Evening star., 1922-03-21
House Failure to Approve
$500, 900 item May Cost
Government Millions.
HOPE NOT ENTIRELY LOST
FOR FAVORABLE ACTION
Total Loss of $4,000, 900 Potomac
Park Structures, Plus Cost of
Razing, Pointed Out.

of s1,500,000 by refusal to appro-
pirate that sum for the purchase of
land on which seven temporary gov
ernment buildings are erected, north
of Potomac Park between 18th and
21st streets, and the ultimate loss
of several times that amount by the
necessary scrapping of these build
ings and the deprivation of the gov
ernment of their SOC, ,000-odd feet OF
floor space will face the House of
Representatives this week when the
report of conferees on the independ-
ent Offices appropriations bill Is con-
sidered on the floor Of the House.
The purchase of the seven plots of
land is going to be urged upon the
House by the conferees on the ap-
preparation bill for the independent
establishments.
In Interest OF Economy.
Representative Will r. Wood of
Indiana, republican. chairman of the
House conferees. said today that
while the House has previously voted,
1s0 to 130, against this appropriation.
it is the unanimous opinion Of the
conferees that in the interests of
business economy the House should
change its decision
ut is our opinion that Congress will
make very grave mistake if it does
not authorize the purchase of these
sites," said Representative Wood.
The buildings erected upon this land
for war work cost s2,500.000. The
"a
and will all expire within a few
months. so that unless Congress acts
favorably upon this proposition these
buildings will have to be scrapped-
which in itself is a great economic
loss.
All Space Occupied.
Every foot of floor space in these
buildings is now occupied" Repre-
sentative Wood points out. "by gov
ernment activities. II these people
have to be moved out the expense of
moving alone will be considerable, and
it will cost at least 100000 to
house them in rented buildings. So
that in saving of rentals alone the
government can pay for this entire
property in three years. We had ex-
pert builders examine these tempo
with ordinary repairs they can be
used for government workshops for
fifteen years.
LAS a purely business proposition
1T is real economy to buy this land"
declared Representative Wood.
To Be Argued Before House.
This matter will be argued before
the House in a few days. This is one
of the three important matters which
the conferees on the independent Of
fees appropriation bill are now con-
sidering. AS soon as decision is
reached on the two others a confer
ence report will be made to both
House and Senate. This decision may
be reached at a conference today The
two other items are regarding the
appropriation for the general ac-
counting Office. The House previously
voted that all employees in the gen
eral accounting office should be un-
der statutory salaries, rather than
from a lump sum appropriation.
The Legislative Situation.
The legislative situation with re-
gard to the item of $1,500.000 tor pur-
chase of these seven plots of land il
this: 1t was first proposed in the
SENATE IN u separate TeSO.u'lOn. w neu
the Independent offices appl opriation
bill was passed by the House aad sent
to the Senate the Senate inserted this
$1.500,000 land-purchase item as an
amendment.
When the bill came back to the
House this item, subject to an inde-
pendent vote, was rejected, 1S0 to
130. The bill was sent back to con-
ference, where the Senate conferees
have insisted upon retaining the 81.
100000 item. The House having voted
against it, the House conferees. al
though they favor accepting the itom,
as Representative Wood emphasizes,
have no option in the matter. and 50
when the conference report comes
back to the House this will be des-
ment could be reached, although the
House conferees will argue with their
colleagues in the House that 1t should
be accepted. Representative Wood
hopes to get the conference report
carrying this item. considered by the
House within a couple of days.
Lease to Expire June 10.
The lease on the ground upon which
these buildings are erected will ex-
pire June 80. The floor space repre-
sented by the buildings is urgently
needed by government offices and will
De an item Ol StiiA 6IcdtST
in the near future when the leases OF
large government Offices on private
buildings expire.
The buildings, their location and the
offices located in them are as follows:
Temporary building, No. ]; bounded
by 18th and 18th streets, c and D
streets; housing the Grain Corpora
tfon. Shipping Board and units OF the
Department Of Commerce.
Temporary building. No. 2: bounded
by 18th and goth streets. D street and
New York avenue; housing the field
offices Of the Interstate Commerce
Temporary building, No. 3: bounded
by 18th and Goth streets, d street asd
virginia avenue: housing the finance
office Of the Army. ,..,.,t
Temporary building, No. 4: bounGe1
by goth and 21st streets. c and J,
streets; housing Department OF Lab<
units and the Federal Trade Commi 4
sion.
: Temporary building, No. 5: boundsa
by goth and 21st streets, B and
streets: housing the war trade st q
tion of the State Department, uni
of the War Department and of tlS
Shipping Board.
Temporary building. No. 6; bounded
by 18th and 18th streets. b street and
Virginia avenue; housing the files of
the Department of Justice.
Temporary building. No, q: bounded
by 18th street, Virginia avenue and
c street; q triangular structure, hous-
4