Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-08
BUILDING FUND 0. K.
BY SENATE SEEN
House Amendment to Tri-
angle Bill Expected to Win
on Lenr0ot Motion.

When the bill authorizing S25,-
600, 900 to buy ALI Of the remaining
private land In the Pennsylvania
avenue triangle for new Government
buildings is returned 10 the Senate,
Senator Lenroot. chairman Of the
public buildings and grounds com
mittee. will ask the Senate to accept
the House amendment authorizing an
additional 100000. 600 for Federal
buildings throughout the country.
Senator Lenroot has been In
structed by the Senate committee to
make such motion. which. II
adopted by the Senate. will obviate
the necessity Of sending the bill 10
conference.
1t was not expected that the pubic
buildings measure would he called up
in the Senate this afternoon, but
that il would he taken up at an early
opportunity,
Fund Would Meet Need.
The House amendment increases
bv 800, 100000 the authorization ap-
nroved at the last session of Congress
for the construction Of postofflces,
custom houses and similar Federal
structures throughout the Uniteo
states and would enable the Govern
ment to make greater headway III
taking care OF the accumulated short
age Of housing facilities resulting
from the fact that there was no gen
eral Government building program
from 1918 until this year.
The A25. 900 900 authorization for
the District of Columbia was approved
hy the Senate several weeks ago ana
Is intended to enable the Government
to Law out it's new structures In the
National Capital in an orderly ana
attractive manner that will not only
meet the housing needs of the Govern
ment, but at the same time serve 10
improve the appearance OF the tfl-
angular stretch Of ground extending
from the Capitol to the White House
and bounded nv Pennsylvania avenue
r street. Fifteenth and Third streets.
Passed 294 to 83.
Under suspension of the rules, re-
curing two,thirds vote for passa ge'
nv q. vote of PA to 80, and with tnree
voting present" the House yesterday
snproyed the composite bill.
The Presidents signature Is assured
~ the Senate approved the change as
the Budget Bureau notified Congress
that these provisions are not IN CON
f1ict with the financial program OF the
President, and the figures are really
based on the commentators W
Secretary Mellon at hearing peIore
the House committee on public build
ings and grounds.
Half Of Total Wanted.
r,,r,ng the discussion on this meas
ure in the House YESTERDAY ~ vas
en,nha stzAd that this bill, with the
one ma ssed last year, makes just about
half Of the total amount that Will ne
required to complete the public oulio-
inc nroeram of the Government Dotn
in Washington and throughout the
country.
This mea sure makes the total avail
able for new public building projects
throughout the country 5000, O0o,oOO,
and makes $40, 000. 900 a year avail
ahla for the first three years, $2b ,OO0,-
o0O wear for the next two years
and S35 900 900 a year Thereafter.
This Is in addition to lb,0OO. OoU au-
thorized last year for public oniidinS
projects outside Of washington wnicn
had previously been authorized nut
which cOuld not DO c"ihpiete" "A1i
the limit Of cost.
The hill last year authorized $780,
600 900 as a start on housing the Gov
eminent activities in Washington
adequately in flreproof, modern office
buildings of ornate and monumental
construction and architecture. The
bin Yesterday provides SIS ,0O0.0 900. on
Secretary Melons recommendation,
for purchase of the land needed Tor an
orderly and properly co-ordinated
grouping of the new Federal build
ings.
Prompt Action Assured.
Assurance of prompt action in
carving forward the $50,000,00O pro-
gram for Washington was given by
the Treasury Department yesterday
in announcing that the Arm OF York
& SAWYER, New York architects, have
been engaged to prepare plans for the
new SIC, 900 900 Department Of Com
merce Building, which is to face Fiji
teenth street, south of the new De.
partment of Justice Building, which
is to be erected at Pennsylvania ave
nue. and Fifteenth street. The new
Commerce Building will extend to r
street between Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth streets.
The Treasury Department is pre-
pairing to start condemnation proceed
ings at once TO acquire title TO all of
the privately owned land south of the
avenue to the Mall, on which the Gov
eminent has held a dead hand for
more than quarter of a century,
thus preventing it's development by
private capital, so that it has become
run down and an eyesore.
Representative McKeown, Demo
crat, of Oklahoma, led the opposition
to the combination bill in the House
yesterday, but this opposition was di-
rooted entirely against the Reed bill
and not one word Of criticism was
spoken against the Smoot Underhill
measure for the $4,000, 900 Avenue
Mall triangle purchase. He was sup.
ported by Representatives Busbey,
Democrat, Mississippi; Bankhead OF
Alabama: Appleby, New Jersey; Wood.
yard. West Virginia, and others.
Elliott Backs Bill.
Chairman Elliott Of the COMMITTEES
on public buildings and grounds led
the fight for the bill and was support.
ed strongly by Representatives Ian.
ham. Democrat, Texas, ranking mi
nority member Of the committee:
Blanton, Democrat Texas, and others.
In explaining the triangle purchase
Mr.. Elliott said:
There are two propositions in.
volved in the bill. The first authorizes
the condemnation or purchase of the
triangle down on the Avenue in order
to get the land wherein we can pls ce
the Government buildings that were
authorized in the act of May 26. 1925.
Large numbers of the members of
this House have come to me from
time to time insisting that we do
something to clean up Pennsylvania
avenue and get rid of these old hop
Joints and eyesores down on that his
torio street When the Congress said
this was the place where they wanted
the nuhlic buildings built. then we pro.