Evening star., 1941-08-12
Senators Back
Arlington Site
.ForWar Office
Ickes Condemns Plan
As Turning Parks
Into Traffic Ways
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

The Senate Appropriations
Committee today approved the
proposal to build the $35 ,000, 900
War Department Building at the
entrance of Arlington National
Cemetery, as Secretary OF In
terror Ickes, head of National
Capital Parks, condemned the
project as one designed to turn
our parks into mere traffic ways"
and ruin the setting of such
national symbols" as the Lee
Mansion.
The Appropriations COMMITTEES
was understood to have voted down
by a substantial majority a motion
by Senator McCarran. Democrat, of
Nevada, to erect the building in the
District of Columbia.
Senator McCarran was said to
have been supported by Senators
Maloney, Democrat, of Connecticut,
the chairman of the Public Build
ings and Grounds Committee, and
Senator Green. Democrat, OF Rhode
Island, a member OF the committee,
which earlier in the day had re-
quested opposition TO the general
practice in recent years of erecting
buildings without consulting that
committee.
Parks Into Traffic Ways
In his statement. Secretary Ickes
warned that this Government must
consider what it is doing to its parks
and monuments if any action is
taken to establish a 10000 person
building for the War Department
across the Potomac River in Vr.
ginia.
He continued:
I'VE have spent millions OF dollars
IN retaining the District shores of
the Potomac for Potomac Park,
which is now one of the most beaus
tiful and most intensively used areas
hereabouts. II such vast structure
as is proposed is built across the
river. regardless of legal conadera-
tlons, 1t will tend 10 turn our parks
into mere traflc ways and spoil the
setting of such national symbols
| as the Arlington Lee Memorial and
other monuments
In my capacity as head of the
National Capital parks, we are al
ready having a terrific time pre-
serving the parks as parks and pre-
venting them from becoming high.
ways and parking plots for mo.
| torists
Il hope that no action is taken on
the proposed War Department struc-
| ture in Virginia that is incomplete
and not thought through, with the
result that at some subsequent date
We shall be asked to build expensive
new approaches and bridges without
being provided with money and su-
thority for such appurtenances
now"
Buildings Committee "By-Passed."
1t was reliably reported Just be-
fore the Appropriations Committee
! approved the War Department prof.
ect in voting out the $4,000, ,000, ,000
supplemental defense bill, that Sen
ator Green would raise on the Sen
ate floor the issue of the Public
Buildings Committee being by
passed" when new buildings are un-
der consideration.
This committee took no formal ac-
tion on the War Department Build
ing because it felt that q point OF
order could not be raised against
the item in the Senate since 1t had
been acted on by the House
At the same time. however. It sig
nified general opposition to the pol
Icy of sending public buildings to
other committees by voting to ask
the Senate to recommit authorize
ton for a site for a new Army med
ical library and museum.
That bill came before the Senate
yesterday from the Military Affairs
Committee and was blocked tenn
porarily when Senator Taft, Pepub-
lican of Ohio protested against fail
ure to consult the Public Hearings
Committee.
In approving the War Department
project. the Appropriations Com
mittee followed the lead of q sub
committee which acted yesterday.
After the subcommittee decided in
favor of the Arlington site, it be-
See WAR BUILDING, Page A-sJ