PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS-No. 8 TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1935 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMTTEE ON PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. Fritz G. Lanham (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee meets this morning to consider House Resolutions Nos. 221 and 222, introduced, respectively, by Mr. Eagle of Texas, and Mr. Reed of New York. Mr. Reed is present this morning. His resolution is short, and I will read it. (The chairman thereupon read H. Res. 222, as follows:) [H. Res. 222, 74th Cong., 1st sess.] RESOLUTION Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, directed to transmit to the House of Representatives a statement by the Director of the National Park Service Setting forth the plans for the creation of Union Square in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, partly on the area formerly occupied by the Botanic Gardens and partly on the other Government or acquired property; An itemized statement showing the cost to date and the estimated total cost of the proposed project, the fund or funds from which allocations of appropriations have been made therefor, and the amounts of such allocations; The specific authority of law, if any, or by whose direction or approval mature, valuable, and historic trees were destroyed, the number and names of the various trees destroyed in the execution of said plans in said area, and the amount expended for such work; and The purchase cost and the cost of transplanting other trees and the number of same in the Government reservation known as "The Mall or upon the grounds connected with or adjacent to any public building on said reservation or contiguous thereto. The CHAIRMAN. In response to these resolutions, at this first opportunity to hear them, we have asked the Director of the National Park Service and some others who can give information to appear for the hearing this morning; but, before hearing them, we will be glad to hear Mr. Reed on his resolution. STATEMENT OF HON. DANIEL ALDEN REED, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Reed. I will say that for years Mr. Reed was a very active member of this committee. Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I cannot let this opportunity pass without saying just a word in 1 regard to this committee, on which I served for several years, and I would be derelict in my duty, after the many courtesies that I have received from the chairman, if I did not say just a word in regard to the pleasure I have had in serving under Mr. Lanham. I have been in public life a great many years, and I think that I can say, without casting any reflections upon other chairmen, that Chairman Lanham is one of the most courteous, kindly, considerate men with whom I have ever come in contact in public life. It was a great joy to serve on this committee while he was chairman, and I think that it is a distinct privilege for any man to serve on this committee, because it is a committee of great responsibility. I enjoyed my work on this committee, and I feel as though I were returning home. I have been deeply moved, as I think all of you also have been, by some of the things that have been happening in the city of Washington. There is not a man around this table who does not love the city of Washington, the capital of this great Nation of ours. Each one of us would, if we could, be glad to contribute something to its beauty and to its future growth. I do not know what the philosophy of Washington and Jefferson, and of the founders of the Republic may have been in regard to the future of the city of Washington as they saw it. That they were men of great vision, no one can dispute. Jefferson was fond of trees, as I could easily show you from quotations from some of his remarks. George Washington planted trees wherever he was located for any length of time, and some of the trees which he planted are standing in the Capital City. I sometimes wonder if Washington and Jefferson, as deep students of history, had not imbibed some of the philosophy of Pericles The CHAIRMAN. Will you pardon me a moment, Mr. Reed? The House meets at 11 this morning. We did not know that when we set this for hearing. I assume that they are going to go into general debate immediately, and, if there is no objection on the part of the committee, we will remain in session for a while after that time. We will continue until there is a no-quorum call, and then resume tomorrow. Mr. FORD. They are having a very important matter up on the floor of the House. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Suppose that we meet at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. There are preliminary matters, and it is always 15 or 20 minutes before they get to the point when we should be there. So we can meet until a quarter after 11 today, and then continue tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock, when we will resume the hearings and take up one or two other matters pending before us. Will you pardon the interruption, Mr. Reed? Mr. REED. Pericles, over 2,000 years ago, was one of the great civic leaders of that period, and he had a distinct philosophy, which, perhaps, was not unknown to Washington and Jefferson. Pericles believed that if he could create a profound love in the hearts of the citizens for the city of Athens, it would be an effective means of national defense. He sought by every means at his command to beautify Athens so that every Athenian would be sufficiently proud of it to defend it against foreign foes. Pericles put this theory into |