Evening star., 1932-02-27
zoo GROUPS BACK
ARCHITECT BILLS
Join IN Urging Legislation to
Deeentraiize Function of
Treasury Office.

More than 200 national and local
organizations, representing the building
industry as well as engineering, indus
trial, labor, civic and other groups
have ioined the American Institute of
Architects in urging the enactment by
Congress of legislation to decentralize
the function of the Office of the super
vising architect of the Treasury, 1t was
reported today.
The Washington, D. c., chapter of
the institute, of which George Oakley
Totten, jr., is president. is working
actively in behalf of the legislation.
In a statement prepared for the
House Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds, Louis La Beaume, chair
man Of the Institutes Committee on
Public Works, asserts the changes
sought will result in finer public
architecture of greater local expression,
place at the disposal Of the Govern
ment the Nations best architectural
ability and check the growth Of Fed
eral bureaucracy
THE Office of the supervising archi-
tect Of the Treasury has for many years
maintained a large staff engaged in
the preparation of plans and specifica-
tions for Federal buildings" Mr.. La
Beaume said.
THE architectural profession has
frequently commented on the growth
of this bureau and urged upon the
Government, from time to time, the
employment Of independent pract1cing
architects resident in the localities
where Federal buildings are to be
erected.
Definite Policy Is Aim.
'In 1880 the so-called Keyes-Elliott
bill granted the Secretary of the Treas
ury discretionary powers to so employ
outside architects. Under this dis
cretionary authority the Treasury De-
partment, charged with the execution
of the present Federal building pro-
gram, has contracted during the past
year for the services of some two hun
dred architects outside of the depart
ment.
when the appropriations are ex-
hausted, however, the discretionary
Treasury for the employment of out
side architects and engineers will lapse.
The purpose, therefore, of the bills be-
fore the Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds is to establish a
definite governmental policy, which will
at all times bring to the service of the
Government the ablest professional
ability in the country.
THE Nation is entitled to these serv-
ices, and the employment of skilled
architects and engineers, resident in
the States or general sections of the
country where Federal buildings are to
be erected, will result inevitably in the
creation of structures more appropriate
to their surroundings and more express
sive of the character of the communi-
ties which they serve
Several bills are before the House
Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds-al of them have the same
end in view and all agree in principle,
although they differ somewhat in de-
tail
I'VE are addressing ourselves partic-
uiarly to II. r. 6187, introduced by
Representative Robert A Green of
Florida, because this bill has become
familiar to the entire architectural pro-
fession and the building industries of
the country and has received wide
spread Endorsement. This bill recog-
nises the Importance of the Office of the
supervising architect of the Treasury
and provides for its continuance with
certain limitations.
This bill does not in any way alter
Or diminish the authority of the office
of the supervising architect of the
Treasury over governmental expendi-
lures for public buildings. That office
VIII continue to exercise complete con-
troll over Federal contracts for public
buildings, and will continue to act as
the representative of the Government
in supervising the construction and
erection of all Federal building projects
under the jurisdiction of the Treasury
Department.
The employment of architects and
engineers outside of the Office of the
supervising architect will simply make
permanent the policy now being fol-
lowed in the case Of the present Fed
eral building appropriations. If the
present policy is sound it should be
continued and set on firm founda-
ton.
Want Bureaucracy Checked.
I'VE share the belief of large body
OF public opinion that the growth of
Government bureaucracy which we
have been witnessing during the past
few years should be checked. We op-
pose the continued encroachment of
the Government into the field of pri-
vate initiative.
we have stressed in our bill the i'm
portance Of employment on the highest
grounds Of proven professional ability.
Men thus drawn into the service Of the
Government may be depended upon to
exercise their highest skill in the op-
erationg intTuSted to them. Their rep
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