Evening star., 1924-11-13
SMO0T WILL PUSH
BUILDING MEASURE
Senator Optimistic Over
Prospects for s5O,OOO,OO0
Construction Bill.

Passage of the Smoot bill for a
comprehensive Government building
program in the District of Columbia,
with an aggregate expenditure of
s5o,00o,000 in a period of five years,
will be sought earnestly at the com
ing session of Congress. Senator
ings Commission, said today.
The Utah Senator, who returned
today from Boston, said that he had
conferred with Senator Fernald Of
Maine, chairman of the Senate COM
mittee on public buildings and
grounds, who had promised cooper
alton in the effort to pass the. bill
AS matter of fact, the bill already
has been reported favorably to the
Senate and is now on the Senate
calendar awaiting action. The report
was made, however, on May g. just
about month before the adjourn
ment OF Congress- when there was
little chance for action in view of the
leg .slatlVe jam. But it is expected
that the Senate will be able to deal
with the measure when Congress con-
venes in December, while it is await
ing appropriation bills from the
House
Backed by President.
President Coolidge. in his annual
message to Congress last year, de-
clared himself in favor of an ade-
quate building program for the Gov
ernment in the National Capital. and
mentioned s5O,000.000 as the sum
probably needed. The President. it is
understood, is squarely behind the
project.
Senator Smoot said he did not be-
Heve that any attempt to put through
an omnibus public building bill would
be made successfully at the coming
session of Congress-
There is no other place in the
country where the Government needs
new buildings and more buildings as
II does right here in the District of
Columbia" said Senator Smoot The
Ctah Senator is convinced that great
saving VIII accrue to the Government
as result of carrying into effect the
proposed building program here.
Danger to Records.
No private business in the country
would take the risks which the Gov
eminent is taking today, with its
records in infiamable temporary
structures" he continued These
temporary buildings should be pulled
down. Some of them are being held
together merely by temporary re-
pairs"
The building program proposed by
the Public Buildings Commission and
included in the Smoot bill includes
new buildings for the Department of
Justice, the General Accounting Of
hce, national archives building. the
completion of the Department of Ag-
riculture building, the Department of
Labor, the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and several other establish
ments.
Terms of Bill.
Under the terms of the bill. the
Public Buildings Commission is au-
thorized to go ahead and put through
the program outlined.
During the last session of Congress
the late Senator Lodge of Massachu-
setts, regent of the Smithsonian In
stitution, offered an amendment to
the deficiency appropriation bill, ap-
propriating $4,000 for plans for Ma
tional Gallery of Art building, to be
erected on the site in the Mall al
ready set aside by Congress for such
a building. Senator Smoot indicated
today that such a project would be
given consideration, though it would
not be permitted to interfere in any
way with the building program now
outlined by the Public BUILDINGS Com
mission.