Evening star., 1943-04-20
Letters to the Editor
Memories Of Mr.. Corcoran Recalled
In Connection With His Gifts to City.

IvAcAH1UH sCO VI SUISOIAn 1NCCAAcQ
In Connection With His Gifts to City.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Within the past year the Government
has acquired title to the west half of the
square bounded on the north by H
street, on the east by Jackson place, on
the south by what is now known as Penn
sylvania avenue and on the west by
Seventeenth street NV. Located upon
the southwest corner Of this block is a
brownstone building which during many
recent years was the United States Court
Of Claims Building, It, however, was not
built for such purpose, but was gift
to the City Of Washington by the late
w. w. Corcoran as a gallery of art
known as the Corcoran Art Gallery and
is among the few remaining historic
relics Of the city. For this reason 1t
should not be demolished but restored
and preserved for posterity as one Of
the National Capitals priceless land
marks.
Mr.. Corcoran's home was located near
by at the northwest corner Of H street
and Connecticut avenue upon the site
where now stands the building OF the
United States Chamber Of Commerce.
This unfortunately was demolished when
the Chamber Of Commerce acquired the
site.
The writer as q child visited Mr.. Cor
coran with his aunt, Mrs. Sarah Hagner
(formerly Miss Smith, wife of the late
DR.. Daniel R. Hagner, q brother Of Gen.
and Judge Hagner. In the front hall
near the door then hung the full-length
oil painting Of Mr.. Corcoran, standing
upon the steps of his house. This por-
trait shortly after his death was hung,
where 1t now is. upon the west wall of
Criminal Court Room No. l in the Court
house. The records Of the court do not
seem to disclose how this portrait came
into its possession, and as Mr. Corcorap
was not lawyer the Courthouse is not
an altogether appropriate place for 1t.
AS all the Oldest inhabitants Of the
city know, Mr.. Corcoran, in addition to
his gift Of the Corcoran Art Gallery,
also gave to the city the Louise Home for
Ladies with It's beautiful and spacious
grounds facing Massachusetts, avenue be-
tween Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets
NV. F.s. KEY-sM1TH.
Return" to Constitutional System
For Electing Executives Suggested.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Your learned columnist, Samuel Graf
ton, who writes It'd Rather Be Right"
has graphically portrayed the untoward
public consequences which would result
from q premature announcement Of the
President that he would not be q candi-
date for fourth term.
However, he did not explain that the
reason for this situation arises from our
departure from the careful plan Of the
trainers Of the Constitution with respect
to the election Of President and Vice
President. Were We to return to that
constitutional plan none Of the dire
effects mentioned would or could occur.
Were We to follow the constitutional
plan Of allowing the electors chosen at
the November election to elect Q Presi-
dent and Vice President In fact instead
Of Is formality, and, we voters having
chosen our very best at such election
- members Of the electoral college. the
President would be named In December
and formally inducted into ONCE On Jan-
uary 20. 1945.
In this way, the period Of shift, II such
should occur, would be only = matter Of
days, and the electors chosen for this
duty simply would have discharged their
responsibility to the undoubted salts
faction Of their constituents.
Maybe, We had better follow the con-
stttutional plan next year and let the