The Washington times., 1919-06-27
WOULD TURN
DORMITORIES
INTO OFFICES
Public Building Commission
Eager to Get Space Now 0c-
Cupied by War Workers.

Decision to allot seventy square feet
OF floor space 70 each Federal en-
ploye in the District OF Columbia has
been reached by the Public Building
Commission. a body created BY the
last Congress to take over all public
buildings here and assign space to
the various departments.
Congressman Frank Clark Of Flor
ida, secretary OF the commission, an
nounces that 10000 square feet Of
floor space in the Department OF the
Interior building will be COM
Wandered and turned over either to
the War Risk Insurance Bureau or the
Internal Revenue Department This
will afford accommodations for about
2,10O employees.
In the new Navy building 90, 900
square feet Of floor space will be taken
over and made available for some
department which is in need Of addi-
tional floor space.
I'm our investigation we found that
some employees are using as much as
400 to 500 square feet Of floor space"
Mr.. Clark said. That means waste.
We are going to reduce such cases to
q minimum"
To War on q. s. Hotels
Mr.. Clark says he is determined to
put the Government out OF the hotel
business and use the dormitories on
the Terminal Station Plaza for Offices
for Government bureaus which are
now in rented buildings.
ut was never contemplated at any
time that the Government should 60
permanently into the hotel business"
Mr.. Clark said. Last year we faced
unusual conditions. We had employees
here who had no place to live. Pri-
vate capital could not be had to pro-
vide places for them. The Govern
ment had to put up the capital.
I'VE never dreamed when We ap-
propriated 500, 100000 for housing
needs that a permanent organization
would be formed to continue after the
emergency had passed.
81 have introduced in the House .
bill to repeal the housing act and dis
pose Of all property acquired under
its provisions. The only way out is
for the Government to pocket its loss
and go out Of the hotel business"
Hearings Are Ended.
The House Rules Committee has
been having hearings on Q resolution
by Mr.. Clark providing for an inves-
tigatfon of the expenditure OF $685.
100000 by the United States Housing
Corporation.
The hearings were abruptly brought
to a close yesterday. when 1t was an
nounced by the chairman, Congress
man Campbell OF Kansas, that the
hearings would begin shortly before
the Senate Public Buildings Commit
tee and to avoid duplication, the
House investigation would not be con
tinued further.
Il don't care who investigates" Mr..
Clark said. when told Of the action
Of the Rules Committee. Il merely
want a complete accounting for the
manner in which that money was
spent. I don't charge anyone with
being dishonest. 1 only want this
business closed up in a businesslike
manner"
Congress has been asked for ap-
proximately $500, 900 with which to
operate the dormitories in the Dis
trict Of Columbia during the next
year.
Instead Of yielding an income,
these buildings are proving a Iiabil-
ity." Mr.. Clark said. some time ago
the dormitories brought in a net
some reason, there has been a deficit
ever since.
5000 900 . Year.
Before the war we paid a round
81 100000 a year in the District OF
Columbia for rent. This sum doubled
during the war. There is no reason
in continuing such a policy when we
have these dOrmitOries, which could
be converted into office buildings
over night. They would suffice a.
temporary quarters for Government
bureaus. ultimately we expect t.
build other permanent Government
buildings here to relieve the situs-
ton"
The Public Building Commission,
which is given almost unlimited au-
thority over the various public build
ings here, will shortly announce q
plan for Government bureaus that
will mean the moving of quarters Of
several thousand employees.