Evening star., 1941-07-28
War Building
In Arlington
Approved in Bill
$4,000, 900 Provided
For New Structure
Across River
Ry LANES E. CHM.


Without a record vote. the House
late today passed and sent TO the
Senate the first supplemental ma
tional defense appropriation bill,
which contains an item of S35 ,000,-
900 for construction in nearby Ar
lington County. Va. of huge new
building TO house the War Depart
ment
Before final passage, the House
firmly rejected two attempts of
Representative Hull, Progressive, Of
Wisconsin TO have the project re-
moved from the measure. He de-
scribed 1t as staggering and as
tonishing," and urged that more
time be allowed for both Congress
and the press to study 1t, since the
plan had been advanced suddenly.
The total amount in the bill Is
So 063 ,238,478, including S4,760 .203.-
8l3 for the Army. to equip and
maintain a land force of 1.727.000
men. plus critical items for a 3.00O.-
000-man Army,
Increases in Personnel.
The Navy would get s1.569. .374.665
including funds to increase enlisted
strength from $4,000 to 1863. 900 and
the marine personnel from $4,000 tC
rs 900 men.
Two influential House member
Chairman Woodrum of the De-
f1ciency Subcommittee of the Appro-
priations Committee and Repre-.
sentative Taber of New York. rank.
ing minority member of that COM
mittee-took the floor during de-
bate to stress the economy of erect
ing the proposed new War Depart
ment building in Arlington County
rather than in the District.
Representative Hull, in his At
tack on the plan, expressed the
belief that if it is carried out, fal
more than S35 100000 would ul-
| timately have to be spent to pro-
vide additional crossings over the
Potomac River for the 10000 en-
ployes that are expected to be quar-
tered in the building eventually.
To Use 67-Acre Tract.
The proposed new building
which would be the largest Federal
office structure in the country-is
scheduled to be erected on a g.
acre site of the former Agriculture
experimental Farm property on the
| Virginia side of the Potomac which
was turned over to the War De-
1 partment sometime ago
Representative Woodrum ex-
planned the building would not be
ornate or monumental in character
! like some of the new Federal build
lngS in Washington. Instead, he
said. it would be three stories in
height. without "frills or fancies OF
| dance halls or elevators" EScala-
! tors. however. are planned TO take
/ the place of elevators.
This is the first time" he de-
/ clared, that We have approached
the problem of relieving the Gov
eminent housing space in Washing
ton in a logical manner. 1t is one
of the best things We can do for the
defense program"
| A year and half ago-long be-
fore President Roosevelt declared a
national emergency. Mr. Woodrum
pointed out. Government agents
were going all over Washington"
renting apartment houses and pri-
vately owned buildings for tempo
rary Office space. The War Depart
ment. he said. now occupies II diff
ferent buildings. and if the proposed
new structure is erected it will save
the Government between S2.5000 900
and S3.000000 a year in rentals.
Forecasts Traffic Relief.
Representative Case, Republican,
of South Dakota. inquired about the
| traffic situation that would result in
locating the new building in Airing
| ton County.
! Representative Woodrum ex-
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