Evening star., 1941-01-26

Arlington County, Va, although
choice of the site has been criticized
in some quarters, and a third is ap-
propriated for.
1t has been due largely to the
efforts of the Buildings Admins
tration and the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission that
a solution to the housing problem
other than the completion of the
enormously expensive monumental
building construction program has
been found.
Today the Capital City is faced
not only with the problem of hous-
ing workers, whose numbers have
increased by leaps and bounds under
the New Deal, problem which could
be dealt with more or less leisurely,
but also with the problem of pro-
viding for emergency expansion for
national defense, which must be
dealt with Immediately.
Space Control Figures.
Clay Gutheridge, in charge of
Government space control, provided
some facts and figures anent the
housing problem. There are 125
Government buildings in Washing
ton totaling 1637O,OOO net square
feet, and 173 leased buildings total
ing 100000 net square feet. These
figures exclude the Capitol buildings,
and Offices, the museums and semi
public structures. In addition to
the foregoing are five projects,
which will provide 1,635 900 addi-
tional and four more appropriated
for but not started, which total
1,565,000 feet more.
Those under construction are the
Social Security and Railroad Re-
tirement Board buildings, of 100000
and 100000 feet, respectively; the
Navy-Munitions penthouse of 3O5,-
600 feet, the additional wing on the
east end of the Navy Building of
10000 feet, and the first unit of
the new War Department Building,
100000 feet.
Federal Office Building No. 2
Census is No. u, to be placed at
Columbia pike and Arlington Ridge
road, will provide 100000 feet: the
new General Accounting Office
Building "a monumental type struc-
ture) will provide 665,000 feet, and
Federal Office Building No. (site
unchosen) will provide 400,0 900 feet.
The new central heating plant, to
be placed at Twenty-ninth and K
streets NV, is not included in the
square feet of office space tabula-
ton.
It is Federal Office Buildings Nos.
!, 2 and 3 which are significant as
representing the solution which has
been found for emergency hous-
ing.
Official Solution.
Mr.. Gutheridge presented the
Official version of the solution" as
follows:
During the last 20 years, the
Federal Government has spent
Sl40,O00,O0O in the construction of
departmental Office buildings in
shington-building planned to
provide adequate facilities for every
major agency-yet emergency con-
ditions today have created a situa-
tion where more than one-third of
the Federal employees who work in
the Capital City have their desks
in rented space, anywhere and
everywhere, commercial office build
ings, garage lofts. historic mansions
and even theaters.
with additional Offices available
for leasing now at premium, and
new construction not vet caught UP
with the demand, makeshift ar
rangements are again the order
of the day in solving the seriou,
space problem presented by the
thousands of new workers arriving
In Washington under the nationa,
defense program.
1.-THE shortage of space in Wash
ington today recalls similar prob.
lem in the hectic days of 1917 anc
1918, and the solution then and the
proposed solution now offer ar
interesting contrast.
"At the beginning of the war pc.
Rod in 1917, it must be remembered
however, that neither the Natior
nor Washington was prepared II
meet emergency needs of the Gov
ernment. Declaration of war CAM
suddenly, and defense had to begil
at once. BY the summer of 1917, tn
Federal pay roll in washington hat
risen to 41,417 employees from
norm of $4,000. BY the end Of 1915
the total had jumped to ll7,760.