Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-24
Orders Are Issued for Pre-
Iiminary Surveys to
Study Project.
GENERALIZATION OF ALL
UNITS IS H0oVER'S AIM
Present Structure Would Be Used
for Diplomatic Business of
Government.

In preparation for the materially
broadened activities President Hoover
plans for the State Department, orders
were issued yesterday for preliminary
surveys to be made looking to the con-
struction of a new War Department
building, leaving the entire State, War
and Navy Building to the diplomatic
business of the Government.
Until q few years ago the big gray
stone building opposite the executive Of
fee was occupied, as its name indicated,
by the State, War and Navy Depart
ments. The increased activities Of all
three departments during the World
War made it necessary for one of them
to vacate The Navy Department was
assigned to temporary" quarters.
Plan Separate Navy Building.
Neither of the three departments ever
returned to the activities they were
limited to before the war. AS result
the present building program OF the
Government includes plans for sep
arate Navy Department Building, to be
situated near the present temporary
quarters on the Mall. In the meantime
the activities of both the State and War
DeDarLmenLS nave IlCICdSCu dpdCC'
The official orders issued by the War
Department yesterday contained an an
nouncement that board consisting Of
Mai. Gen. B. Frank Cheatharn, quarter
master veneral of the Army Maj. Gen.
Charles H. Bridges, adjutant general OF
the Army. and Brig. Gen. Ewing E.
Booth, assistant chief of staff, had been
appointed to make complete study ot
the need for a separate War Depart
ment Building.
President Hoover had written a letter
to the late James w. Good, Secretary
of War, directing the survey. Although
the White House would not comment
on the letter, 1t was understood that
President Hoover and Secretary Good
had discussed the subject together at
length and that had Mr.. Good lived,
the project would have been pushed to
completion as quickly as congressional
authorization could be obtained.
Departments Lack Capitalization.
Like most other Government depart
ments in Washington, both the State
/ and War Department now have i'm.
| portart activities scattered about other
| buildings, farsremoved from centralized
| control. The War Department, be.
sides occupying half Of the State, War
and Navy Building, occupies two tenn
porary structures on the Mall. The
State Department has activities scat
tered about costly suites In privately
owned buildings.
Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of State,
explained that it was obvious both de-
partmentS were overcrowded in their
! present Joint quarters. The need for
additional space for the State DEPART
ment, he said, was imperative. When
President Hoover's plan for broadening
! the activities of the State Department,
goes into effect, the State Department
will need the entire building alone.
There are numerous commissions I'M
der the State Department that are
scattered all over Washington. The
expansion program President Hoover
has in mind will necessitate many adj
ditional commissions. All, it was said,
should be housed in immediate contact
with the central control. 1t also Is
probable that virtually all Of the exist
| ing bureaus of the State Departm ant
will be expanded to meet present-day
requirements.
A further factor in desiring 10 sep
arate the State and War Departments
is the need for further expansion Of the
activities of the executive ONCE. Sec
rotary Stimson explained that the Pres
ident and Secretary Of State are
brought into more frequent contact
than any other members of the cab
met. The diplomatic end of the Gov
ernment's activities is a particular con-
Germ of the President. 1t is highly de-
sirable, therefore. that the two work IN
close cooperation. Secretary StimSon
said 1t was probable that for this rea-
son many of the activities of the White
House probably would be carried on in
Offices in the State Department Build
! ing when new quarters have been OBJ
| tanned for the War Department.