupted flow
Of trafic along Virginia avenue and
Eighteenth street.
satisfaction Forecast.
The modified plan now proposed by
Delano throws the whole question
back to where it was year ago. un-
satisfactory to Ickes and also to Mr.
Roosevelt unless the President has had
. complete change of mind since then
It. was the President who first pro-