Evening star., 1941-05-22
Planners toAct
Today on Sites
For Buildings
Water Supply and
Pollution Reports Also
To Come Up

Action on the selection of sites in
the District of Columbia for tenn
porary Government Office buildings
was to be taken today by the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, beginning its two-day
May session.
Although no announcement of the
commissions stand was forthcoming
yesterday, i. was considered likely
that approval would be given at least
one of the sites in question-that
on the Mall.
The Public Buildings Administra-
ton already has awarded a contract
for construction of single tenn
pOrary Office building on Independ-
ence avenue between Fourth and
Sixth streets S.W.
The second site the commission
will consider is on the grounds OF
the Army War College where three
buildings are planned Chairman
Reynolds of the Senate Military
Affairs Committee announced sew
eral days ago he was opposed TO
placing temporary Offices there be-
cause of secret military work being
carried on at the college.
Senator Reynolds also indicated he
now is in favor of giving the Gov
ernment discretionary power as to
whether the buildings should be
placed in or outside the District.
Restricted in Bill.
The P B A originally planned to
put some Of them in nearby Arling-
ton County. Va, but in making
available s41OOOOO for construction
of temporary Office buildings Con-
gress ruled they should be placed
within the city limits on Govern
ment-owned property.
Among other items the planning
group was to consider today were
three reports, the first on the ade-
quaCy of the water supply for the
area served by the District system.
This report was compiled by the
District Engineers Office at the
commissions request, it was said.
The second report covers the
sources Of pollution of the Potomac
River below Washington and was
prepared by the Public Health
Service. Results Of a recent con.
ference between members of the
commission and the District En-
gineer Office regarding navigation
and food control projects associated
with the Annacostia River we're to
comprise the third report.
This afternoon, members Of the
Planning Board were to make a field
inspection trip to the new District
Armory, the defense housing project
in Anacostia and the area involved
in the proposed extension of South
Capitol street bordering on Boiling
Field
Whitehurst to Present Program.
Tomorrow, Capt. Whitehurst, Dis
trict director of highways, will pre-
sent to the commission for approval
| his preliminary highway survey re-
port, on which the District Com
misSioners now are holding hearings.
Capt. WhitehurSt also will present
revised plan for a grade separation
| at Fourteenth street and Maine
avenue S.W., it was announced.
John Nolen, jr. director of PLAN
ming for the commission, is to report
on a recent conference he held with
Virginia officials regarding the pro-
posal to extend the southern ap-
proach to Arlington Memorial
Bridge through Arlington and Fair
fax Counties to connect with United
States Route l.
Mr.. Nolen also is to present a new
plan for construction of a tunnel
beneath the Potomac River between
Alexandria and Washington.
Thomas S. Settle. commission
secretary is to make his usual report
on the status Of legislation affecting
the work of the commission.