Evening star., 1935-02-05
BUILDING Of NEW
ACCOUNT OFFICES
WILL Be WEIGHED
Remodeling of Pension
Office Structure to Be
Discussed.
FINE ARTS COMMISSION
TO MEET FEBRUARY 20
Land Swap May Be Effected in
Rearranged Plan for Munici.
pal Center Project.

The plan Of the District Commits
sioners to use part of Judiciary Square
at Fifth and E streets for the new
Municipal Center development. as
projected under revised plans, brings
into focus the problem of new build
ing for the General Accounting Office
The Fine Arts Commission, it was
learned today, will take up this ques-
tion when 1t assemblies here on Feb
ruary % for its monthly meeting.
H. P. Caemmerer. executive secre-
tary of the commission, revealed that
the advisability of remodeling the old
Pension Office Building at Fifth and
G streets, on Judiciary Square. now
occupied by Controller General Nc
Carl and his forces, will be thor
oughly discussed. There is feeling
In certain quarters that the cost of
remodeling this old structure, by con-
structing additional wings, would be
out of keeping with the results to be
attained.
No Site Chosen.
Some proponents have advised the
commission that they would like to see
the General Accounting Office given
new quarters. In the Governments
building program here no permanent
site has been set aside for such
building, although it has been dis
cussed on numerous occasions. 1t Is
considered likely that the commission
will discuss at its forthcoming meet
Ing the possibility of locating the Gen.
eral Accounting Office Building on one
of the blocks which the District Com
missioners would give up in the rear
ranged plan.
There might be land swap between
the Federal ana District Governments,
the municipality getting part of Ju-
dietary Square in exchange for one of
the blocks purchased for the new Mu-
nicipal Center. While nothing official
has yet been discussed on this, it is
considered one of the possibilities in
the situation seen by observers.
The new land transfer act, which
was enacted through the efforts Of
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, permits the ex-
tlldIi6C Vi ldlIu OClNCCIl
Government agencies, without the
necessity of having to go to Congress.
McCarl Fears Proximity.
Controller General McCarl, it is
known, has objected in the past to
having his Office too near the execu-
tive departments, fearing that Off
cials would be running over and ask
ing for informal opinions on a variety
of subjects
At one time plans were afoot to
erect the controller generals new
building in the vicinity of the new
Supreme Court Building on Capitol
Hill.
With the New Deal spending bill
lions. with s4,880, 100000 more in
sight for public works, the General
Accounting Office foresees an even
greater deluge of work, to say nothing
of the regular business of the Gov
ernment. Officials feel that such an
important arm of the Government,
which is credited with saving Uncle
Sam millions of dollars since it was
established shortly after the war,
should be adequately housed.
Richard N. Elliott, former Repup-
lican member of Congress from In
diana, and now assistant controller
general, played major part in
Washington's public buildings pro-
gram. He was chairman of the
House Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds when the plans for
the Federal triangle-now practically
constructed-were in the formative
stage. Elliott is expected to have
major hand in any plans for a new
General Accounting Office Building.