Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-02

OUT hunt Tor more q OF saving a
dollar, congress is keeping an eagle eye
on the governments housing bill. The
government clerk may work in a gran
lite masterpiece of Greek architecture
that suggests a large and lavish scale
of administration, but the classic edi-
flee is run on a strictly modern, save
the-pennies basis.
The government is the largest prop
erty owner in the United States. Be-
sides the great department buildings in
lion dollars, it owns offices all over
the country. These include 1850 post
offices, ranging in value from the small
town building worth only a few thou
sand dollars to the Chicago p~ostOffice
which cost more than five million.
Economy is now the w%atchword in
the management of all this property.
Take the stucco buildings which sprang
up to house the army of war stenog-
raphers and filing clerks in the capital.
About 10000 war workers have depart
ed and whole blocks of the tempos. as
the war buildings were called, have
been struck like circus tents. But
some are needed because Washington
still has twice as many clerks as in
pre-war DAYS.
The tempos near Potomoc park
stand on leased land and the lease is
about to expire. Furthermore. the
owners want a higher rate of rent. and
II the government turns the property
back to the owners it must tear down
ITS stucco buildings and even pay for
the structures that stood on the land
when it took possession.
In this dilemma the government
finds M satisfactory way out. It
can buy the land for $1,5O0.O0O. about
what three years rent would cost.
Congress is considering this obviously
economical measure and approval is
said to be certain. The temporary
buildings are regarded as good for sew
eral years, and after that the govern
ment will still have the land as a site
for permanent structures.
Across the street from some of these
temporary offices is another govern
ment problem. Here are two build
ings, Joined by passageways. which to-
gether make the largest office building
in the world. They are the navy and
munitions buildings. They contain
100000 square feet of space, and
some of the corridors are 1900 feet
long.
These record breaking office build
80 90 49, a pVIt VI NobIfI4lItB bttHlSf
they were put up as temporary war
structures. They stand firmly enough
on government owned ground, but the
land is Il part Of Potomac park and
the city planning scheme calls for the
removal Of the prosaic buildings to de-
velop the park.
Economy is Watchword
The buildings are modern in every
respect and are extremely solid for
temporary construction. If they had
been built across the street on the
leased ground which the government is
now buying they would have stood I'M
challenged and serviceable for al least
10 years to come. They may stand
for years as it is. The two buildings,
They house several thousand workers.
who would have to be provided for
somewhere if the biggest government
office unit We're scrapped.
Economy and the city beautiful idea
are contrasting over this situation. and
economy has the advantage low. Its
cause is being advanced for the gov
eminent by a public buildings commits
sion at the capitol. This commission
has for its ultimate aim the removal
of every government office in Wash
ington from rented building space. The
department Of agriculture. which is
housed in 26 different buildings. about
half Of which are rented. is an example
Of the problems which confront the
commission.
The public buildings commission is
out TO save the government money. and
il points proudly to the fact that its
economy begins at home. 1t has no