Evening star., 1939-01-05
Federal Construction
In D. {. Spurred in
Budget Program
Social Security and
RoiIrood Retirement
Buildings Included

RoiIrood Retirement
Buildings Included
Several Federal building projects
would be continued here, and some
smaller new ones would be in
augurated under various separate
budget estimates submitted to Con-
gress today by the President. Sew
eral projects are under supervision
OF the procurement division, Treas
ury Department.
Outstanding among the big prof.
ects are buildings for the Social
Security and Railroad Retirement
Boards, to be erected on the south
side of the Mall facing Independence
avenue between Third and Fourth
streets S.W. An item of $4,000, 900
for next year, as compared with
100000 from P. w. A. funds this
year, is recommended to 60 for
ward with the structures, which
have q cost limit of $14,25O,OOO.
To continue the purchase of site
and beginning of construction of
the War Department Building, be-
tween Twenty-first and Twenty
third streets and New York and
Virginia avenues, $5,000,000 Is rec
commended, as compared with
s3,000,000 this year. The first struc-
ture for this department would be
only one unit of group, which
has been authorized to be built un-
der total limit of cost of SIC, BIS 900.
No Navy Building Fund.
In this connection it is signifi-
cant that no appropriations were
provided for new Navy Depart
ment Building. During the present
year $4,000 was provided for con-
struction of an additional story on
each Of two wings of the Navy De-
partment Building.
Conspicuously absent also was any
appropriation for the Navy to con-
tinue work at the Navy Medical Gen.
ter for which ground recently was
purchased near Bethesda. For this
year, there was an appropriation of
$4,850 900 for acquisition of land and
construction of buildings, including
utilities, accessories, and appurten-
ances, as previously authorized.
In this connection, is was recalled,
the President in his message indi-
Gated he would submit recommend
ations for new $500,0O0 900 program
on national defense "at later date"
This is expected to be soon, bpt
whether the Chief Executive will in
clude an estimate to continue the
Naval Medical Center or start
Navy Department Building remains
to be seen.
S680,000 for st. EliZabeth's.
The Interior Department was
listed for an item of $3.50 900 for con-
struction and equipment of two con-
inuous-treatment buildings at st.
Elizabeths Hospital, including prep
aration Of plans and specifications,
advertising and supervision of con-
struction. For this purpose there
was appropriated during the current
fiscal year S580,000.
The Department of Justice would
be given $208 900 for alterations and
repairs to buildings, at the National
Training School for Boys here, in
cluding not to exceed $150,000 for
construction of a new building to
provide dining rooms, kitchens and
other domestic facilities, and in
cluding purchase and installation of
machinery and equipment. For this
year, repairs to the plant were COW
cred by appropriation of $24620.
The Agriculture Department esti-
mates include S250,000 for construc-
ton and equipment, on the site of
the Weather Bureau in the District,
of the first unit of an extensible
building for the use of the bureau,
including necessary alterations in
the existing Weather Bureau build
ings.
Commerce Department estimates
include $500000 for the construction
Of a laboratory building, including
tunnel and generating room, upon
the site of the National Buerau of
Standards in the District, for use
in testing electrical and X-ray
equipment for the generation of
high voltages and for the testing
of X-ray and other electrical ap-
paratus.
s2,000,000 for Memorial.
The President recommended ST.
100000 to continue construction Of
the controversial Thomas Jefferson
Memorial on the banks of the Tidal
Basin, for which only $50O0 was
available this year.
An item of $4,000 is provided
for completion of the annex to the
Government Printing Office, for
which $2,500,00 was made available
this year.