Evening star., 1938-01-05
new BUILDINGS
|. H|NTED IN BUDGET
Roosevelt Message Sup.
ports Adequate Housing for
Agencies in District.

Although recommending . continu-
anoe OF certain public building prof.
ects here in the District, including
the Government Printing Once an
mex, President Roosevelt ir his budget
message to Congress today threw
mystery around the future Of build
ing program here In the National
Capital.
Generally he expressed himself
strongly in favor of restriction Of
public building projects but added
significantly, except for meeting the
problem Of adequate housing for Gov
ernment departments and agencies In
the District Of Columbia
The amount recommended for pub
lie buildings outside the District Of
Columbia was restricted for 1889 to
only sl1 100000, as carried out by the
Procurement Division, Treasury De-
partment, compared with $23.O00,000
last year. This is all . part Of the
S70,000,000 program authorized by
Congress.
Security Building Rumored.
Meantime there were strong rumors
that the Government will do some
thing about construction of new
building for the giant Social Security
Board, one of the biggest of the new
agencies, which promises to be one
OF the most permanent This prob
lem has been up several times. No
item is included in the budget mes
sage for such new building, but
several factors pointed to Its posi-
bility.
President Roosevelt himself, prior
to the recent recession" placed So
cial security first on the list Of build
ings needed here in Washington for
housing Federal activities. He had
named also the War Department and
Navy Department. Preliminary plans
already have been made for the War
Department, but no funds are avail
able yet for construction in an area
just east Of the Naval Hospital.
Furthermore q proposed amend
ment again was submitted to Con-
gress by the President to change law
80 as to authorize the Procurement
Division, Treasury Department, to ac-
cept funds appropriated to other de-
partments and establishments Of the
Government for construction Of build
ings. Thus If Social Security Board
should get an appropriation for
new building it could turn 1t over to
the Treasury Department for con-
struction. In the past the Treasury
has constructed many buildings for
other departments from other appro-
priations but has encountered COM
pications In the transfer Of funds,
such as delay in payment until after
the Job was done. The new plan
would facilitate such construction.
Building Limit Raised.
For the Government Printing Office
annex, to be built at the corner of
North Capitol and G streets, an esti-
mate for 1899 Is carried In budget
in the sum Of $3,50e0O0. But Of
still further importance Is the fact
that the limit of cost for the combined
building projects for the Govern
ment Printing Once was increased.
These two jobs include the new ware
houe on the east side OF North Capt.
tol street opposite the Government
Printing once, which Is nearly nm
ished, and the projected new annex,
to be erected when an old brick build
ing can be torn down at North Capt.
tol and G streets. The limit of cost
for both Of these buildings Is in
creased from $5.885,00o to Ss,7ss, 900.
This includes some repairs to the old
Government Printing once.
The big appropriation carried last
year. amounting to moro than s2.-
100000 for the new annex 70 the
Bureau Of Engraving and Printing.
was not renewed in this years budget,
Is the structure Il nearly complete
But there is an increase Of $4,000, 600
in the Bureau Of Engraving and
Printing estimate for next year, neces-
sary ito meet the bureaus increased
work program and to provide for the
operation Of the new annex building.
which will be completed within thu
present fiscal year"