Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-02
NOT PORK BARREL
! WHEN IT'S IN D. C:
Chairman Clark Resents At
tack on Program for
Buildings Here.
LARGE PART OF MILLION
FOR WORK IN CAPITAL
Committee Is Determined to Press fol
Favorable Action in the Demo-
cratic Caucus.

several very important public build
ing projects for the District of Column
bia are included in the plan of Chair
man Clark of the public buildings and
grounds committee TO instruct the ap
preparations committee to make ia
vorable report on the recommendations
Of the Treasury Department. which
cover total of about $1,000 900. In
cluded in the Treasury estimate are
s2s0000 to finish the bureau of engrav-
ing and printing and $4,000 to begin
work OH the new geological survey
building, money for a new patent office,
etc. ~.
These amounts were all included in the
resolution which went before the caucus
few days ago and which were char
acterized by members Of the approprfa-
ton committee as portion of the pork
BARREL Members Of the public buildings
and grounds committee today expressed
themselves as being very sore at the
constant newspaper references to pork
barrel and alleged graft and call at
tention 70 the fact that the largest prof.
ects I'm the entire. scheme are In WASH
ington, d. c., and do not affect the con-
stituency or the district OF any man In
the House of Representatives.
Calls It Treasury Raid.
Representative Fitzgerald. chairman of
the House appropriation committee. has
made lively fight against the caucus in
structing his committee to make these
appropriations this session. He calls it
a raid on the Treasury. On the other
hand Chairman Clark and the members
of that committee claim that in most In
stances tine money is desired simply be-
cause the buildings have started, the con-
tracts have been made and the money Is
necessary To keep the work going. Mr..
Clark says tnat the large amount OF
money necessary for Washington was de-
sired by him simply because he did not
want TO see these public buildings In
Washington halted.
He expressed himself as being very
much diseatisfied with the way these
public buildings are associated with the
pork barrel" He also said today that
his resolution to instruct the appropria-
ton committee had not been defeated
in the caucus. as no quorum was present.
and that his resolution would come up
again before the next caucus IL he could
get IL there. -.
Mr. Clark desires that the democratic
caucus should direct the committee on
appropriations to include in the deficiency
appropriation bill money for items which
could be separated in the following man.
ner:
First an item of s5S2.O60. to cover
the increases in the limits Of cost of
buildings now under construction.
Practically one-half Of this sum. S2so.-
o0e. Ia desired for the bureau Of en-
craving and printing. Nearly all the
other. items under this sum are for
buildings which have already been
started. the money being needed to full
fill obligations already contracted for.
SECOND. the sum Of $4,000, to meet
the requirements Of certain special
projects. the same being the National
Archives building in Washington. the
Patent Office building and special 20
sitions I'm the Office OF the supervising
architect of the Treasury.
Third. legislation to make available the
sum of $4,000. which was never used,
being the balance Of money appropriated
for the purpose of a government building
site in Portland. Orc. The money has
been appropriated, but tic land cost less
than WAS originally estimated. and the
Secretary of the Treasury wants the
money for the drafting OF plans and the
start OF the work I'm general.
Fourth. Legislation Is also wanted to
make @6OO available to start the plans
and begin the construction Of the new
geological survey building in this city.
The government bought square 143 for
the Geological Survey building, and had
S~UU left over which cannot be used
for any other purpose, and Chairman
Clark and members OF his committee said
today that that money might as well be
used to start the Geological Survey build
ing right away.
Aimed at Joy Trips
Fifth. Further legislation is asked for
10 appropriate the sum OF $4,000 to
allow Secretary McAdoo to hire experts
to visit the different portions Of the
country and make selections of ap-
proximately three hundred sites which
were authorized in the last public build
fngs biE- II Is understood that Secre-
tary McAdoo is very anxious TO get this
money. because he has learned that it
has been the practice in the Treasury
Department to allow any clerk who
wanted a vacation to take it at govern
ment expense by getting himself as
signed TO the job of picking out q vacant
lot in some far-oT town wherein a pub
lie building might be erected
To pay transportation $4,000 has
been appropriated each year. The Sec
rotary OF the Treasury wants that same
money appropriated and $4,000 extra
SO that he can hire expert real estate
men.
sixth. Authorization is wanted to
spend the sum OF $500 TO pay for ad-
ditional clerks in the Treasury Depart
ment because OF the work on the geo.
logical survey building and the CEN
trail power plant building authorized
by law and which will provide heat
Iighr and power for most OF the pub
lie buildings in the city.
Seventh. The last item is for $3.50 0OO
which would be spent for salaries for
extra architects and assistants i'm the
supervising architects Office to bring
public building work up to date