Evening star., 1941-08-20
Roosevelt Asks
Army TO Redraft
Building Plans
Order Affects Both
Size Of New Offices
And Arlington Site
BACKGROUND

And Arlington Site
BACKGROUND
Construction Of s35, 900 900 War
Department building on grounds
OF old Experimental Form in
Arlington County ,Oos author
ICED in supplementary military
supply bill passed By Congress
and sent to President 1t has
been opposed on ground that the
Arlington property should be
held tor Arlington Cemetery eT-
panSion and because Of truHc
congestion project MOULD create.
Government also 'rds urged to
make building only halt as large
as contem plated.
President Roosevelt today di-
rected the Army to redraft its
plans for the $35,000,000 War
Department Building for which
the Arlington Experimental Farm
was selected as the site.
The order relates to both the
size of the building and its lo-
cation.
The Presidents action was taken
during a 45-minute conference at
the White House with Assistant Sec
retary of War John j. McCloy and
Brig. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell.
chief of the Construction Division
of the Army's Quartermaster Corps.
Emerging from the discussion with
the President MI. McCloy told re-
porters the President had ordered
the restudy, adding:
He told us to put three shifts on
the study and come back as soon as
the work is done"
Asked If the President had ruled
out the Arlington Farm site. Mr..
McCloy replied that it is still a
possibility
New Ideas" Given.
Mr.. McCloy and Gen. Somervell
both said the President had given
them some new ideas" about the
building.
They declined to say whether
these new ideas involved placing the
building in the so-called Northwest
rectangle, between the Interior De-
partment Buildings and the river.
Neither of the War Department
representatives would comment on
the Presidents intentions regarding
the possibility of veto of the multi
billion dollar appropriation bill car
rying funds for the project. The
bill needs only the Presidents sigma
ture to become law.
The President told his press con.
ference late yesterday that he IL
opposed to the War building on the
Arlington site.
Considers Another Plan.
Reviewing the history OF what
he termed dissertation of the parks
by Government buildings, the Presl-
dent said he had had part in that
with construction of the present
Navy and Munitions Buildings and
that he did not want to do it agair.
He said he was considering plan
whereby the new War Department
Building on Virginia avenue would
be expanded and the new Navv
Building built on the other side
of the Naval Hospital. Then. ne
said, the new Navy Building could
be turned over to the War Depart
ment for use during the emergency
and released to the Navy when
peace comes. This scheme would be
in accord with the Northwest
Rectdngle plan.
The President expressed belief
such a system could be worked out
well.
Plans for the building showed ths
structure to be much larger than
needed. and, in addition, would spoil
for another hundred years a plan
for Identification begun about $50
years ago, the President said.
Wouldn't Obstruct View.
The present plan which permits
an unobstructed view of Arlington
National Cemetery, and the Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier. is known
to thousands of tourists throughout
the length and breadth Of the United
States, he said. expressing a sincere
hope that he would not be a party
to any construction that would spoil
this plan and the view.
Illustrating his feelings on the
| subject of the citys parks, the
President reminded press confer
ence of an old story he had told be-
fore on himself. He said he really
doubted if he would be allowed to
enter Heaven because he had been
responsible for desecrating the city
| parks of the most beautiful city in
the world in 1917.
At that time. ne said, he took up
with President Wilson a plan to
build a temporary building for the
Navy Department on the oval south
of the White House President Will
son asked Mr.. Roosevelt. then AS
sistant Secretary of the Navy, why
he had picked that site.
Would Have to Be Removed.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he had picked
it because it would be so unsightly
it would simply have to be taken
down at the end of the war.
President Wilson said, however.
that he could not stand the ham,
mering and saving so close to the
White House, so the building was
put up in its present location in Po-
tomac Park.
The danger of fire in wooden build
ings then caused Government Of
f1cials to make the building fireproof.
and the President said, it is just as
solid today as the day 1t was finished
in 1918.
The building was so satisfactory
| that a similar structure known as
the Munitions Building was built
beside it.
Americans leovine Horbin