Evening star., 1926-01-09
BOARD TO Be GIVEN
PLENARY POWER IN
BUILDING PROGRAM
Public Buildings Commission
10 Pick Sites and Decide
Structure Types.
WETMORE is WITNESS
BEFORE HOUSE GROUP
Describes Relief Already Obtained
by Makeshift Arrangements
Over United States.


Selection Of sites. arrangement of
buildings for most efficient work of
the agency to occupy it and determi-
nation of which activities of the Gov
ernment should be first housed in new
Government.owned buildings will be
left to the Public Buildings Commits
sion under the s165. 100000 general
public buildings bill, on which hear
ings are now being held and on which
favorable action by both houses of
Congress at this session is expected.
This was made clear today by
James A. Wetmore, supervising archi-
tect of the Treasury. witness at
the hearings before the House COM
mittee on public buildings and
grounds. In reply to questions from
members of the committee, Mr.. Wet
more explained the work of the Pub
lie Buildings Commission and said it
is the best qualified agency to de-
termine and administer the housing
needs of the Government in the Dis
trict of Columbia. He pointed out
that the bill under consideration pro-
poses TO extend TO the Public Build
ingS Commission the authority il nov
exercises over other public buildings
now occupied in Washington.
Will Testify Monday.
When the committee adjourned to-
day Mr.. Wetmore had not completed
| his testimony. and will be the witness
! again Monday morning at 1890
| o'clock.
Makeshift efforts have relieved
some of the most pressing congestion
| in post offices throughout the coun-
try. it was explained by Mr.. Wetmore,
| who called attention to annual appro-
| priations of several hundred thousand
dollars with which the Treasury De-
partment has been able to remodel old
| buildings to more adequately take care
OF overcrowded conditions. The limit
that can be spent on any one project
| under these annual appropriate is
$4,000. These annual appropriations
are distinct from the appropriations in
! the general public building bill now
under consideration.
Most of the hearing today centered
| about the section of the bill author
izing an expenditure of $4,000, 900 on
IS unfinished projects previously au-
thorized.
Sustains Moss View.
In reply to questions regarding the
| policy heretofore employed by the com.
| mittee in designating the specific loca.
| ton and cost of each public building
to be erected, Mr. Wetmore reiterated
the statement made by Mckenzie
| Moss, Assistant Secretary of the Treas
| ury, at the hearing Thursday, in
which he said that the old policy would
| be easiest from an administrative
| standpoint for the Treasury Depart
| ment, but that from the standpoint of
good business the new policy of au-
| thorizing the Treasury Department to
select the location in the order of most
urgent need was a wise one.
| Representative Woodrum, Democrat.
of Virginia asked that the committee
be supplied two lists, one Of places
where new buildings are most urgent
| ly needed, and the second, a list of
previously authorized buildings. which
| would be completed under the specific
appropriation of $15,000,00O in the
! Elliott bill, now under consideration.
Again at the hearing today it was
emphasized and re-emphasized that a
very unbusinesslike policy had been
followed in allowing the public build
ing program to get so far behind
hand, since the building has by no
means kept pace with the increase in
| business. and there is a crying need
| all. over the country for ADEQUATE
! quarters.
Favors Larger Fund.
In reply to questions by the ranking
| Democrat on the committee. .Represen.
tattve Fritz Lanham of Texas, renewing
suggestions previously made by Mr..
| Woodrum. that the annual appropria.
ton should be increased from S25. 600.
900 to $4,000, 900 in order that S25..
100000 might be available for new
| buildings all over the country. in.
stead Of s15,00O,00O as now proposed
while s10,000,000 year is to be used
for adequately housing Federal actiy.
.ities in Washington, Mr.. Wetmore
said that to the extent that the limit
might be increased, relief NAV be
more, quickly afforded.
1t was also made clear that author
lty was carried in the bill for the
Treasury Department to investigate
building conditions all over the coun J.
try so as to be able annually to
present to Congress a list of new
buildings to be erected in the order
Of relative Importance, that mona nj
the expense of this Investigation
would come out of the lump sum an
thorization of $165, ,O00, 900, which
would be used entirely for erection OF
new buildings.