New Britain herald., 1926-05-25
P.O. ENLARGEMENT
 MAY BE A DREAM
Fate Of New Britain Project Is
 Hanging in Balance
GEORGE H. MANNING

Washington Bureau Of N. B. Herald)
 Washington. D. C., May 25 LR- Whether the remodelling and exten- sion of the New Britain post office building will be begun during the next fiscal year. which commences July 1, 1926, or delayed until 1927 or 1928, is expected to be decided within the next 10 days, it was stated today by James P. Wetmore, supervising architect, treasury de- partment, In charge of all construc- ton and repairs to federal buildings.
 With the Elliott-Fernald bill adopt ed by the house and senate, and ap- proved by President Coolidge. appro- priating s165,00O,000 for a year federal building program, the super yising architects office has thrust upon 1t the task of hurriedly prepar- ing plans for building construction to he undertaken next year in order to present estimates to congress calling for expenditures of s25,000,000.
 Secretary of the Treasury Mellon and Postmaster General New are now going over reports of the need for new or enlarged post office quarters all over the country for the purpose of selecting the cities where federal building construction is most seriously needed that can be under taken with the $25,00Q,000 per year limit set by congress,
 The post office and treasury de- partment officials are now preparing q list of cities where new post office buildings are needed or where present buildings need remodeling and exten- sion, arranged in the order of great est necessity. The supervising archi- tect will go down this list until h& has reached the limit of construction that can be undertaken within the limit of s25,000,000 and that list will be included in the estimates to be sent to congress in a few days when the request Is made for appropria- ton of the first $25.O00.0O0 allot- ment. to become available July 1, 1926.
 If We Are Not Near Top
 If New Britain is near enough to the top of the list to get inside the first $25, 5,000,000 worth of construc- ton it is reasonable to expect that work on remodelling and extending the New Britain post office building will be commenced during the com- ing summer. If New Britain is too Fl 1ict |, included in the first years building program, it is expected that city cer- tainly will be taken care of during the following fiscal year which commences July 1. 1927.
 The supervising architect, the sec retary of the treasury and the post master general are very much "up in the air" as to how to proceed to carry out the authorizations under the Elliott -Fernald bill which com pletely changes the method of erect ing public buildings and have very little time to arrange their plans be- cause they must submit complete estimates and plans to congress when the $25,o0Q,00 allotment is re- uuested, and that estimate must be before congress in a hurry in order to have the appropriation included In the final deficiency appropriation bill to be passed before congress ad- iourns next month.
 "Pork Barrel" In New Garb
 Although congress passed the El- liott-Fernald bill with the full knowledge that it was breaking up the old pork barrel" and Hog rob- Ing" system and giving to the post master general and secretary of the treasury the power to dictate where federal buildings shall be erected and at what cost in future, the sen ate put an amendment in the bill which compels the two cabinet officers to submit 10 congress q com plete plan of what they intend to lo with the appropriation, includ- Ing names of the cities, limits of !. cost etc. along with each annual request for the allotment.
 This reserves to congress the bower to approve or alter each year the plans of the secretary of the treasury and postmaster general re- sardins federal building construc- lion. If congress is opposed to put | ing a building at q place selected Jointly by the two departments; wants one built or enlarged in some sity not provided for in the esti- | mates, or differs with the depart