The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-06-28
i. PREPARING
FOR MILLION
TOLNEHERE
BY EARL GOODWIN

by EARL GODW1N
Washington's population,
which has doubled in the last
~ years will reach q million in
about is years, and will be
ringed around with an enorm-
ouSly increased suburban area at
the present rate Of growth.
Federal buildings will be con-
fined practically to the present
triangle" and to a northern
triangle which is really the
space stretching westward from
the State War and Navy Build
ing, and will be a compact col
lection of new buildings comprtS-
ing the real Federal city"
If present indications are car
fied out, the proposed new So
cial Security Building will be on
Q site southwest Of the Capitol
Grounds, and nearby will be q
large Federal housing project
to take care Of a large proper.
ton of the 5000 employees (and
more) of that activity.
Utilities Making Plans
These are a few developments
which are taken for granted by
Government planners and puonc
utility officials who have to plan
and finance for future decades
Of Washingtonians.
Already the electric light ana
telephone officials are preparing
for heavy growth northward into
MARYLAND, as well as southwark
and westward into Virginia ana
there Is sharp increase in home
building in the District east OF
Anacostia.
The new building for the Gen
aral Accounting office, If all goes
vel with that unit and it is not
tempered with too severely in the
proposed reorganization OF Gov.
eminent offices Is being placed
BY the higher Government Off
Gals in the block bounded by
Third, Fourth, c Streets South
west and independence Avenue.
This is to have nearly 10000
square feet Of space according to
the present plans, which is great
increase in contrast with the pres
ent 100000 square feet for the
General Accounting Office.
New Triangle Building
In the new triangle Of Govern
ment buildings stretching to the
westward, there are already sew.
eral buildings, such as the In
terror Department Buildings, Fed
eral Reserve Building, Public
Health, Pan-American, Red Cross:
the proposed additions to the
Naval Hospital are presumed to
be going just west Of the present
hospital site although there is
talk of this enlargement going
elsewhere. to-. e..
1t is apparent that the NUM-
tions and Navy Buildings which
are wartime relics and which spoil
the beauties Of the northern edge
Of the Lincoln Memorial Reflect
ing Pool, will be removed and two
new fine War and Navy Buildings
to cost between II and % million
dollars each will be erected along
r Street between Twentieth and
TwentySecond SITS. N. w.
Planners and utility officials
also seem to have common under
standing that the Department of
Agriculture which has the appear.
ance of having outgrown its
clothes, will spread until it fills
another triangle-that bounded by
Fourteenth ST., Virginia Ave. and
the railroad tracks on Maryland
Ave-, with the Apex at Ninth st.
S.. w., where the Procurement Di-
vision warehouse is now located.
Million in Is Years
Washington's population was
100000 in 1910 and today, q
years later, it is roundly 100000.
Population growth, as measured
by utility experts, will bring the
National Capital to 1,000,0 900 in
Is years at the soonest, or 10 years
at the latest unless some new
trend or event makes a change.
The Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone people are figuring on
that basis.
Government trends are for
more instead Of fewer employees.
Before the World War for several
years the average Government
employment figures show about
$4,000 employees here. The peak
war time employment figure
was 117,0oO and the Bureau Of
Census shows that there were
116,375 Government employees in
Washington. April 80, 1887.
u. S. Staff Growing
Present proposals include Fed.
eral Government activities, such
as the wage and hour bill, which
will require scores Of thousands
of employees to carry on the new
functions; and q survey Of prob
abilities shows that even with
drastic cuts in some Of the emer.
gency agencies the net result
within year or two will be much
larger number Of Federal en-
ployeS.
The Presidents plan for rear
rangement Of the Government Of
fices includes no proposal for cuts
in personnel; and according to
the President himself the eff
ciencies Of his plan would not
make much Of a reduction in
force-not more than three per
cent over the whole United States.
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