The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-20
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WASHINGTON, D. c. July go
Every train arriving In Washington
since Monday has brought postmas.
tiers from all sections OF the United
States. Over 1900 delegates have ar
rived. Convention headquarters have
been established at the Raleigh hotel
and yesterday and today members
poured In and registered until the con.
yention book looked like the roster
OF a Democratic convention-since
most OF the members are holders Of
their Offices by the grace OF Cod
and Woodrow Wilson.
There are many and varied postal
problems to discuss during the bust.
ness session, among the most I'M
portant being the government owner.
ship OF automobile equipment, the bet.
terment or railway mail service, the
improvement OF rural free delivery
and general improvement OF the sys.
tenn.
Among the early arrivals from West
Virginia were w. W. Irwin and Henry
Zilliken. The former is postmaster
at Wheeling and Mr.. Zilliken. former
State Senator, l in charge Of the OF.
tlce at Wellsburg.
Most OF the postmasters found their
heartiest welcome In the news that
they would probably be given new OF.
fetal homes. The House bill provid.
ing new postofices was reported the
first day OF the ~postmasters' conven.
tion and was the subject OF even great.
er scrutiny than the home newspapers.
The public buildings bill reported
In the House this week provides
sweeping changes in the methods OF
selecting sites for public buildings and
In the construction Of such buildings.
The billldoes away with the office Of
supervising architect. now vacant,
around which storms OF Congressional
and Administrative disputes always
have swirled. 1t takes away from the
Secretary Of the Treasury the power Of
selecting sites and regulating the
amounts of appropriation to be used
in the public buildings. Instead 1t
creates a separate bureau in the Treas.
ury department to be known as the
Bureau Of Public Buildings, with a
commissioner OF public buildings at
its head, whose salary Is to be $500
annually. The contentious between
members OF Congress and the Treas.
ury have been particularly acute since
the beginning Of the present admins.
tration. The bill also provides that
In selections of sites. attention Is to
be paid to space for position enlarge.
ments to meet greater demands. There
Is a provision for the creation Of a
board OF estimates. which Is to report
upon the a~dyisability Of construction
OF buildings when bills have been in.
troduced for that purpose; provision
Is made for the grouping Of states into
inspection divisions, to be under field
forces, which will report back upon
the buildings needed, and the main.
tenance Of buildings within such ter.
ritory.
Whether OF not the public buildings
bill which carries appropriations for
s35,000,000 will receive favorable &C.
ton at this session Is a matter OF
conjecture. No arrangements have
been made as yet for taking It up
and there are many who are Of the
opinion that it will undoubtedly 70 ov.
er to the next session. Proponents
Of the bill are equally sure that It can
be put through. Anticipating the
widespread criticism Of the measure,
which provides public buildings and
improvements for all sections, O. the
country, and may be expected from
those who feel that such a~ppropria'
tons constitute "pork.barrel" legisla,
ton, Chairman Clark Of the House
committee, filed with the report a
statement explaining briefly the meth.
cd by which the committee arrived
at the conclusions which placed i'm.
portant items on the bill. Chairman
Clark's statement "a hardly. needed,
The November election was evidently
a predominating factor in the distribu.
ton. Into each state. some 'plums'
must fall" was we'll carried out. More
| than one.third of the amounf apthoriz.