Evening star., 1948-02-01
Krug's S Effort TO Halt
Pan American Annex
Declared Too Late
By Nelson M. Shepard

Chairman Gilmore D. Clarke de.
clared yesterday the Fine Arts Com
mission knew exactly what 1t was
doing" when it approved the man.
ner in which the new Pan Ameri-
can Annex Building would protrude
beyond other structures on Consti-
tuition avenue.
Informed that Secretary of the
Interior Krug had written him ask.
ing that he join in helping him tt
get Congress to halt construction
work on the building and protect
the avenue from "defacement," the
Fine Arts official replied:
mfr. Krug is just a bit too late.
DR.. William Manger, assistant di-
rector of the Pan American Union
said that regardless of the issue
Mr.. Krug has raised and his threat
to go to Congress about it, the con-
struction work, already delayed
since Congress first authorized il
10 years ago, would now go on un-
interrupted
Dissatisfaction Regretted.
"It is regrettable there still are
some persons who are not satisfied
with the location" DR.. Manger com.
mented. "We will proceed, of course
in accordance with the facilities
made possible by Congress and in
harmony with the two Federal
agencies which are authorized tc
pass on such Matters
Both DR.. Manger and Mr.. Clarke
said the Fine Arts Commission and
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission were fully
cognizant" of the facts about which
Mr.. Krug complained
The Fine Arts chairman, in 9
telephone conversation from New
York. said he had not received
the Secretary's letter but explained
that the contract had been let for
the building, work was in progress
and that it was "too late to do any
thing now"
He explained the commission had
acted deliberately" in approving
the design and location Off the An
'unanimiously." f'F
"It is gem of building, de-
signed by associates of the late Paul
Cret, architect of the Pan American
Union Building" the Fine Arts
chairman said:
Reference to Other Buildings.
The Interior Department had
stated previously that the new
building would extend 106 feet be-
tyond the established building line
on the avenue west of the Par
American Union at Seventeenth
Street. Direct reference was made
to the former Public Health Ser
vice Building and the Federal Re-
serve Building These are supposed
to be set back 214 feet from the
curb, it was claimed.
Mr.. Clarke explained, however
there was no "arbitarary" building
line along the northern side Of
Constitution avenue. The entire
matter, it is known, was gone into
very carefully and the building
plans revised to fit more handily into
the triangular site in front of the
Interior Department.
A casual inspection yesterday oi
the excavation on the triangle indi-
Gated the correctness of Mr.. Clarke
contention. There appears to be nc
rigid building line in the vicinity
Contrary to the belief of Mr.. Krug
the Federal Reserve Building ex-
tends some 80 or 40 feet beyond the
adjacent building now housing the
Atomic Commission.
The Pan American Union has
not the slightest intention, it was
made known. of moving the long
established directors residence on
the Union grounds to make room
for the annex. That was proposed
by former Interior Secretary Har-
old L. Ickes and now is suggested
by aides of Secretary Krug.
Ickes' Summary of Problem.
Apparently Mr.. Krug got the idea
VI GklC oo-Cd1lCo
line on Constitution from his pred
ecessor whose fight halted construc-
tion Of the annex IL years ago. In
February. 1886, Mr.. Ickes summar-
lied the problem in this fashion:
"The proposed administration
building for the Pan American
Union would practically ruin the
view of our new S10,ooo,00o De-
partment of the Interior Building
AS designed by the Unions ar
chitect, the roof of the annex would
reach the main cornice of our
structure. Also, the Union build
ing is intended to be placed of
axis with ours, as we'll as out of
line with existing edifices along
Falls Church St