Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-01
Senate Committee Will Rec
ommend Big Appropriation.
NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICES
Buildings Proposed for Three Ex-
ecutive Departments.
URGED AS ECONOMICAL STEP
Five Squares Recently Bought to Be
Utilized as Sites for the Con-
templated Structures.

| Senator Scotts bill providing for the
erection of building or buildings for
/ the departments of State, Justice and
| Commerce and Labor on the five squares
between Pennsylvania avenue. the Mall,
| 14th and 10th streets received the ap-
proval of the Senate committee on public
buildings and grounds this morning and
will be favorably reported to the Sem
ate late this afternoon.
The amount to be expended was
| changed by the committee from S15,O00.-
600 to $12.OOO.OO6. There was some dis
cussion of the probable cost of suitable
| buildings for the three departments. and
| in line with the administrations policy Of
| cutting expenditures to the bone, the
committee decided to cut ST, ,0OO 600 off the
proposed appropriation.
Some other changes were also made in
the bill. AS originally introduced. the
bill provided that the supervision of the
construction of the building or buildings
shall be placed in charge of an officer of
the government especially qualified. and
that he shall receive as additional COM
pensation 25 per cent of his present sal
ary. The committee cut down the per-
centage to 10 per cent. following the pol
icy shown by the cutting down of the
total amount to be expended for the new
buildings.
The committee also thought that the
plans for the building or buildings should
be submitted to Congress for its approval.
and an amendment to the bill, as reported
from the committee. will contain such
provision.
Expenditure of $25, 100000.
With the bill approved today. the Senate
committee on public buildings and
grounds has. within the past week, ex-
pressed its approval of measures for the
purchase of public grounds and for the
erection of public buildings In the Dis
trict to cost $25,O0O,O0O. AT It's meeting
Hepburn bill authorizing the expenditure
of $40, ,O00. 600 for the purchase of property
between Pennsylvania avenue and the
Mall from the Capitol to the Treasury, to
furnish sites for public buildings.
At the same time the committee also
favored the project proposed in the Wet
more bin for the enlargement of the
Capitol grounds by the purchase of the
| land between those grounds and the
Union station plaza and the construction
of boulevard from the Peace monument
to the entrance to the big station. at a
cost of S3.5O0.OOO. All these bills are now
on the calendar of the Senate.
Passage of Bill Expected.
Senator Scott expects that the bill re-
ported today for the new buildings for
three executive departments will be
favorably acted upon by Congress at the
present session. He maintains that it is
in the direct line of economy. which is
the watchword of the present adminstra-
ton. The saving in rent he maintains.
will more than pay fair return on the
investment Of money in the new build
ingS.
The committee discussed informally this
morning the plan of Senator Scott to have
the government issue bonds for 5000, 900
or $lOO,OOO.OOO to provide funds for the
erection of needed buildings in Washing
ton and i'm other cities. Senator Scott
has urged that the buildings which would
be constructed would be in use for sew
eral generations. and that it Is only fair
that these future generations should
share the burden of the cost. The COM
mittee, however, did not decide the ques
| ton one way or the other today.
Whether or not there shall be a public
buildings bill this session is still open
question, SO far as the Senate committee
is concerned In view of the fact that a
rivers and harbors bill has been decided
upon for this session, there have been
dcdbts about public buildings bill.