Evening star., 1941-07-16
Move kSped
.ToExpand Office
Space Here
House Unit to Probe
Leasing of Dupont
Circle Apartments

held the spotlight today among sew
eral important developments of the
defense building program here.
Other developments we're:
l. Refusal of the House Yesterday
to consider a proposal by Chairman
SABBATH of the Rules Committee for
the creation of a special committee
to investigate the practicabilitv of
moving non-defenSe Federal agen-
cies away from Washington.
2. The promise of Chairman Lam
ham of the House Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds that
his committee early in its hearings
next week on the decentralization
proposal will investigate the circum-
stances surrounding the Govern
ment's proposed leasing of the Du-
pont Circle Apartments.
Tenants Still Adamant.
TWoscore tenants OF the Dupont
Circle Building still occupied their
apartments there today, despite the
management's request that they va
cate yesterday or sooner. Among
those refusing to move out were
some holding leases for as long as
two years.
The President request brings to
sl7.lOOO00 the total appropriations
asked during the past year for addi-
tlonaI Federal office buildings. Sites
for seven temporary buildings have
been selected in the District and
another three or four similar struc-
lures will be situated in nearby Vlr-
glnia and Maryland.
A statement by Budget Director
Smith accompanying the Presidents
new request indicated it is planned
TO erect some of the new temporary
buildings on the Arlington Expert
mental Farm land adjacent to Ar
lington Cantonment Others prob
ably will go up at BeltSville. Suit
land and Bethesda. The buildings
must be put on Government-oWned
land.
Space Needs Are Acute.
"As the defense program is ad-
Vanced, office space requirements
in the District have become more
acute the budget director said.
Careful analysis indicates that at
least a million square feet of addi-
/ tional space will be required before
June 30, 1912. to accommodate the
known expansion of Federal activ-
tiles.
In arriving at the estimate of ad-
ditional space requirements consid-
Grafton has been given Cd the
amount of space to become available
through construction presently pro-
vided for; C2) the housing shortage
IN the District caused in part by the
conversion of apartment houses for
office use; 81 the possible reduction
IN requirements due to the decen-
traAzatlon of some activities.
Traffic Problem Noted.
Consideration has been given to
the location of some of the buildings
In or near the District on Govern
ment-owned land for the purpose of
alleviating traffic congestion and to
avoid the purchase of additional
land in the District.
The estimate contemplates pro-
vision for approximately $4,000
square feet of space through con-
struction of additional temporary
buildings in nearby Virginia to the
extent of about 100000 square feet
and 100000 additional square feet in
buildings of more permanent char
acter on Government owned sites
such as those at Beltsville, Suitland
and Bethesda, Md"
The House rejection OF the
SABBATH proposal for creation of
the special committee to investigate
Federal decentralization came after
Mr.. Lanham had told the body his
committee has been studying the
idea for some time. After the vote,
which was 203 to 70. Mr.. Lanham
said hearings will start next week.
In his plea for a special investi-
eating committee, Mr.. SABBATH
argued that numerous bureaus and
agencies could be transferred to
New York, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Detroit, Denver and other cities.
An example of the need for decen-
tralization, be said, was the Dupont
Circle Apartments. He termed its
proposed leasing to the Government
the most outrageous action which
could take place"
Support for Mr.. Sabath's proposal
came from Representatives Pheiffer,
Republican, of New York; McLaugh-
lin, Democrat, of Nebraska and Hal
leck, Republican, of Indiana.
AlOlishing of Units Urged.
Mr.. Halleck, minority representa-
tive on the Rules Committee, de-
clared it is the duty of Congress 10
determine which agencies, if any,
should be removed to relieve the
congestion in Washington.
He also joined with Representa-
tive Bulwinkle, Democrat, of North
Carolina and Representative Rich,
Republican, of Pennsylvania in pro-
posing to abolish numerous boards
and agencies in the interest Of
economy in non-defense items.
Chairman Lanham's contention
that the House should support its
standing committee and kill the
SABBATH resolution was supported by
Representative Rankin, Democrat,
of Mississippi; McGregor. Repub-
hcan, of Ohio; Wilson, Republican,
of Indiana, and Bender, Republican,
of Ohio.
Lot of Nonsense"
Mr.. Bender declared the agencies
should be kept where they belong,
right here in Washington" He de-
scribed the SABBATH proposal as "a lot
of nonsense to spend more money in
veStigating where else money can be
spent and to transfer spending to
other places.
Meanwhile, the suggestion that
Federal employees be polled on their
willingness to be moved from WASH
ington to other cities before any
decentralization order is carried out
was advanced by an official of the