Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-04
East Front Views

articles dealing with the ex-
tension of the Capitol's east
front.
AS an associate architect en-
trusted with this work. we
have been deeply concerned
by the unwillingness Of the
press. prior to your series. to
ferret out the facts in con-
nection with this important
work. The lack of journal
istic integrity involved has
been very distressing.
While we have no quarrel
with those who may differ
with the proposed work, If
such difference is based on a
review Of the facts involved.
we believe that until now the
public and the architectural
profession have not been in
q position to fairly evaluate
the problem at hand.
Your George Beveridge has
done an outstanding job in
this connection. and we be-
lieve that he and your news
paper are due some accolade
for your courageous under
taking Of a journalistic re-
sponsibility.
Albert Homer Swanke.
$50
Your articles on the re-
building Of the east front Of
the Capitol ! followed with
great care. I did not find my
self convinced by them as to
the wisdom Of the proposed
rebuilding. The reasons why
/ would like to explain in
this letter.
II is most unfortunate that
the questions Of repair Of the
east front and the enlarge
ment Of the Capitol have
been treated as though they
were necessarily connected.
To join them together in one
package I conceive to be q
mistake. The maintenance
and repair Of the east front
Is a continuing obligation Of
Congress through its agent,
the Architect Of the Capitol.
It should go on year in and
year out as the years 60 by.
The question as to whether
the repairs should go to the
extent Of rebuilding is one on
which competent authorities
disagree. Let the views Of
those competent authorities
be analysed and checked
against experience in keep
ing other historic buildings
In repair.
For instance, the process Of
keeping st. Paul,s Cathedral
and the Houses Of Parliament
are Of a comparable nature
with the problem Of the Capt.
toll. I have. myself. seen the
ruin which results from lack
Of maintenance, In the sad
state Of the Bodleian Library
at Oxford. Let us not permit
such deterioration to take
place.
Using the repairs as a We
hicle for achieving expanded
space in the Capitol Is par
ticularly unfortunate. Very
much needs to be done with
regard to the Capitol space
and what needs to be done is
not best accomplished by in
creasing the available space
at the east end by an enor-
nous expenditure per square
foot.
Some Of the needs can be
met without additional space.
For instance, with the new
Senate and House once
Buildings there is no longer
any excuse for keeping the
ofhces Of standing commit
tees in the Capitol. They
should be located In these
new buildings and thus re-
lease much needed and valu-
able area in the Capitol. One
Of the great needs there is
for quarters for the Joint
committees Of the House and
Senate. We now meet some
times In quarters such as the
old Supreme Court room.
sometimes In committee
rooms In the House, some
times in committee rooms in
the Senate. Quarters should
be provided in the Capitol
itself with directly connected
call bells from the floors Of
each house 10 inform mem
bers as TO quorums and roll
call votes.
There are other rooms that
could be given UP to permit
q more useful arrangement.
For instance, the disbursine
oifices Of the Senate and
House should be In their
respective ONCE buildings.
within easier reach Of the
employees.
One argument for increas-
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