The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-01-29
Sec. McAdoO Writes Congress
man Stevenson Explaining
The Delay.
NATION NEEDS RESOURCES
Work Will BE Progressed and
the Building Completed as
Rapidly as Possible After Re-
turn of Peace, Secretary Says.

Lancaster will have no new post
office building until after the war.
me fact that the government needs
all the resources of the nation i'm
the prosecution of the war is respon-
sibie for the delay. Secretary of the
Treasury McAdoo has written a let
ter to Congressman w. f. Steven
son, of this district, explaining the
matter and stating that the erection
of the building will be progressed as
rapidly as possible after the return
of peace.
Mr.. McAdoo's letter is as follows:
Washington. Jan. 21, 1918.
My Dear Mr.. Stevenson:
Because OF the pressing demands
which are being made upon the f.
nancial, industrial, labor, and trans
portation resources of the nation for
war purposes, | have directed that
the construction of public buildings
be postponed, except where the nee
interests would suffer by such post
ponement.
Among the buildings authorized
is the postoffice at Lancaster, S. c.
which is in your district and which
l know you and the people of that
town desire constructed at the ear
liest possible date, but here is the
situation.
we are engaged in great war,
a war in which the very safety of
America is seriously imperilled. We
cannot win this war unless every re-
source OF the nation is carefully
husbanded and used with the ut
most intelligence. The great fnan-
cial operations of the government.
greater than any ever undertaken
by government in the history of
civilization, make il essential that
every unnecessary expenditure bv
the government, by the States and
municipalities, and by private cor
porations and individuals be avoided
while the war is in progress. I'm
less this is done it will be impossi-
bic for IN epeople of the United
States to furnish the money which
the government must have to sup
port the soldiers and sailors who are
shedding their blood for us upon the
battlefelds. In my annual report TO
congress | stated that il would be
necessary for the government to alb
capital and savings of the country
II the requirements of the army and
navy and Of the other branches of
the government were to be met | am
advising cities and towns through
out the country not to erect public
buildings while the war is in pro-
Gress. | cannot, while giving them
this advice. consent to the construc-
ton by the government of the Unit
ed States of public buildings which
are under the control of the treas
ury department In other words,
we must set an example for the
country.
/ am certain there is not patr-
otic citizen who is not willing to
submit to inconvenience to help
win this war, and l am sure that the
people of Lancaster, when they
know the facts, will be more than
willing to have the construction OF
their public building deferred a
short time so that the money which
would otherwise be put into it, may
be used to buy food and clothing
and ammunition for the gallant sons
of South Carolina and other States
who are going out to fight and per-
haps to die for their country.
/ am asking IL you will be good
enough to let the people of Lancas-
ter understand the situation, and be
assured had the war not come to
America, there would have been no
unnecessary delay in the construc-
tion of this building. II will be
progressed as rapidly as possible af-
ter the return Of peace.
Sincerely yours,
w. G.. McAdoo,
Secretary.