Evening star., 1941-12-24
Object to Removal
Of Patent Office
Readers Protest Proposal to
Bonish Essential Agency From
Federal Seat of Government
To the Editor OF The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
I attended, as an interested spectator,
the joint meeting of the Senate and
House District Committees held Decem-
ber % for the purpose Of hearing testi-
mony relating to the impending re-
moval of certain Government agencies
from Washington to various distant
cities, IN accordance with the recent an
nouncement by the Budget Bureau. The
evidence developed was, to me, astound-
|. ing
Committee members first sought,
through representative OF the Budget
Bureau, to ascertain what considerations
had been taken into account by that
bureau in determining the agencies to
be removed. This attempt was wholly
frustrated by the inability or unwilling
ness of such representative to answer
the questions put to him. For example,
this witness was even unable to state
whether any estimate had been made
of the cost Of effecting the proposed
removals!
Other witnesses were not so bereft of
useful II was dcFClOpcd,
through competent testimony, that re-
moval of the Patent Office to New
York would cost approximately $3.50
600; that the annual rental of the nee
essary space there would amount to at
least $250000 per annum; that. If the
present premises of the Patent Office
must be vacated, 80 per cent of the per-
sonnel of that agency can be provided
with Office space here, in a privately
owned building now available at cost
of $500 per annum, the remaining 10
per cent being housed at small cost in
another building; that both the War
and Navy Departments have essential
daily contacts with the Patent once
through men who cannot be spared
from Washington; and. incredible as it
may seem, that the Commissioner of
Patents was not even consulted in con-
nection with the proposed move. A host
of other pertinent facts also was pre-
sented by well-informed witnesses. all
tending to cast grave doubt upon both
the wisdom and the necessity for the
proposed removals.
In view Of these circumstances. which
undoubtedly have already come to your
attention from other sources. I COM
mend the attitude of The Star as pre-
viously expressed in its editorial columns
and urge that you continue to press for
a complete and frank explanation OF
the necessity or desirability of the pro-
posed drastic action.
HAROLD F. WATSON.
To The Editor OF The Star
/ AS taxpayer who Yields TO no one in
! his desire to prosecute the war against
/ Hitlerism to a victorious conclusion
/ wish TO register a strong protest against
the waste of public funds which would
be involved in the proposed removal OF
the Patent Office to New York.
| AS understand it, the reason for the
removal is to make room for new per-
sonnel resulting from expansion of the
war agencies. Well. if it is going to cost
! the Patent ONCE to New York. in addi.
ton to the permanent future annua
costs of maintaining contact between
| the Patent Office and the Government
Printing Office. Court of Appeals. War
Navy and Justice Departments. etc, why
not devote small fraction of this sun
to the erection of temporary buildings Il
house the new offices?
There are about / 400 employees in the
, Patent Office, and equivalent Office space
to house the newcomers certainly coult
be obtained for good deal less thar
the s500,000 considered necessary to NOV,
the Patent Office and its personnel.
These considerations are entirely aside
from the manifest unfairness and cruelt!
of evicting these old citizens and house
holders of Washington in preference t,
the transient or newly arrived worker
in bureaus and Offices which have bee
established here only for a few month
or years. The latter are mostly young
sters who have no family ties in Wash
ington and do not intend to settle her
permanently anyway; these might gladl
agree to go to New York. 1t would seen
that in the interests of morale and fai
dealing the Patent Office should be on
of the last Offices asked to leav
Washington.
WILLIAM P. MCDOWELL.
To the Editor Of The Star