Evening star., 1944-02-19

vi AIllCIIIoII VuIIuuc
Federal a.; Civic Groups,
Studying Districts Future,
Discuss Ideas at Banquet
President Roosevelt feels that
postwar Washington should be
developed along lines that will
bring it recognition as "the high
est expression of our culture"
A letter from the President ex-
pressing this thought sounded the
keynote last night, as leaders of
Federal groups and other organiza-
tions concerned with civic develop
ment gathered at banquet in the
Mayf1ower Hotel to discuss specific
plans for the future OF the Nations
Capital.
Speakers at the dinner meeting
included Maj. Gen. Philip Fleming,
head of the Federal Works Agency;
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant, III, chair
man of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission; Maj. Gill
more Clarke. chairman of the Fine
Arts Commission, and Charles D.
Maginnis of Boston, past president
Of the American Institute of Archi-
tects. Host group was the Joint
Committee on the National Capital
composed of representatives of 10
national organizations.
Presidents Letter Read.
Read by C. C. Zantzinger of Phila-
delphia, chairman of the Joint Com
mittee, the Presidents letter said:
This Federal city of ours belongs
to all OF us and merits our best
united efforts in order that it may
be recognized as an outstanding ex-
ample of what a national capital
should be-the highest expression Of
our culture"
The speakers praised steps that
are being taken to prepare detailed
plans for definite projects, so that
development of Washington in ac-
cordance with master plans may be-
gin as soon as war conditions per-
nit
Demolition of the Munitions and
Navy Buildings was listed by Gen.
Fleming as one of the first objec-
tives of the postwar redevelopment
program.
THE FWA is strongly committed
to the principle that as soon as war
conditions permit all temporary Fed
eral structures on the Mall ought
to be torn down and removed as
fast as possible" he told the group.
Clarke Supports Fleming.
Corresponding views we're express
ed by Maj. Clarke, who said:
I'm the postwar period, we look
forward to the demolition of all
temporary buildings erected for this
war, as we'll as the so-called tempo
rary structures erected along Con-
stitution Avenue during the early
days of the last conflict"
Removal of the Navy quarters on
the Mall will require that a new
Navy building be constructed. Be-
cause the department has greatly
expanded and is expected to remain
sizeable after the war, this building
viii have to be much larger than
planed in sketches now on file, Gen.
Fleming said.
The FWA dtIectgr Also, expressed
the opinion that plans for struc-
ture to house the General Account
ing Oflce will have to be revised
to provide for a larger building.
No Excess Space.
There will be no excess space in
Federal buildings here in the post
war period. Gen. Fleming predicted,
pointing out that even before the
war, the Government was renting
nearly three million square feet OF
space in Washington.
The Pentagon will be entirely
needed" by the War Department,
in view of the proposed demolition
of the Munitions Building, he fore
cast
Gen. Fleming outlined postwar
plans for construction in the Dis
trict area. The highway program,
including transformation of K
street into crosstown highway,
S7,0O0000 bridge across the Po-
tomac, a s4,5O0,o00 bridge across the
Anacostia River into Southwest
Washington, and an underpass
under Dupont Circle, calls for con-
struction expenditures of approx
mately $31 100000, he pointed out.
Senator Radcliffe, Democrat, of
Maryland, expressed hope that
highway approaches to the District
through Maryland and Virginia will
receive the attention they ought to
have" in the postwar planning.
Legislative Setup Criticised.
Senator Radcliffe criticized the
legislative machinery provided for
District residents.
Il think you are laboring under
an antiquated, cumbersome and
quite inadequate legislative setup
here, which makes it difficult for
you to function as you ought to
do" he told the planning groups.
Support of residents of nearby
Virginia for Washingtons postwar
development program was voiced
by C. B. Garnett, chairman of the
Arlington County Planning Com
mission.
Gen. Grant. who served as toast
(see POSTWAR D. C., Page B-3D