Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-30
By Hermon F. Schoden

For tne ufSC Time Slice Mis- JoiiIi
B. Henderson tried unsuccessfully
to give away her Fifteenth street
estate, there is a serious move afoot
to establish an official residence for
the Vice President.
Companion bills introduced in the
House yesterday by Representatives
Gearhart, Republican, of California,
and Gregory, Democrat, OF Ken
lucky, would put the No. 2 execu-
tive in Little White House rent
free.
Because of the bipartisan tenor
of the legislation, the sponsors hope
it can surmount pitfalls encount-
cred by numerous bills in the past
and be successfully steered through
the next session of Congress if not
the special session.
1t is noteworthy that Representa-
tive Gearhart. who thought up the
idea, expects to see Gov.> Warren of
California in the Vice Presidents
seat come next January.
Warren Would Face Salary Cut.
Supporters of the Little White
House" have pointed up the fact
that Gov. Warren will drop 5000 of
his $25 900 gubernatoriai salary if he
succeeds to the vice presidency.
They can't see how Gov. Warren,
not a wealthy man, can get along
on that figure and keep three teen
age daughters happy in Washington
society.
There is the possibility, of course,
that if the Dewey-Warren ticket
wins Gov. Dewey will be able to
elevate the vice presidents salary
to $4,000, as he has indicated he
would. .7t.~ f
Mr.. Gearhart emphasized that he
was thinking not only of Mr.. War
rem, but of vice presidents for years
to come That is why he, went to
Representative Gregory for Demo-
cratic support.
1t is no coincidence that Mr..
Gregory represents the home district
of Senator Barley, who would be
the vice president with a Demo-
cratic victory next fall
The bill would provide for a COM
mittee of two Senators and two
Representatives to acquire the site
and arrange the details. 1t WAS
careful to insist the committee must
consult with the Architect of the
Capitol, the Fine Arts Commission
and the Capitol Park and Planning
Commission to ascertain that the
architecture will conform to the
scheme of things.
$2,500,000 Top Cost.
Congress was asked to appro-
pirate not more than $2.500,000 for
the entire project,
The bill provides that the vice
president shall live in the Blair
House, official guest house for
White House visitors, until his new
residence and Office is completed.
Efforts to put up the Vice Presi-
dent in his own domicile are almost
as old as the Republic, and most OF
them have died quickly. One stock
objection has been that If the Vice
President gets home, there will
arise a similar clamoring for the
Secretary of State, the Chief JUS
tice and even the cabinet officers.
1t has been nearly 20 years since
Mrs. Henderson, widow of Senator
John B. Henderson, famous Civil
War general and statesman, created
a mild Juror by offering her pala-
tial home at 2437 Fifteenth street
NV. as a vice presidential man.
sion.
Located only several blocks from
her even more famous Henderson
Castle, the mansion was completed
shortly before Mrs. Henderson died
July 16, 1881, at the age of 80.
Home Cost 100000.
Completed in 1929, the home cost
$500 900, had 80 rooms and 10 baths.
In offering her home, Mrs. Hender-
son sent letter to the House Com
mittee on Public Buildings and
Grounds.
"Ex-President Coolidge in his au-
photography calls attention to the
need of permanent home for the
Vice President, and approves its es-
adjustment" she wrote.
At that time Representative Glib
son of Vermont introduced a bill to
accept the home. to appropriate
$50, 900 for furnishing the home and
to provide $4,000 year for main
tenance. But Congress never acted.
The reason was the storm gen.
Grated by Mrs. Henderson's grand
daughter, Mrs. Beatrice Henderson
Wholean, who went to the District
Supreme Court in April, 1881. to
block the transfer of property on
the grounds that the aged matron
was incapable of managing her
estate.