Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-23
Will Urge Congress to Act at
Once to Meet Needs of
Government.
BELIEVES WORK SHOULD
START WITHOUT DELAY
Comprehensive Program Covering
Twenty Years Considered Neces-
sary for Federal Offices.

Secretary Of the Treasury Mellon Is
convinced. the government should take
immediate steps looking toward a
building program for housing govern
ment activities in government build
throughout the nation.
Mr.. Mellon feels. it was learned to-
day at the Treasury, that the coming
Congress should take up the matter
with a view to framing a program of
construction to be continued over a
term OF years, but TO be inaugurated
just as soon as practicable. The
House appropriations committee was
said to have the matter before it,
The needs of the Post Office Depart
ment, the Treasury and Veterans Bu-
reau particularly have become so
pressing. according TO official reports
10 the Secretary, that in his opinion
there is some question now whether
the government can afford TO wait
much longer for la Dor and building
prices to recede.
Hoover Urged Delay.
Secretary OF Commerce Hoover
some time ago proposed the depart
ments hold back their building pro-
involved in construction would be in
more need of employment. and the
addition of government building
would not tax the construction ia
reserve board. shortly after also no.
titled federal reserve banks to post
pone building operations for the
same reasons.
In spite Of this opinion. which has
been generally held by a large circle
of those studying the building prob
lens of the government. Secretary
Mellon today was represented as
feeling that the necessity for gov
ernment-owned space had become
too great TO wait longer.
Whether building costs will go
down materially within the next year
was a problem for which Treasury
officials did not care to forecast a So
luton
In Washington the need has become
serious in the internal revenue bu-
reau. Secretary Mellon was said to
believe. Income tax records are scat
tered through several buildings. In
the handling of some big corporation
taxes IL is necessary for the cases to
go through various branches Of the
bureau in separate buildings. entail
ing loss OF efficiency and operating
expenditure. 1t would be a very great
saving, Secretary Mellon believes. to
have all the internal revenue records
in one building.
Furthermore. one of the most i'm
portant and serious factors In the
situation is the danger OF fire. Tax
records of the American people are
scattered throughout this city in
frame fretraps, liable to destruction,
under a severe Are hazard.
1t would be an economy to build
new home for the internal revenue
bureau. 1t was further pointed out
as the saving would In actual fact
the investment in new building.
Twenty-Yenr Program Urged.
To frame a comprehensive building
program for the government would
not necessarily entail the outlay of a
great sum during the first year 1t
has beeen explained. The program
could provide for expenditures over
number of years, with provision
that the greatest needs should first
be met This would involve. 1t has
been estimated by some who have
studied the matter, a twenty-year
program. to construct in this city
and throughout the United States all
the public buildings now actually
needed. The needs of government
space were said constantly to be on
the increase.
Chairman Langley of the House
committee on public buildings and
grounds has repeatedly declared him
self in favor of an omnibus public
buildings bill for this next session of
Congress and has announced he would
fight for its enactment
The governments rental bill has
mounted to more than S20,0O0.00O a
year. it has been pointed out and
in practically every instance is in
creaSing.
The rapid growth of the post office
service and parcel post has in some
cases. it has been reported. obliged
the post offices to use the public
streets fol- handling packages