Evening star., 1940-01-04
District Taxpayers
Relieved Of Cost for
White House Flowers
Roosevelt Agrees to
Shift 5000 Shore
In Item to Government

| SuIIl %|SZVV JuOIS
In Item to Government
Relieving the District OF Colum-
bia of the inequity of having to
share in the expenses OF MAIN
tanning greenhouses for supplying
the White House with flowers, the
1941 budget sent to Congress today
transferred full responsibility for
such service to the Federal Govern
ment.
This was disclosed when it was
learned that an estimated appro-
priation of $4,000 which otherwise
would have been paid out of Dis
trict funds, in accordance with long,
established custom, has been trans
ferred to the Interior Department
budget.
Formerly, funds for maintenance
OF the greenhouses, which are To-
Gated west of the Bureau of En-.
craving and Printing in West Po-
tomac Park. had come from three
sources, the District of Columbia,
the White House and National
Capital Parks, which is under the
Interior Department. With the
District eliminated from the pic
ture, the funds will now come from
the White House appropriation and
Federal funds supplied for the gen.
eral maintenance of National Capi.
tai Parks.
1t is said that the use Of park
funds is justified by the fact that
the greenhouses also furnish shrub
berry and flowers for the parks, in
addition to furnishing flowers for
/ the White House.
$500 for 1910.
| Last fiscal year, the appropria-
ton for the support of 80 green
houses amounted to about S65000.
OF this amount, the District budget
contributed about S8,70O and the re-
mainder came from Interior De-
partment and White House funds.
! The Districts share of these ex-
penses for the 1941 fiscal year was
originally estimated at about 5000.
This item now has been transferred
to the estimates for salaries and
expenses of the National Capital
Parks. National Park Service"
According to one official, 18 of
the 33 greenhouses are used princi-
pally for the needs of the White
House. There are also three So
called cold frames" and the rest Of
the greenhouses are used to raise
flowers and plants for the reserva-
tions under control of National
Capital Parks.
Officials say it is necessary to keep
ready supply of flowers of all sorts
on hand for the ordinary as well as
the emergency needs of the White
| House. The heaviet use of these
flowers is in connection with state
functions and private receptions and
the word greenhouses" appears in
the s152,750 estimated appropria-
tions for maintenance Of the Execu-
tive Mansion and grounds.
1t is understood that the White
House will pay s13.756 toward the
upkeep OF the greenhouses, although
this figure does not show in the
official budget. It was believed that
ultimately the budget may show
even more specifically all funds
actually used to supply flowers for
the White House.
Roosevelt Acts,
Unknown to President Roosevelt,
the District has been defraying a
part of these greenhouse expenses
for years, as it had done under pre-
vlous administrations. When this
matter was brought to the atten-
ton OF Mr.. Roosevelt for the first
time in connection with the new
budget. he acquiesced in the judg-
ment that District taxpayers should
be relieved of any share in the ex-
penses of flowers used exclusively
for the White House.
AS a consequence, the budget
transferred the sum of $1,000 which
ordinarily would have been supplied
from the District budget to the ap-
preparation for National Capital
Parks, and thus does not decrease
the funds available otherwise for
park maintenance.
There was no breakdown of the
total expenses for the 80 greenhouses
In the budget since it is a matter
OF bookkeeping. The District under
the 194l budget will continue to
make small contribution in propor-
tlon to the service it receives but
officials said local contributions to-
ward services rendered the White
House are definitely "out."
Study Plans to Move Greenhouses.
National Capital Park officials, it
was learned today, are studying
plans looking to the eventual re-
moval of the greenhouses and park
workshops from West Potomac
Park. The site which they have in
mind is the Washington Airport at
the Virginia end of Highway Bridge.
This will be available for acquisition
after the new National Airport at
Gravelly Point is finished and oc-
cupied.
1t has been recommended to
Secretary Ickes by the two experts
he engaged to make a study of Ma
t1onal Capital Parks that the adj
ministrative Offices be moved from
the Interior Department to a more
convenient location. If plans Of
park officials ever materialized, the
administrative Offices would be
moved also to the Washington Air
port site.
Another reason for the proposed
change of location for the green
houses is the Thomas jefferson
Memorial, which is now under con.
struction on the south shore of the
Tidal Basin. 1t was felt that the
greenhouses and undecorative work.
shops would detract from the gen.
eral appearance of the shore op-
posite from the memorial, especially
as it is planned to give the shore