Evening star., 1955-04-24

proposals also were heard for
building a brand-new Capitol in
Washington, and preserving the
old building as a national shrine.
In 1852, Capitol Architect
David Lynn, who recently retired
and who for years championed
the extension project, submitted
a $25, 1000 item for its planning
to the Budget Bureau.
That same year. President
Truman also urged the compile
ton Of the original plans.
Mr.. Truman's interest was dis
closed In William Hillman's
book, "Mr. President" The book
quoted Mr.. Truman as accusing
The Star and "a little pinheaded
Congressman from Iowa" Of hav-
ing blocked the east-center ex-
tension project. The editor of
The Star wrote Mr.. Truman.
pointing out that The Star had
in fact supported the project.
In a return letter to The Star,
Mr.. Truman said he was sorry
for the error. His letter said he
was particularly concerned that
the dome as it now sits projects
about seven feet over the front
portico and appears to hang in
mid-air. He wrote:
"The old sandstone building
is in about the same Ak as the
White House was when we had
to remodel it. The dome now is
about a foot or two out of plumb
and one Of these days it will
probably come crashing down,
which will be a pity"
Mr.. Lynn told reporters the
dome wasn't really "out of
plumb" and there was no strong
likelihood of its toppling. The
dome. he explained, was made Of
iron, and rests on firm founda-
ton. The projecting section is
only a stone skirt, he noted,
constituting an architectural,
rather than a structural, defect.
Requests Turned Down
In 1858, and again last year, !
Mr.. Lynn sought money to plan
the extension project. AS usual,
nothing happened.
Earlier this month, Senator
Bridges. Republican. Of New
Hampshire. renewed his old idea
OF pressing for money to plan a
new Capitol, a move since in
dorsed by Chairman Chavez of
the Senate Public Works Com
mittee.
Last Friday, however, Speaker
Rayburn announced the House
Office Building Commission.
which he heads. has authorized
Capitol Architect j. George
Stewart to prepare a money re-
quest for the east front extern
sion to be submitted to the
Budget Bureau. The request is
expected to seek an amendment
to the appropriation bill for the
year starting July /.
The day before, the House ex-
pressed favor for the idea in a
resolution. The action granted
no legislative authority, but at
least was the first House in
dorsement in nearly a century
since the plan was proposed.
The House sentiment devel-
oped from an original investiga-
tion of complaints about the in
adequacy of restaurant facilities
in the Capitol. The complaints
were studied by a House sub
committee, and the lack of space
was blamed.
Over the years, numerous
plans for the extension have
been studied. ranging from ex-
tensions Of only about IL feet
to extensions even beyond the
House and Senate wings.
The plan expected to be
pushed this year, however-the
same basically as that approved
by the Senate in the 1930s-calls
for the central front of the
building to be moved out about
40 feet. That would put the new
front about is feet in back of
the two wing steps.
A chart of this plan prepared
last year suggested that the ex-
tension contain two large hear
ing rooms, AZ office rooms and
a corridor connecting the House
and Senate wings at the gallery
level.
Officials emphasized, how
ever. that the old space esti-
mates may be completely shaken
up in view of current needs and
should not be relied upon as a
blueprint for the present drive.