Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-17
Commissioner of Public Build
ings to Replace Supervisor,
According to Provision.
MEASURE NOW IN HOUSE
CARRIES s35, 5,ooo,o 900
Armory to Cost 100000 and a
$3,000,00O Department of Justice
Building Included.

The office of the supervising
architect of the Treasury is
abolished under the terms Of the
$35,ooo,ooo public building bill
reported from the House COM
mittee on public buildings and
grounds today, and authorization
is made for an $4,000 armory
and a 100000 building for the
Department of Justice in the city
of Washington.
The items for the two buildings have
been expected. but the legislative pro-
visions wiping out the supervising
architects Office came as surprise.
In place of the office the bill proposes
separate government bureau known
as the bureau of public buildings.
headed by commissioner.
The bill also carries 5000, 900 for new
equipment shops for the Washington
post Office.
The report on the bill explains this
proposed abolition of the supervising
architects office in these words:
THE bill provides for the abolition
of the Office of suyervising architect OF
the Treasury and creates in lieu Thereon
a bureau of public buildings, placing
at the head of such bureau an officer to
be known as the commissioner of pub
lie buildings. who is to be appointed
by the President. by and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate, and
who is to hold Office for term of four
years. 1t is further provided that IN
the organization of the bureau of pub
lie buildings the officers and employees
now employed in and connected with
the Office of the supervising architect
of the Treasury are to be used, as far
as needed, as part thereof, the re-
spective services to be rendered and
duties to be performed by each to be
prescribed by the commissioner Of pub
lie buildings. The bureau of public
buildings is given complete jurisdic-
ton over and control of the selection
of sites. drafting of plans and speci-
fications, supervision of construction
and the care and maintenance OF all
public buildings"
Designs to Be Standard.
The provision is the outcome of criti-
cism heard in the committee against
the supervising architects office on
the ground that plans for buildings
months ago have never
been drawn. Another legislative pro-
vision Of interest is designed toward
Of the design of public
throughout the United States,
also a board of estimates for public
building work Is proposed. The board
is to report the facts in connection
with the necessity for buildings at va
rious points. The board is to be COM
posed of the commissioner of public
buildings and two members designated
By the Secretary Of the Treasury.
In a statement for The Star, Chair
man Clark of the public buildings COM
mittee explained the amounts and the
new legislative provisions. He said:
Explains New Provisions.
The bill carries total of approx
mately $4,000. 900. Three cities of the
United States get s10,0o0i000 of this
amount, six cities get an authorization
of approximately $14.ooo.ooo and twen-
ty-four of the large cities get approx
mately 81, ,o0o. 900. by which 1t will be
seen that twenty-four of the large
cities of the United States get two
thirds of the authorizations contained
in the bill.
The committee has made an honest
effort to comply strictly with the law
as laid down in the act of March 4.
1913. limiting sites to towns where the
postal receipts were $4,000 per annum
or over. and limiting buildings to
towns where the postal receipts
amounted to $4,000 per annum or over.
1t must be understood. however. that
~ ha r,1a in a
west and south there are other federal
activities in addition to the post Office
to be cared for, such as courts. land
Offices, internal revenue service. etc.
The committee has also included In
this bill some general legislative pro-
visions seeking to remedy the evils
which have heretofore existed in gov
ernment public building construction.
I'VE have provided for the Standard
zation of buildings in the smaller
cities and towns Of the country and
have thrown such restrictions around
the purchase of sites and the con-
struction of buildings which we con-
fidently believe will result in a saw
ing to the government of from 25 to
so per cent over such authorizations as
have been made In the past The COM
mittee has held long and patient hear
ings and has thoroughly investigate ed
every item carried in this bill, and is
ready and willing to defend 1t upon
the floor or any other forum. at any
time, confident that II the executive
officers of the government will carry
out the law. pursuing the policy which
the committee has mapped out, no rea-
sonable. unprejudiced man will be
found to object.
I'VE believe that 1t IS Just as essential
to provide for the economic. efficient and
expeditions conduct of the public bust.
ness as it is to provide the revenues with
which to pay the actual necessary 'ex-
penses of the government. The commit
tee has emphatically declared in its re-
port and in it proposed legislation that
we are opposed to the construction OF
monumental palaces in small cities and
towns and have expressed as our idea
that what is needed for the conduct Of the
postal business of the country particu-
larly Is a workshop"