Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-18
Public Buildings and Economy.

1t Will be really poor economy for Con.
gress to stop all appropriations for public
buildings In the District Of Columbia. as
proposed by the leaders of the House no
matter what the state of the Treasury
may De. The government sorely needs
new structures. in addition to those al
ready provided for and probably soon to
be started on the Mall-Avenue triangle
sites. 1t Is paying high rents for made
Quate quarters for several of its depart
ments and bureaus. and at every turn is
disconnected by lack OF sufficient room to
transact its business. Every year that is
lost In this matter adds to the real cost
Of the new buildings that are required.
Tor the rent charge is piling up season
after season and should ultimately be
added to the construction outlay. Sites
and building materials will probably never
be cheaper than they are at present, and
to wait several years before starting the
additional new constructions that. the
public service requirements demand will
involve much heavier expenditures later
when the work is actually undertaken.
Any one going through the government
departments and observing conditions
there cannot fail to be impressed with
formed under a handicap. Take the sit
uation in the patent Office for instance,
where access to records and files is con-
stantly essential to the prosecution of the
work. Owing to the lack of sufficient
space and the continued use of build
ing that was not well planned in the be-
ginning to meet such requirements q seri-
Gus state Of congestion prevails and
both the Office and the public are put to
Inconvenience and suffer from delay. The
same is true In greater or less degree in
practically every Office of the govern
ment. Clerks are crowded into small
rooms where for both sanitary and ad-
illustrative reasons only half the num-
Der should be engaged. Working files
are stored in inconvenient places and in
some instances in conditions that danger
ously menace destruction by fire. In the
Treasury Department. for instance, some
Of the most useful records are kept in a
room that would be regarded by any
private corporation as an invitation to
disaster.
1t is beneath the dignity of the United
States to house its departments and bu-
reaus In privately owned quarters here
at the capital. II economy Is to be prac-
ticed let 1t be elsewhere. In the small
cities and towns. where. while 1t IL true
that public buildings are more or less
needed. they are not essential to the
proper administration Of federal affairs
and where their lack does not reflect
upon the United States government. The
average tourist coming to Washington is
shocked at some Of the buildings pointed
out as housing important departments
and bureaus. The explanation that some
day the government is to replace these
with constructions Of Its own does not
allay the sense Of disappointment which
is felt by the visitor. He appreciates that
the government Is growing steadily in its
administrative organization and that its
needs win increase from year to year,
even faster than its own enterprise in
providing for them under the so-called
economic policy of public building appro-
priations. There would be no disapproval
throughout the country Of a liberal series
Of money allotments by this Congress to
give the government the construction
equipment which 1t needs here.