Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23
Official u. S. Homes in Other Lands Gain in Beauty

the Nation had increased greatly sin;e
the war. Investments of capital IN
other lands likewise had increased.
In addition to these reasons, Congress
was told while it was considering the
legislation that rentals Tor buildings
used by the foreign service had mount
ed in many places following the war
neriod The House committee which
drafted the foreign buildings act re-
ported in 1926 that the amount pelhg
expended annually for rent at that time
was equivalent to per cent interest
on nearly $l4,000,000, whereas the 1of-
eign public buildings act calls ior
capital investment OF only SlO,UOU,UVO'
spread over period OF years.
This building program, therefore,
aims at economy, efficiency and greater
convenience for those who transact
business at the foreign offices OF their
Government, as we'll as to give the Gov
eminent appropriate accommodations
for its foreign establishments.
When the present program was au-
thorized nv Congress in 1925 this coun-
trv had diplomatic establishments IN D!
CAPITALS of the world, in only IA OF
which we're the structures owned oy
the Government. At that time there was
a total of 584 governmental agen lies IN
foreign countries, employing mole tnan
1000 persons.
$40 900. 900 foreign building autnorlza-
ton Congress had made several at
tempts to improve housing conoltlons
abroad In some cases special acts were
drawn I'D to take care of specific places,
and in 1911 it passed law authorizing
purchase of diplomatic and consular
buildings, subject to such appropriations
as Congress might make from time 10
time. but with the limitation that the
maximum cost in any one place snoulo
not exceed S150,000 and the MAXIMUM
aggregate in any one year snoulo not
be more than 100000.
Under these prior statutes the Gov
eminent had acquired embassy ana le-
cation buildings in dozen or more
foreign countries. but 1t was founo lnaC
the limitations on cost imposed by the
1911 law proved inadequate 10 permit
of acquisitions in many places.
The present law is regarded as pro-
vidinr a more business-like procedure
bv authorizing a lump-sum fund ad-
ministered by a commission. The conn.,
mission is composed of the Secretary OF
state. Secretary of the Treasury, Secre-
tarv of Commerce and the chairman
and ranking minority members OF the
Senate and the House committees on
foreign relations.
X X
WHILE the State Department t Is the Il,
w primary agency in foreign az
fairs, most of the other departments
of the Government have functions to
perform abroad, including Commerce.
Treasury and Agriculture. One Of the
objects of the building program Is to
provide centralized and co-ordinated
office accommodations for these various
agencies in those foreign ports where
such a course is feasible.
The Department of Commerce has an
interest in the problem of appropriate
housing for. foreign governmental &C
tivities, because 1t has representatives
in various parts of the world engaged
in the task of promoting foreign COM
merce.
The method of taking care OF the
housing needs in each place will depend
upon a study of the local requirments.
In large city like Paris the central Of
fee building for various government ac-
tivities. separate from the residence Of
the diplomatic representative, would be
practicable In other localities, where
activities are limited,
Office and residence struc-
lure would be feasible.