Evening star., 1925-08-30

/ AN'Li's C-A.h tC.S oulETC"u his
business plaut-the buildings
In which the Government $
~ business is transacted the
Coqntry over. The executive
department. and bureaus, with their
constantly increasing activities, have
hulged tar out Of the quarters pru-
ylded, and hundreds Of buildings are
under lease 10 accommodate them.
Admittedly this is not a satisfactory
condition. II makes for discomfort,
lessons efficiency and results in a very
large expenditure OF money for rented
structures each year.
President Coolidge, notwithstanding
his economy program, has recognized
tho need OF adding new buildings TO
the plant. Indeed. it is poor economy
not to spend some millions OF dollars
to bring the plant more up to date, eX-
pcnditures which. IN the long run, will
save the Government and the taxpay-
erS q large sum of money. Senator
Smoot, chairman OF the Public Build
inEs Commission, which has charge
OF the distribution OF space IN the Gov
ernment buildings in the District Of
Columbia. with the backing OF the
President, plans to put through pub
lie building bill at the coming session
OF Congress, and many of the other
members of Congress are strongly IN
taVor of such measure. Those OIL
cials who are, under the Law, in charge
Of the public buildings throughout the
country also arc cognizant OF the great
need for additions to the plant.
Biggest Plant in World.
Lots sec just what Uncle Sans
business plant consists of. 1t Is divided
between the great Government plant
IN the National Capital and the Fed
eral buildings located in all the States.
In round figures. the entire plant
has q value today in the neighborhood
oC three-oUarters of billion dollars.
II is the greatest business plant in
the world, and, like other business
plants, II requires from time TO time
additions. renewals and repairs.
The Treasury Department has un-
der its control through the office of
the supervising architect the vast
majority of the buildings outside the
District OF Columbia. These buildings
uuder the Jurisdiction of the Treas
ury Department on June so, 1925,
numbered 1880, completed and oc
cupied. In this list are the post Of
tce buildings. United States court
houses, customs houses. the apprais-
ers' stores, marine hospitals, quaran-
tine stations, immigration stations,
assay offices and mints. The total
cost OF these buildings. including
- o.
1884. divided as follows: Federal
buildings, s264.1T5, ,76S.77; marine hos
pitals, S6.778.o23.10, and quarantine
stations. S4.79S. 704.O7.
The actual value of these buildings
and the sites on which they stand is
far above the costs given here. No
estimate of the present day values is
available, but doubtless the values
would add hundreds OF millions of dol
60 EA
the appreciation of property values
since the buildings were constructed
and the sites purchased.
War aud Navy Buildings.
The property OF the Government
coming under the War and NAVY
departments, including Army posts
and barracks, navy yards and sta
tons and hospitals, adds still more
millions to the intrinsic worth of the
Government plant. and also the hos
pitalS which have been constructed
and purchased since the World War
for the use of the veterans But a
public buildings bill such as that de-
signed by the administration and its
supporters does not run to the mill.
tary activities of the country. but
merely to the business functions of
the Government
In Washington, where the seat Of
Government Is located, the estimated
value OF the Federal plant Is $40 ,0O0,-
oo0. This IS exclusive of the great
park system of the city, which is
owned by the Government, too. The
Government owns and occupies here
90 buildings, including the White
House, the Capitol group, comprising
the Capitol Building, the Senate and
House office buildings, the Library Of
congress; the executive department
buildings and the Smithsonian group.
Inc estimated value of the build
Ipgs OF the Government in Washing
an Is divided as follows: Executive
departments and miscellaneous bu-
tsaus. S3O,0O0.o00; the Capitol group.
fo3,0o0,000 the Smithsonian group.
Including the buildings in the Mall
sJ1d In the Zoo. $4,000, 600: the White
House and White House propagatins
garden, S1.o00,0 900.
The actual cost of the Capitol
Building and some Of the other i'm
portant structures In the CapitoI
group was as follows: Capitol Build.
ing. $l4,0o0,oo0: Library of Congress,
s6,250,000: House Office Building,
a4,a69.a69.55; the Senate Office Build.
ing, &4512.251.o9; the Capitol power
piaot, sl,558,372.oG.
SSecan So the Government has out
sroa1i end overspreed the Govern
Il1rrtr-owned plaEt here. there are 46
buildings now Juiier lease, and the
Government is paying approximately
Sl,000.OO0 annually in rent in the
District OF Columbia, which is the
interest at per cent on $4,000 900.
But the rent paid by the Govern
ment in the District Of Columbia for
buildings TO house governmental ac.
tivittes is only q drop In the bucket
compared with the rent paid for build
ingS used by the Government outside
the District. under the control cf the
Treasury Department. The rentals
outside the District approximate
$4,000, 900. or the interest at per
cent on S4G0.000.000. Some of this
amount would necessarily be paid as
rental BY the Government In spite OF
any building program that might be
entered upon by the Government
Included in the total are rents for
branch post cfIices, which cannot be
considered permanent, and for other
activities which would not warrant
the outlay OF considerable sums of
money tor permanent headquarters.
But 1t is safe to say that very con-
siderable part of this huge rent list
would be Topped off If the Government
would really undertake TO meet some
of its major building requirements.
1t is twelve years since the last pub
lie buildings bill was put through Con
gresS. That measure, passed at the
close Of the Taft administration. car
ried 81, ,063 $50 in appropriations and
authorize tions. Some of the buildings
then authorized have not been con-
structed simply because the limit of
cost authorized bV law was entirely