Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-02
NO new BUILDINGS,
RULES MR.. M 'AD0O
Treasury Head Bans Pork
Barrel Construction During
Period of Conflict.
TO SAVE MONEY FOR WAR

The pork barrel will have to roll up
hill if it rolls at all. It is task of
Sisyphus that now confronts any mem
Der Of Congress who wants to have
erected, at the expense of the people
through the public Treasury, a public
building at -Four Corners Or anywhere
else in his district.
Even though Congress has authorized
o public building BY regular enactment
1t Will not be built. Not even II the
money has been appropriated will 1t be
built
I mo new buildings are to be placed
under contract unless their urgency is
established to the satisfaction of the as
sistant secretary in charge"
This is an emphatic order issued by
the Secretary of the Treasury, William
G. McAdoo, affecting the construction of
public buildings. 1t is a war measure.
meant to husband all moneys in the pub
lie Treasury for imperative war pur-
poses.
Because of the unprecedented de-
mands which the war is making upon
the national resources, the policy
should be observed Of curtailing ex-
pcHoltuIeS LOT olHeF purposes as far
as possible, without detriment to the
public interests" explains Secretary
McAdoo.
800 Buildings Projected.
There were about 300 public build
ings projected in congressional legis-
lation when Acting Supervising Archi-
tect Wetmore took charge of the office
three years ago next April. In the
meantime Congress has voted other
pork barrel measures that included
further building projects.
Despite this increase the building
operations have gone ahead at such a
rate that there are hardly more than
100 public buildings authorized that
have not been put out at contract for
construction. or at least bids invited.
OF 181 buildings for which plans were
prepared in the seventeen months be-
1917, the bids on f1fty-four were above
the cost limit, and therefore no con-
tracts were let: the progress on plans
for two other public buildings has been
suspended for other reasons
Public building operations of all
kinds were suspended by Secretary Nc
Adoo's orders on November l last
Prior to that the work of the office of
the supervising architect and of con-
struction pursued its ordinary course.
1t Is estimated that more than s15.-
100000 will be saved to the public
treasury by the order of Secretary Nc
Adoo suspending public building op-
eratfons OF buildings proposed for
communities having over $4,000 an.
nual postal receipts the authorization
or appropriations of Congress permits
expenditures of approximately 1000. :
600; smaller offices will increase this
NM fxr of
The work of the Office of the suner-
vising architect is to continue under
the orders of Secretary McAdoo. That
Is. the construction work and invitation
Of bids Is suspended; but plans will be
prepared and made ready against the
time when money In the federal Treas
ury may again be applied to construc-
ton purposes
Other Aspects Embraced.
Orders of Secretary McAdoo not onlv
prohibit construction of new public
buildings. but embrace other aspects
of the construction program.
All extensions Of buildings, the ure
ency of which is established to the sat-
isfaction Of the assistant secretary In
charge - Assistant Secretary Moyle =
are to be placed on the market for bids
at as early date as practicable and
carried to completion.
All buildings and extensions Of build
ings now under construction are to be
completed.
No additional sites are to be selected
himintol odayiesionlyeoCt therdwdwkk
Marine hospitals. quarantine and i'm
migration stations, being cenvertible
into Army or Navy hospitals. or other
war uses. construction work and i'm
provements thereon or in contempIa-
tion in connection Herewith are to be
carried on as rapidly as possible.
In all other cases where sites have been
acquired or contracted for. the work
OF the supervising architects once in pre-
pairing designs. plans. suecifications.
ETC.. II to be carried on to the point
Of readiness to advertise for bids for
construction. In these cases, however no
bids are to be solictted without fur-