Evening star., 1922-06-09
FEDERAL BUILDING
PROGRAM IS URGED
Representative Langley Fa-
:: vors Government Owned
i Offices Over Country.

Determination to put through a
building program extending over a
period of years. under which govern
ment-owned buildings will be erected
in the National Capital to house all
the activities of the federal govern
Inent, is expressed by Representative
John w. Langley Of Kentucky. chair
man of the House committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds and rank
ing member Of the public buildings
commission.
Co-ordinated with the public build.
Ing program for Washington would
be an omnibus federal building to
cover all the needs OF the federal
government IN local communities
throughout the country. Represent
ative Langley predicts that such
public building program viii be one
of the most important Jobs which
the next session of Congress Will
tackle.
Authority on Legislation.
Representative Langley Is a recog-
nized authority on the subject OF
public building legislation. He has
been a member of the committee on
public buildings and grounds for
many years, and has been chairman
of the committee since the repub-
licans regained control of the House.
He entertains very liberal views with
regard to the proper housing q gov
ernment activities. not only In Wash
ington, but throughout the country.
The views embodied in Senator
Shoots recent report were unanl-
mously concurred in by the members
of the public buildings commission.
80 -
covers only one phase Of the situa-
tion.".- Representative Langley said.
It have been an advocate Of the pol
icy which is now favored by the COM
mission to hasten as rapidly as pos
sible the construction by the govern
ment of buildings on government
owned property for the housing of
government activities in the District
of Columbia, and l hope to see the
time come in the not distant future
when the government will cease en-
tirely the rental of quarters for this
purpose. Among the most urgent is
an archives building, in my judg-
ment, although the need for others Is
very pressing. including the state
Department, Department OF Justice.
: Department of Agriculture, Depart
ment of Labor and. in fact practically
ell branches of the service. We have
: the land already, and We will simply
have to raise the money.
Would Cnre for Smaller Places
Il am one of those who believe that
government employees should be just
as we'll provided for in the smaller
places in the matter of room and
sanitation and other facilities which
contribute to their comfort and the
expedition of public business as in
the large cities and outside of the
District of Columbia as we'll as in
side of it Money is more needed for
these purposes than for some others
for which millions are being expend-
ed. Now and then We hear a certain
class of statesmen refer in a face
tious vein to the question of construc-
ing public buildings at 'Podunk and
Squash Center and so forth, and
yet they want millions expended in
the capital of the United States and
In the various large cities. They
seem to think that a vote for an ap-
preparation of millions for these
monumental buildings is an act of
patriotism. but when we talk about
anpropriating a few thousand to pro-
vide suitable quarters for govern
ment workers in the smaller places
we are looked upon as the pork barrel
advocates. There are hundreds of
cases throughout the country where
the government business is being
transacted under the most disagree
able and hampered conditions, and, OF
is necessarily greatly impaired as a
result.
Il can see no reason why govern
ment employe in Washington should
have seventy-five square feet or
space in which to work. while some
of it's workers in other sections OF
the country are lucky to have
square yard. 1t has now been con-
siderably more than nine years since
ue had an omnibus public buildings