Evening star., 1932-12-09

The commission win be continued sole
iy as an advisory body.
6. The administrative duties, powers,
and functions of the Rock Greek and
Potomac Parkway Commission which is
now an independent agency. and the re-
tention of the commission solely as an
advisory body.
7. The administrative duties, powers.
and functions of the Arlington Memo
rial Bridge Commission which is now
an Independent establishment and the
in an advisory capacity.
8. The administrative duties, powers
and functions of the Commission of
Fine Arts which is now an independent
agency, and the continuance of the
commission to serve in an advisory ca
pacity.
/. 9. The administrative duties. powers,
and functions of the George Rogers
Clark Sesquicentennial Commission,
and the continuance Of the commission
as an advisory body.
10. The administrative duties, powers,
and functions OF the Mount Rushmore
National Memorial Commission, and the
continuance of the commission as an
advisory body.
IL. The administrative duties, powers.
4uLllt Va ONAlNioi AhRRAg
Committee, Treasury Department, and
the continuance of the committee sole
ly as an advisory body.
u. The Government fuel yards from
the Bureau Of Mines, Department Of
Commerce.
There follows a statement of the
origin, duties, and reasons for the
transfer Of each organization, bureau,
0f77re 0r activity nar1ad ah0vp
Office Of the Supervising Architect.
The Secretary Of the Treasury has,
been charged with the duty of con-
structing public buildings. Later the
Office of Supervising Architect was de-
veloped in the department to supervise
the construction of public buildings,
and to maintain and operate Govern
ment buildings outside of the District
of Columbia.
The Office Of the Supervising Archi-
tect advices the departments on such
construction matters as architectural
designs, general layout. structural fea-
lures, and mechanical equipment; it
makes surveys of public building re-
QuirementS, prepares reports showing
estimated costs, evaluations, etc., for
submission to Congress; and it prepares
plans and specifications for Govern
ment buildings, awards contracts there
for. and superviSes their construction.
The work Of this Office is essentially
connected with public works so far as
design and construction are concerned
and with service activities so far as care
and maintenance are concerned, and
therefore logically belongs in the depart
ment having jurisdiction over public
works and service activities. 1t is pro-
posed therefore to transfer the Office
of the Supervising Architect from the
Treasury Department to the Interior
Department.
Rivers and Harbors and Flood Control.
The Office of the Chief of Engineers
is in control OF all river and harbor i'm
provements and flood control, as well as
all military activities of the Corps of
Engineers. For many years, the service
OF Army engineers has been used in
making, planning and passing upon the
internal improvements in which the
Federal Government has been inter-
ested. In 1924, the President of the
United States was authorized by an act
OF Congress a Stat. L., %; approved
April 80, 1924 to cause the necessary
surveys, plans and estimates to be made
Of the routes of such roads and canals
as he might deem of national impor-
tance and was given authority to en-
ploy civil engineers and officers of the
Corps of Engineers of the United States
Army to prosecute such work. The i'm
portant tasks of improving the naviga-
ton of rivers and harbors were soon
added to the road and canal work.
Since that time, the Corps of Engineers,
under the War Department, has been
assigned a considerable volume of duties
relating to internal improvements and
today the principal non-military work
of the Corps of Engineers consists of
river and harbor improvements and
flood control.
The primary duties pertaining to river
and harbor Improvements which are
now performed by the Office of the
Chief of Engineers, under the direction
of the Secretary OF War, involve the
execution of work ordered by Congress
for the improvement of rivers and har-
bors and other navigable waters of the
United States This includes the max
ing Of examinations and surveys; ad-
ministration and enforcement of laws
for the protection and preservation of
such waters establishment of harbor
lines and anchorage grounds; promulga-
tion of all regulations for the use, ad-
ministration and navigation of such
grounds and for the operation of draw
bridges: removal of wrecks and other
distractions to navigation; approval of
plans OF bridges and dams; issuance of
permits for structures, or for dredging,
dumping or other work in navigable
waters and related tasks.
Certain branches of the rivers and
harbors and fiood-control work are
operated under the control of the Mis-
sissippi River Commission. the California
Debris Commission, the Joint Board of
Engineers for st. Lawrence River Water
way, special boards for the establish
ment ard modification of harbor lines
and certain other boards. A Board of
Engineers for Rivers and Harbors has
been established by statute under the
Office of the Chief of Engineers fer the
purpose of conducting certain investi-
Oationc and nacSipU 11ncn ro1anc