Evening star., 1931-12-29
Whole Downtown Problem to
Be Studied at Later
Period.
ECONOMY PREVENTS
DATA SUBMISSION
New Authorizations to Congress
Barred by Budget-Future
Report Promised.

When Government workers move soon
into the new Department Of Commerce
Building serious study will be made of
the parking situation in that part of
the Federal triangle by the Treasury
Department in an effort to solve the
much h-discussed question of what is to
be done about the whole downtown
parking question.
This was disclosed today by Mai.
Ferry K Heath, Assistant Secretary Of
the Treasury, in charge of the public
building program.
Although the Treasury Department
has much data on hand concerning the
triangle parking problem, and was pre-
pared to submit the question to Con-
gress for solution, the administrative
policy of submitting no new authorize
tions for additional expenditures to
Congress this year has deferred the
Treasury from making its suggestions.
Director of the Budget J. C. Roop
recently explained this new policy would
serve to advance the public building
program and other programs Of the
Federal Government which have been
specifically authorized. But he empha-
sized the budget for this year would
approve no new authorizations to go to
Congress.
Problem Considered.
The parking problem in the triangle
was recently brought to the fore by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission in its annual report, which
reiterated it's suggestion that the new
public buildings in the triangle should
contain storage space for cars OF en-
ployes of the Government.
Mai. Heath said Office space was too
valuable to be used for garage space.
1t has been figured out that to house
penditure of $1,000 Of Government
money, the interest on which would run
from $50 to $50 year. Whether Gov
ernment workers would be willing TO
spend this much or more for storage
space, whether Congress would be will
ing to provide such space at rental TO
cover the interest on the investment or
whether Congress would be willing to
erect garages for free parking OF Gov
ernment employees are serious questions,
not for the Treasury but for Congress
to decide, Maj. Heath said.
Unwilling to Pay.
According to a study made of the
situation, Mai. Heath said 1t had been
estimated that the rank and file OF
Government employees would not be
willing to pay garage rent on Govern
ment-erected building, sufficient to carry
the actual cost.
The new Department of Commerce,
which cost $17500,0 900, has been con-
structed with space for five official cars
to be parked and no more. There Is
room, of course, for the departmental
trucks and necessary service automo-
biles, but only space for five official cars.
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission said it has always ad-
vocated that the triangle should be self
contained as to parking and has re-
peatedly brought the matter to the at
tention of Treasury officials and the
Public Building Commission.
Ask Parking Space.
"In the opinion of the commission"
said it's report, parking facilities
should be provided within the buildings
and courts of the triangle for the use
of employees and persons doing business
with the Government at q reasonable
charge"
The new Department Of Commerce.
with about 5000 employees will develop
a situation which can be studied after
the Government workers move in, ac-
cording to Maj. Heath.
One specific recommendation OF the
PARK ana PlanQulR COI1ulISSlOfl ucdlI1ss
with the rental of Government garage
space was recalled today in this con-
nection as follows:
"The policy Of progressively and per-
sistently, increasing the strtngency of
restrictions upon the free storage of
vehicles in the streets and parks should
be so clear and so firmly established
that fear of competitive free storage
provided by public authorities at the
expense of the general taxpayers will
not deter investors from providing
convenient and economical storage
spaces on private property in the busi-
ness district at charges commensurate
with the cost of the services and with
the value of the service to those who
use it,
The storage in Government space for
Government workers, the commission
said, except in the case of official cars,
should be provided only on the basis
of a reasonable charge sufficient to
cover the cost of the service; so that
those to whom the convenience of such
storage on valuable central land is not
worth its real cost may use the public
transportation systems. Otherwise they
obtain luxury at the cost of others,
which is not worth what 1t costs