Evening star., 1926-02-14
BUILDING PROGRAM
VOTE TOMORROW
House Probably Will O. K.
Five-Year S5O,O0O,OOO
Plan for D. c.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Carrying $50 900 900 for a five-year
program to relieve the more pressing
needs for housing the most important
activities of the Government in Wash
ington in Federal-owned buildings
the $165. 600, 900 public building bill
the first bill of its kind in 13 years
comes up for consideration in the
House tomorrow, with a very strong
prospect that il Will be passed.
The action of the House will be
quick. Coming up under suspension
of rules, only 40 minutes is allowed
for general debate; there will be no
opportunity for amendments. and the
measure will be accepted or rejected
without change. 1t will take a two
thirds vote to pass it, but a careful
canvass Of the House shows that un-
less something unforeseen happens
there will be a safe ma jority. An iden-
tica, bill is awaiting action on the
Senate calendar.
The bill contains $50, 600. 900 for the
National Capital, 500, 900 900 for new
public buildings throughout the coun-
trv and $4,000, 900 for completion of
! building projects already authorized
Local Item Safe.
Inere lS no uIledSlllcSS dDOut lHc
$50 900 900 for Government buildings
in Washington--aS a matter of fact,
the local provision is what is really
pulling the general program through.
In the committee on public buildings
and grounds and in the House the
members have taken the provision for
buildings in Washington as sine qua
non," a foregone conclusion. The
only murmur of opposition has been
g., -hn n
realize that the buildings to be built
here are for the use of the Federal
Government and have nothing at all
! to do with the municipality of the
District Of Columbia.
1t Is almost certain that large
building to house the Internal Rev
enue Bureau will be the first one
started here. This probably will be
| followed by a building large enough to
house all the activities of the Con-
! troller Generals Office, so that the
substantive law for concentration and
unifcation Of the auditing OF Govern
ment expenditures may actually De-
come effective.
The only real fight in the House to-
morrow will be over the method OF
determining where the new buildings
| throughout the States will be located
and how much will be spent on each.
| The Elliott bill leaves that decision to
| the Secretary Of the Treasury, under
whose administration comes the super
| vising architect-witha provision that
the Secretary of the Treasury shall
| have the advice of the Postmaster
General on proposed buildings to be
used as post offices.
Pork Barrel Campaign.
| Representative Busby, Democrat, OF
Mississippi, is leading the fight against
the bill for the principle of the old
| time pork barrel method un&er
which the bill would name specifically
where each project would be located
and the allowance Of funds made for
each. In fact, Mr.. Busby introduced
a bill Of this character. incidentally
he included new buildings at a cost
of s65 900 each in three small towns
In his district-Kosciusco, Okolona
! and Winona-which have total pop
uIation of about 5000 persons. Mr.
| Busby's district comprises IL coun
ties and the total population is only
192,s27.
| AS matter of fact, the members of
the House generally know, and there
| is no question about that fact, that
this is the only kind of public build
ing bill that has any chance at all OF
| nassing. Either 1t is this bill or no
CONTINUED on Page 3, Column p