Evening Star Newspaper, September 2, 1929, Page 17

HEAD OF FEDERAL WORKERS EXPECTS -~ PERIODIC RAISES Welch Act Called First Step for Parity With Other Civilian Employes. STEWARD MAKES ANNUAL REPORT TO CONVENTION Says General Recognition That Relief Is Imperative Is Most Important Point. Bpecial Dispatch to The Star. SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., Septem- ber 2.—Describing the Welch salary act, that added more than $21,000,000 annually to the Federal pay rolls, as the first step along the way toward bringing the Federal employe (0 parity with other civillan workers, Luther C. Steward, president of the National Federation of Federal Employes, pledged the organization’s activity in a broad range of subjects in his biennial re- port to the federation’s convention here today. More important even than the amount | of increases involved in the Welch bill, | he said, was “the recognition by the | Congress, the President, and by the | general public, that Federal employes ( were, as a group, underpaid, and that| rellef was imperative.” | Bills providing for the retirement of | emploves will be pushed. Steward said, | as will be efforts to secure a simple workable system of service ratings. He expressed the opinion that a system of | periodic increases in salary may be established and the average restriction in appropriation bills permanently eliminated. Benefits Seen From Survey. { “The feature of outstanding impor- | tance in the Welch act,” Steward said, <was the mandatory provision calling for a survey and collection of facts to form the basis of intelligent personnel legislation.” The federation anticipates, he said, that proceeding out of this survey will be various legislation bene- fitting the Federal employe. Among the immediate interests of the federation, for the provision of which bills will be introduced in the next reg- ! ular session of Congress, Steward named the following: Retirement, carrying the increased anquity and the more liberal method of computation, but with optional re- tirement after 30 years of service, 2 years less than the retirement ages car- ried in existing law. A shorter work week. “The growing santiment for a shorter work week has enakled your national officers to make substantial progress in the direction of securing legislation for a Saturday half holiday the year around,” he said. “Bilis covering the subject in so far as it relates to our membership will be in- troduced at the next regular session and there is reason to believe that favorable action will be had,” he-said. Congress Will Get Data. “As a result of information which will be developed by the survey, it will be possible to lay before Congress authori- tative data in regard to hours of work and conditions of labor of Federal em- ployes, which will be used as the basls for remedial legislation covering em- ployes who are either at the present time required to work seven days.a week or an excessive number of hours a day.” The overtime situation is still unsat factory, Steward reported, “with a limif ed few exceptions. 1t is confidently be- liveded,” he told the convention, “that the time is not far distant when as the result of the establishment of general policy on this question, overtime legis- lation, covering the entire Federal es- tablishment, may be enacted.” Progress was reported in the effort to extend the competitive classification service, and Steward recommended that the convention “go on record as ap- proving the extension of the fnerit sys- tem to all civilian positions other than policy making ones, in order that the fight may be continued until the only entrance in the Federal service will be through proven fitness and & system of promotion estabilshed, based upon dem- sn:tnud satisfactory performance of uty.” Standardized Leave. The subject of standardized leave was discussed by Mr. Steward at length. “The effort of the National Federation fn previous years to bring into the foreground the desirability of a stand- ardized leave law as a measure of effi- clent administration has borne substan- tial fruit during the last two years,” he reported. “An interdepartmental committee, working under the direction of the chief co-ordinator, has been devoting atten- tion to this important subject. It is safe to predict that the whole leave sub- Ject will be presented to Congress at the next regular session, in December, and we are sanguine that a measure embodying 30 days’ leave with pay and general sick leave of 15 days per an- Tum, cumulative to 120 days, will be introduced. ‘This measure will have general administrative support, which will tend greatly to eliminate delay in enactment of this important piece of Jegislation.” “Federal employes in the mass,” Steward said, “like other human beings the mass, are proverbially short- sighted, and the severe reverse sustained in the battle for better Federal per- sonnel conditions through the malad- ministrationt of the classification act of 1923 had a very discouraging effect upon the group most vitally affected. Public Opinion Enlightened. “The marked development of a more ‘enlightened public opinion as to Fed- eral personnel conditions and a recog- nition of the necessity for improving fuch conditions is even more impor- tant,” he asserted. “In viey of the fact that it has al- ready been demonstrated that the em- ployes’ contributions are carrying a dis- proportionate share of the annual cost of the maintenance of the Federal re- tirement system, there can be no valid argument,” he declared, “against in- creasing the annuity without any fur- ther increase of the employes’ contri- butions in order that the proportion of the cost of the system may be more { ided between the' Government he employe.” Quoting from reports of the hoard of actuaries, Steward said there were on July 30 last 12,921 employes retired on _account of age and 3,580 on account’ of disability. The number on the re- tirement roll as of June.30 last was 16,501, he sald, and the average an- nuity was $746.28, as compared with ;he average annuity of $721 June 30, Substantial Progress. Reported. “Pederal employes_who have not yet grasped the importance of organization and employes who have associated themselves with the type of pseudo or- ganizations which spring nr, exist and pass away with perennial nluhm{, now as in the past, constitute a handi- be by the membership WASHINGTON, C, WORKER IS DROWNED. Man Falls Into Water From §and Scow. Charles Patterson, colored, 30, of 1066 Thirtieth street, an employe of the Co- lumbia Sand & Gravel Co, was drowned Saturday night when he fell overboard while working on & sCOw near the foot of Thirty-ninth street. No one was about at the time and it was thought the man could not swim. His body was recovered from the river several hours later by Officer C. M. Birkigt of the Harbor precinct and John Miller, employe of the sand com- . pany. BRITAIN ASSAILED FOR JEW MURDERS Senator King Tells Protest Meeting England Was Guilty of Laxity. Stirred by reports of atrocities against members of their race in the Holy Land, Washington Jews yesterday afternoon filled to overflowing the Jewish Com- munity Center in & protest mass meet- ing and adopted resolutions expressing | confidence that the American Govern- | ment has taken cognizance of the fur- ther loss of American life and property in Palestine as the result of Arab mas- sacres and that the United States is prepared for “such action as may be warranted in the circumstances. The auditorium of the Jew 4 Com- was necessary to hold an overflow meet- ing in the basement of the bullding, and even then many persons were un- able to hear the speeches of protest by James Waterman Wise of New York, son of Rabbi Stephen S. Wise: Senator William H. King of Utah, Rabbi George Silverstone, Cantor Louis Novick, Morris Frilicoff, Rabbi Julius T. Loeb and Isa- dor Hirshfield, chairman of the meeting. Britain Charged With Laxity. with “laxity, inefficiency, incompetency and criminal neglect” in failing to pre- Arab mobs” in further resolutions adopted by the meeting. Denouncing the disarming of Jewish self-defense in th- Holy Land, Rabbi Wise exclaimed, ‘' .ngland, if you will not defend us, then at least give us dback the right to defend ourselves.” He declared that the time has come for the Jews to demand that Great Britain act, the period of diplomacy and negoti- ations having passed. Senator King voiced his conviction that Prime Minister Ramsay MacDon- ald and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ar- thur Henderson “will perceive their duty and replace officials who were vacillat- ing or guilty of misconduct.” A member of the Senate foreign rela- tions committee, Senator King declared: “There weré not the proper steps taken to protect the population, including American citizens, who were rightfully in Palestine.” He called upon the Amer- ican Government to see that such atrocities and _butcheries shall never again occur in Palestine, The American Government, he insisted, is as much justified in insisting upon this as any other country in the world. The repre- sentations must be made to Great Brit- ain, he added, “because we cannot make representations to the savages who com- mitted the atrocities.” United States Attitude Is Lauded. ‘The principal resolution voted by the meeting expressed appreciation of those assembled, as American citizens, “at this moment of grief and indignation, of the action initiated up to the present time by the American Government in exerting the strength of its influence upon the British government to protect American lives and property in Pales- tine.” It added particular apprecia- tion of the prompt and affirmative steps taken by President Hoover and Secre- tary of State Stimson. Rabbi_Silverstone, Mr. Frilicoff and Cantor Novik addressed the gathering in Yiddish. A collection was taken for Palestine relief and it was announced that the money will be dispatched to the Holy Land today. e MRS. THADEN WINS $4,100 IN PRIZES Women’s Air Derby Victor Gets $100 Lap Award and $500 for Texas Flight. By the Assoclated Press. CLEVELAND, September 2.— Mrs. Louise McPhetridge Thaden of Pitts- burgh received prizes totaling $4,100 for winning the woman’s derby, hea plane class, from Santa Monica, Calif., to Cleveland during the national air races. She shared honors with Mrs. Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie of Nashville, who was awarded $1,100 for winning the light plane class derby. Mrs. Thaden recelved $3,500 for first place in the division, a $100 lap prize and $500 for having the best elapsed time for her class from Santa Monica to Fort Worth, Tex. Mrs. Omlie was given $500 for first place, $100 in lap prizes and $500 for the best elapsed time in her classification to Fort Worth, Other prize winners in the heavy plane class were Mrs. Gladys O'Donnell, Long Beach, Calif, second, $1950; Amelia_Earhart, Boston, third, $87 Ruth Elder, Los Angeles, fourth, $525, and Mrs, Neva Paris, fifth, $350. In the light plane class the awards were: Miss Edith Folz, second, $700; Mrs. Keith Miller, third, $325, and Thea Rasche, Germany, fourth, 50. Wife Hits Husband With Lamp. Edward Jackson, colored, who had an argument with his wife Sunday morning, got some new light on the subject in addition to a scalp wound. After thbe lrg:‘mgle was over Jack- son was brougl Emergency Hos- Bl;':l by Virginia police. quflchfl daged Jackson's head and sent him home to Ar] . Jackson said his wife hit him with a lamp. of the National Federation of Federal Emp] " Stewart said, “in s efforts to secure improved conditions in an intelligent, legitimate, comprehensive manner.” “The last two years,” he sald in con- clusion, “have ~ marked substantial progress ' in the -achie of our organization’s objectives lndfll steady | with growth in numbers and ef uyvmm without parallel in the history/of the " ’3‘3‘3- he asserted, “the solu ys,” ' - tion of the difficulties of Federal em- ployes rest in their own hands, It needs but courage, loyalty and a sincere spirit of co-operation to accomplish, through munity Center was so crowded that it| The British government was charged | vent the organization and arming of the | nz Up) parade. from Bladensburg. for bands. (Continued From First Page.) Owings Mlll, Md.; Glen Burnie, Md. Kensington, Md.; Jersey Shore, Pa. Hampstead, Md.; Brentwood, Md.; Poto- mac, Va.; Laurel, Md.; Leonardtown, Md.; Cambridge, Md. iverdale, Md.; Boulevard Heighis, .; Branchville, d.; Seat Pleasant, Md.; Bethesda, Md.; Mount Rainier, Md.: Silver Spring, Md.; Hyattsville, Md.; Bradley Beach, Sandy Spring, Md.; Gaithers- burg, Md.; Bowle, Md.; Cherrydale, Va.; Falls Church, Va.; Arlington, Va.; Fair- fax, Va.; Winchester, Va.; Brentwood, Md.. and Capitol Heights, Md. Liberally _distributed between the decorated” floats and detachments of men and women on foot, the score or more of bands and drum corps filled the wir with marching rhythm, while groups of clowns, rivaling those of any circus parade, orded amusement for young and old ‘mlike. There were 110 of these fun-makers, who strutted their stuff without thought of pausing for breath. 1t was well after noon before the last beyond the reviewing stand and dis- banded, tired but jubllant, on the Ellipse, back of the White House, where scores of police were busy directing the congested traffic lanes. It was a great day for them and all of Washington. Vast Horde of Visitors. ‘With Labor day falling on a Mon- day, the Government and District offices had closed Saturday until to- morrow morning. Most of the busi- ness establishments in the city like- wise had closed their doors for the holi- day. ‘Thousands of Washingtonians took advantage of the intervening holi- day to depart on week-end trips to shore and countryside. ~ But their places were more than filled by a vast host of visitors from Maryland, Vir- ginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other places. Some had come by auto and train to witness their home-town firemen march to honors in the parade. Others came just to make it a holiday. Interest centers this afternoon in the events at Griffith Stadium. The next big event of the day was the con- cert by the United States Marine Band, scheduled to begin at 1 o'clock at the base ball grounds. While the music is still in progress the decorated baby Frederick, Md., with a piece of anclent apparatus. Below: The Citizens’ Band in pajamas, a new costume FIREMEN'S COLORFUL PARADE STIRS LABOR DAY CELEBRANTS of the floats and fire companies passed | per left: Barney, Gene and Tom, famous old fire horses and the last in the District, who came back from retirement at Blue Plains to take part in the Upper right: Thomas H. Chew, for 51 years a volunteer fireman in Center: some of the cut-ups —Star Staff Photos. carriages parade, over which parents have worked for days, was to get under | way at 1:30 o'clock. Scores and scores of baby carriages, bearing tots of all ages, were to join in the competition. The baby carriage | adjudged to make the best appearance will be awarded a $50 prize in gold and a handsome silver bowl. 'rm.e,| prize and those of $25 in gold for sec- ond honors and $15 in gold for third honors, have been offered by The | Evening Star, ‘This baby carriage competition will | be the forerunner to one of the most popular ewents on the program, and | to the members of the metropolitan | police force, the most important, for it will give them a fair chance to come in for some of the honors that have et WITH SUNDAY MORKING EDITION MONDAY, been showered all day upon the doughty firemen. It is the annual base ball | game between the policemen and fire- men, for which members of both forces | have been selling tickets for several | weeks, and its proceeds will swell the pension fund for the widows of the | men who sacrificed their lives for pro- | tecting the city. | Mardi Gras Is Feature. Scenes such as dignified Washington seldom witnessed before, smacking largely of care-free New Orleans, will be staged tonight at 7 o'clock at the Sylvan Theater and about the sur- rounding Monument Grounds. It will be a night of revelry and music, Wash- ington's annual Summer fete. ‘The band contest, in which scores of musical organizations will compete un- til midnight, will be one of the prin- cipal events of tonight. As an incentive to blow their best and hardest, prizes of $225 and $125 in gold will be award- ed the successful bands. Hundreds of Washingtonians and vis- itors who are planning to take part in the competitions of the Mardi Gras | have prepared costumes wierd and fan- tastic. While they are cavorting about the grounds there will be judges on | hand to select the winners in seven dif- | ferent events. .The Monument Grounds | will be open to the public, and special geuils of traffic policemen will be on uty. ‘Tomorrow will be the big day for the “clean-up” squads, and Washington, wearied but satisfied, will start another work day. ECKENER UNNOTICED IN GOTHAM STATION Leaves for Cleveland Air Races. ‘Will Sail for Germany on Saturday. By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, September 2.—Dr. Hugo Eckener passed through the Pennsyi- vania Station unnoticed by the more than 300 persons there last night, just two days after the city’s millions d acclaimed him for piloting the dirigible Graf Zeppelin around the world. The German air hero, who yesterday morning had watced from the ground the departure of his ship from Lake- hurst, N. J, for (Friedrichshafen, boarded the Pennsylvania train Cleve- land for Cleveland, where he will attend the air races. From Cleveland he plans to go to Akron, Ohio, to inspect the two Zep- pelins in course of construction there and to confer with officials of the Good- year-Zeppelin Co., which holds the American rights to the Zeppelin patents. Dr. Eckener said he would return New York Thursday and would sail for Germany Saturday. ' Woman Watching Parade Faints. ‘While watching the Labor day parade from the sidewalk in front of the Dis- trict Building this morning, Mrs. Ed- ward Ridgle, 18, of Baltimore, fainted and was unconsclous for about 10 min- utes. She was revived by Red Cross nurses at the scene, - ~——— Sing Sing Goes Red. OSSINING, N. Y., September 2 (#).— All the buildings at Sing Sing, a year~ round resort maintained by the State for non-paying guests, were painted yel- Jow a few years back in order to make | ters. the guests more cheerful. Now they are to be dolled up in brick red. Smoke from 1 ives has made the yellow less c! A Land of the Soviets, U. S. Bound, Arrives In Central Siberia By the Associated Press. MOSCOW, September 2.—The military airplane, Land of the Soviets, flying from Mos- cow to New York by way of North Siberia and the Pacific, to- day reached Blagovestchensk, one of the principal cities on the Amur River in Eastern' Siberia. ‘The plane left Chita yesterday. Blagovestchensk is on the Man- churian frontier and has been the scene of incidents during the recent Russo-Chinese trouble. ‘The next leg of the journey will take the plane north toward Kamchatka, previous to the+ho) across the Pacific to the Ameri- can coast. EIGHT COLORED CHILDREN ARE BURNED TO DEATH By the Associated Press. 4 MEMPHIS, Tenn., September 2.— Eight colored children ranging in a; from 2 to 6, were burned to death here y when the Industrial Settle- ment House was destroyed by fire. Seventy-two children marched out to safety. Bodies of the eight were found in the ruins after the fire was extinguished. They were trapped in sn upstairs bath- :g:m. ‘where they sought shelter from ‘The flames started downstairs and akened a matron. She notified Bes- sle Simmon, founder and director of the home, and the two led most of the children to safety. 3 Authoritles of the home did not know how the children got to the bathroom, as it did not adjoin their sleeping quar- It was belleved they came c-stricken an firs to the Bathroom, belte e t) Most, of the children in the home are orphans. Colored Base Ball Game Ends in Battle Over Umpire's Unpopular Decision Fred-_Ginage, colored, was playing base ball yesterday afternoon, and not shaving, when he got cut on the chin colored, - was distance of W sc . thee Quackenbos stteet. t all began at Rittenhouse and Four- th streets, when the made unpopular decision, For a While teams were as busy as if ::'m a B nage, ¥ IQ:':-! £ 163, Mitora ven . firsi at Walter o Sftaf. 4 “y SEPTEMBER 1929; VISITING FIREMEN HELP FIGHT BLAZE Empty Two-Story Building of Steel & Ordnance Co. Is Destroyed. Visiting firemen, here to participate in the Labor day parade, worked side by side last night with those of the District when three engine and two truck companies were ordered out to prevent the spread of a spectacular fire which destroyed an empty two-story building of the Washington Steel & Ordnance Co. at the foot of Portland street .southeast. The flames, widely visible in Washington, broke out about 10 o'clock and were subdued an hour later, although smoldering embers in the ruins of the building resulted in a second call for firemen at 4:30 o'clock this morning. Thousands of spectators were ai tracted to the scene last night after the fire broke through the roof and lighted up the surrounding vicinity. It was 8 | first_discovered by a watchman living on the place, J. L. Stewart. When fire- men arrived the building was a mass of flames, and they directed their e: forts toward preventing the fire from spreading to an adjoining office struc- ture across & 20-foot alley, where rec- ords of the company were stored. ‘The destroyed building had been un- occupled since shortly after the World War. Acting Battalion Chief L. L. Wollard was in charge of Engine Companies 15, 18 and 25, and Truck Companies 7 and 8, which responded, together with some 20 visiting firemen from Sunbury, Pa. The latter men had dropped in at No. | fas 8 Engine House for a chat with the local firemen when the alarm came in and volunteered their services. The Washington Steel & Ordnance rganized by English and Italian orld War for the ure of casings for shells, occu- ct of 30 acres in Congress eights, surrounded by a barb wire . ‘The dozen or more buiidings have been unoccupled since 1921. Piremen were unable to say how the blaze originated or to estimate the damage. 3 GEN. LEON DEPORTED. MEXICO CITY, Sepember 2 (P).— Gen. Leon, rebel leader, who sul to Gep. Calles in Sonora upon collapse of the Escobar revolution 8 has to the "dpflu. been tés, says an official statement 's surrender was STUDENT SAVES COLORED BOY FROM DROWNING Belford Thomson, 15 Years 0ld, Leaps Into Potomac After Unidentified Youth. | | ford Thomson, 15-year-old student at Macfarland Junior High School, leaped into the Potomac River at Fourteenth and Water streets southwest yesterday and saved an unidentified colored youth, several years his junior, from drowning. Owner in part of a small motor boat, young Thomson was g;epsrmg to em- bark from Regan’s boathouse for a | cruise on the river when he observe the colored boy on a nearby lumber wharf, ready to plunge into the water. Attracted by the other’s youth, he con- tinued to watch him as he plunged into thi;iver and saw that he was unable to swim. Fully clad, Belford rushed to the scene, removing his shirt as he ran to I dive into the river near the struggling colored boy. Seizing the frantic lad by his arms, young Thomson, after a hard struggle, swam with him to the wharf and clung to a piling untll aided by an- other youth. The colared boy told them that he had believed he "was able to swim. Thomson did not learn his name, but said that he was about 9 years of age. - . {SOVIET SEES PROBLEM IN CARE OF DELINQUENTS Two Teachers of Homeless Waifs Slain by Youths Who Were ‘Under Their Instruction. By the Assoclated Press. MOSCOW, United States Soviet Re- publicsSeptember 2.—One of the most serious problems the Soviet government faced, the care of the thousands of homeless waifs, most of whom have been taken during the past year from the city streets and placed in camps and schools for defectives, has again fi' to the forefront of public atten- through teachers. the murder of two ‘The teachers attended a meeting at a school just outside of Moscow. their way to the raillway station they were attacked by a of youthful delinquents, who beat them, bound and em on the raliroad tracks. One cher was run over by & train and killed, but the other crawled down from the railway embankment. He was found and taken to a n where he lived eawpy hospital, long enough to tell the story of the assault. 0il Plant Fire Cost $100,000. LOS ANGELES, September 2 (F)— Damage estimated at'$100,000 resulted from fire early today in the it of the General e mpinE amiees S Without regard for his own life, Bel- | On | property loss HIT-RUN DRIVER ! | Three Persons Suffer Hurts in Traffic Accidents Over Week End. A hit-and-run motorist was blamed for injuries to one of the three persons slightly hurt early yesterday morning and last night in trafic accidents in and near the District. William Myers, 38, of 422 Third street, told police he was bowled over early yesterday morning at Four-and-a-Half street and Pennsylvania avenue by an automobile which failed to stop. He was removed to Emergency Hospital in a passing automobile and treated for a possible fracture of the leg and later sent _home. James Herbert, 27, of Hughesville, Md., and Rosalie Cougire, 20, of Budds Creek, Md., were brought to Emergency Hospital late last night after the auto- mobile Herbert was-driving had struck a telephone pole, police of No. 3 pre- cinct were informed. Both were admitted to the hospital. ! The girl had lacerations about an eye and possible fractures of the shoulder and both knees, and Herbert a frac- tured nose and cuts about the face. ;Werletger was thought to be seriously in- jured. Edgar W. Unkle, 24, of 3609 Eleventh street, sustained cuts about the head and a fractured leg early yesterday morning when the automobile he was driving east on Pennsylvania avenue hit a tree in the center par! t ond street southeast. He was removed to Casualty Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. SIXTEEN HOMES BUfiNED. FERNIE, British Columbia, Septem- ber 2 (#)—Many residents of Waldo, west of here, were homeless today as the result of a fire starting in the Baker Lumber Co., which caused & of approximately $200,000. The flames, belleved to have started from one of the company's burners, destroyed a large ?ll‘t of the plant, the store, office, boarding house, dance hall and 16 private residences. Supplies were' rushed for the home- less, who were being quartered at the Waido Hotel, ®'scliool house and other available buildings.. Lloyd George to Greet Zeppelin. FREUDENSTADT, Germany, Sep- tember 2 (A%;-Dlvld Lloyd George, former prime minister of Great Britain, who is here on vacation, plans to join & party of notables who will welcome the Graf lin at Priedrichshafen fi of its present Atiantic BLAMEDFORINJURY PAGE 17 {CAPITAL BECOMES CTYPLANCCUNI OF ARCATEETUR Valuable Lessons for All Com- munities in America Are to Be Found. INSTITUTE LAUNCHES NATION-WIDE CRUSADE Mellon Film, Showing Progress in Washington, to Be Distributed Throughout Country. The National Capital, in the midst of a gigdntic development program, has become a virtual “architectural clinic,” where lessons valuable to every city and community in America may be learned by the Nation's city planners. In making public today this opinion, the American Institute of Architects announced the launching of a campaign {for “the immediate adoption of simi- larly co-ordinated city and regional plans by every communty throughout nh;:o&ntry.; ind " e initial step in the campaign, the institute has duplicated a fllmpmugl?l under the direction of Secretary Mellon, showing what Washington is accom- plishing, and what other cities may ac- complish, through “systematic layout and building.” The film will be dis- tributed through chapters of the or- ganization for exhibition widely to groups of architects, city planners and civic interests. “Amazing Progress” Is Cited. “Not & casual, but an amazing pro- gress, has been made in the develop- ment of the Federal City,” Horace W. Peaslee, chairtman of the institute's committee on the National Capital, de- clared in a report made public by C. Herrick Hammond of Chicago, presi- dent of the institute. “The extent of this progress best can be realized by comparing present con- ditions with conditions five years ago. In 1923 the development of Washington was handicapped not only by lack of funds, but by lack of co-ordinated, comprehensive planning. Not only was there lack of co-operation in planning, but there was a large factor of planning at_cross-purposes. “The Mall idea was a project of dis- agreement. The park system was lag- ging away behind the growth of popu- Iation. The highway system was devel- oping without regard for its inter- relationship with parks and other ele- ments of city planning. The public bufldings system was practically at a standstill. Private building development was taking scant recognition of its ob- i ligations to the Capital of the Nation, and Congress, witnessing the general confusion, gave appropriations grudg- ingly. “At the 1923 convention the ite 1 took the position that if a definite pro- gram of development were established this confusion would be el it appointed a special con velop this line of procedure. “Results have a theory. In five years alm able accomplishmen: The planning co: comprehensive plans for the District of Columbia and for the entire region. It | has the sympathetic and active support nd Planning d the begin- nings of support from a similar Virginia Planning Commission. “Not only have plans of vast scope been developed, but they have been put under way. The country at large has caught the idea and from every State has come organized support. - “The founders of the city carefully considered the relation of private to ublic development. The original regu- ations, established by President Wash- ington, were based on such conditions as thought reasonable by the President for regulating the materials and man- ners of the buildings and improvements generally. “In detail they called specifically even for minimum heights, character of ma- | terials and co-ordination with definite building lines on certain streets. “Yet for decades the main consider- ations were structural safety and fire prevention. Zoning Works a Change. “Gradually, under zoning, came other considerations of health, safety and pubiic order, with classification of areas according to use, height and area oc- cupancy. “Pinally came a movement inaugu- rated by Washington architects, volun- tarily to censor their own work, which they have carried forward faithfully for eight years, building up a clinic in architecture, with weekly juries and finally with monthly boards of review. “The results obtained have been due in large measure to sympathetic contact developed between the Planning Com- mission and the legislative bodies. In all, more than $116,000,000 has been authorized for Federal buildings and improvements in the Capital. “From a standstill, the public build- ings project has jumped to a $200,000,~ 000 project for the triangle between Pennsylvania avenue, B street and Fif< teenth. Of this total, $25.000,000 has been authorized for the purchase of the land and $50,000,000 toward the build- ing development. “An appropriation of $5,000,000 has been made for the development of the area between the Union Station and the Capitol, including new highway connections, and carrying with it thority for the development of the Mall. Municipal Center Plays Part. “A $25,000,000 project has been au- thorized for a new municipal center on the north side of Pennsylvania avenue. Another $14,000,000 has been author- ized for the Arlington Memorial Bridge and its connections, which include the development of B street as a memorial highway to the foot of Capitol Hill, and $450,000,000 has been appropriated for the development of the Mount Vernon Boulevard. “Aside from any question of appro- priations, the Government is giving full consideration to the importance of hav- ing its work carried out by the ablest men it can obtain. “In this connection should be noted a changed attitude on the part of the gmteuumz. ‘We no longer find a scram- le for Government work. ‘e find in- stead the ablest men willing to give hugely of their time and ability with- out 1o'gmpen mh:: . “The worl progressed step by step, nmerlvx:iuhudw-y as public opin- lon has det a demand- for the completion of plan.” Architects in every part of the United States should become more intimately acquainted with the momentous work of development of their Capital, Mr. Peaslee, asserted, and communities should model their efforts on the steps which have been taken toward creating el i 7