The Washington times., 1915-12-10
USE Of PUBLIC
REVENUES FOR
PORK DECR|ED
McAdoo Urges Reform in Appro-
priations for Public Buildings
and Sites.
UNABLE TO PREVENT WASTE
Recommends Abandonment of
Omnibus Acts - ValueIeSS
Lands Bought.


Decrying the wholesale waste OF pub
lie revenues in pork appropriations
for public buildings and sites. Secretary
McAdoo. in his annual report. advocates
sweeping reform In the authorization
and purchase of building sites. and in
the construction of buildings. The Sec
retary points out that he is powerless to
pre-, cnt this waste as long as Congress
compels 1t by law.
He makes a forceful plea for the
abandonment of omnibus public build
ing acts. and calls attention to value
less tidal lands and sunken depres-
sions purchased in the past and found
to be valueless to the Government. and
entailing heavy loss.
1t is pointed out that large and fancy
buildings have been provided in small
towns where they are not needed. while
the Government is paying millions in
rent in the big cities for lack of such
buildings.
Situation Is Serious.
So serious is the situation, the Sec
retary declares, that he Is unable to
treat it fully in his annual report, and
will make a further and detailed report
and recommendation to Congress in the
near future. In this report 1t is expected
the Secretary will cover in detail the
errors" of the past, and the most cry
ing needs for reform.
In his annual report he says:
AN examination of public building
legislation covering a period Of sew
eral years shows Lack CT system
and a disregard Of economic consid
GRAFTON IN authorizing the construc-
tion Of public buildings. Acquisition
of sites has been authorized years
In advance of any need for thcm, and
buildings have been authorized at
limits OF cost bearing 10 reasonable
relation to the needs Of the COM
munities in which they are TO be
placed. The limit Of cost fixed by
Congress appears to have dictated the
Iype Of building to ne erected, and
equal that amount. Needless and un-
1ustiftable waste of public money has
resulted"
Pays $2,452,036 For Rental.
"1n nearly every community where
Federal buildings have been erected the
,xrowth of the public business and the
;1nauguration Of the parcel post service
ihave rendered such buildings inadequate
for the purpose for which they were
iconstructed. In numerous instances it
mas become necessary to rent quarters
outside of the public building for
various branches of the public service
In the s75 communities in which Fed
seral buildings are occupied the Govern
iment IS paying in rentals total OF
S.,4b2.o36 .os: As against this annual out.
lay. only S632 .04 Is being paid for the
rental of postoffice quarters in all 10,
calities where postoffice buildings have
been authorized but not vet erected
Many of the buildings which the 191:
omnibus public building bill authorized
TO be erected are for postofticcs in small
communities where the service is now
being properly handled in leased quar-
ters and where the annual rental is less
than one-half of what the maintenance
of Federal buildings will cost when con,
structed.
Not Given Discretion.
Under existing legislation the re.
sponsiblity for the construction OF
public buildings is placed on the
Secretary of the Treasury. He is
required 10 determine within the limit!
building shall he erected to meet the
needs of each community and of the
Federal service. He has no discretion
to say that any building authorized shal
not be erected. If buildings are author
lied to be constructed in communities
where they are not needed the responsi
bility rests upon the Congress. The Sec
retary's duty is to comply with the di
rections of Congress.
1T Is, however, fact that many
hppn authorized
1913 omnibus public building act iT
small towns whore there is no aCtua
need for them. and that there are many
places where public buildings ar" sorelS
needed or where the pubic business has
outgrown the public buildings already
erected. These must suffer until d
more satisfactory plan for the author
ization and construction of public build
inGs is adopted by the Congress.
Aggregate of $571,775 Saved.
Under the authority given this de
partmcnt to employ special site agent!
all sites authorized in the So-callcd ON
nibus public building act approved
March 4, 1913. have been carefully in
spected and reported upon. or thcs,
sites. 136 have been selected at an ag
gregate saving of S5Il.T5.
In the matter of the acquisition O
sites where buildings are not yet an
thorized. it Is manifcstlv uuwisc ant
unbusinesslike to buy such sites year
in advance of their possible use. CNccp
in cases where the opportunity of Sc
curing particularly desirable propcrtic
might he lost through deferred action
AS a general rule. il Is not to the Gov
ernmonts interest to take title to site
years before they are required for build
inG purposes.
Suggests Reform.
''I am convinced that the public inter
est will be best served and needles
waste OF public money will be avoide
II the practice of authorizing the az
Guisltion Of sites in advance of leGisla
lion authorizing the construction q
buildings is abandoned ana if both sit
and building arc authorized al tho sam
time under II single limit of cost.
May | respectfully recommend ths
the practice which has come into OK
istence in recent years of leGlslating 10
public buildings in omnibus public
building bills bG discontinued? Fac
public-building project should he cor
sAdered on its merits. When omnibu