Evening star., 1934-10-14
BELTSVlLLE FARM
BUILDINGS HALTED
AS PROBE STARTS
Continued From First Page.)

was spent in an irregular" way,
which might possibly involve the hir-
ing Of skilled labor to do one class
of work and putting the labor on
different kinds OF work.
Secretary Ickes directed Louis r.
CLAWS, chief of his Bureau OF Investi-
cation, to make the inquiries. 1t was
expected a report would be made soon
to the Public Works Board.
The official explanation given by
the Department Of Agriculture yester-
day was to the effect that the funds
allocated to the projects gave out due
to increased cost of labor and mate
rials."
Within the last six weeks, q new
director In charge of the work at
Beltsville has been appointed. He il
z. N. Bressman, a scientist prominent
ly known as an authority on poison
sprays. Earl Sheets, former chief Of
the Animal Husbandry Division, was
transferred some time ago TO an Agri-
culture Department field station In
Florida. Department officials, how
ever, say his transfer had nothing to
do with the situation at Beltsville,
where he was generally in charge Of
the work.
Say Coordination Lacking.
The Bureau of Plant Industry and
the Bureau Of Animal Industry, with
their numerous divisions, all had q
hand in the drafting of plans for the
experimental station. According to
reports. there was evident lack of CO.
ordination in the plans, waste and in
efficiency IN carrying them out Civil
Works Administration and C. c. G.
men were employed on the project;
contracts let to private companies and
a general lack of cohesion, 1t was in
dicated, resulted in labor and material
costs far exceeding original estimates
A visit to Beltsville yesterday re-
vealed great deal of unfinished
work In the section east Of the Bal
timore Boulevard, where the activities
in husbandry are being carried on
At the Department of Agriculture. II
was said that work had been halted
for lack Of funds on the partially
completed nutrition laboratory, the
largest building in the section; on
another large building for small test
animals, several poultry houses and
the horse barn.
One large barn for pedigreed bulls
was TO be boarded up, workmen said
because work had been stopped. Only
the exterior Of this structure was
completed,
Big Buildings Unfinished.
The nutrition laboratory is des-
tined-Vhen Secretary Ickes says the
word-to be Q three or four story
stone and brick building. It Is now
up only to the first floor. Back OF
this is another brick structure for the
testing Of small animals, which is also
unfinished.
The poultry houses are back OF
these buildings. They are small
frame houses and about 80 of them
were seen scattered among the trees
Many of them are unfinished and
there has been space. apparently re-
served for other poultry houses not
yet started.
Beltsville is where the Department
Of Agriculture is centering all its ex-
perimental activities. now scattered
over the country. The Arlington, Va,
experimental farm and the station at
Bethesda, Md, soon are to transfer
their activities tc the cultivated
acreage at Beltsville, which actually
80. -
and west sides Of the Baltimore
Boulevard.
The project has been enthusiastic
cally supported by Secretary wallace
and UnderSecretary Tugwell.