Evening star., 1941-08-06
Reynolds Joins
Foes Of Virginia
War Building
McCurrun's Stand
Backed by Military
Committee Head

Chairman Reynolds of the Sem
ate Military Affairs Committee an
nounced late today he believed the
proposed S35 100000 War Depart
ment Building should be kept in the
District, shortly after Chairman Nc
Carran of the Senate District Com
mittee had taken the same stand.
Senator Reynolds said also he
thought the Soldiers Home grounds
might be given consideration as a
possible site and that he would sug-
geSt his committee look into it.
Although the proposal to put the
big War Department structure on
the Arlington experimental farm in
Virginia is before the Appropriations
Committee rather than the Military
Affairs Committee, Chairman Reyn-
olds' statement gave new impetus
to the opposition to the Arlington
County site.
Meanwhile, Senator Reynolds in
troduced bill authorizing the Presi-
dent to acquire "for such use as he
may determine upon" approximately
Is acres of land near Arlington Me-
mortal Cemetery, but said it had no
connection with the proposed War
Department project. The area af-
fected by the bill was described as
being bounded ON the south by the
cemetery, on the north by Lee boule-
ward and on the east by Arlington
Ridge road and on the west by North
Meade street.
Ample Room in District.
Senator McCarran. member OF
the Appropriations Committee, de-
clared earlier, that there is ample
room for all of the space the de-
partment needs in the District and
1t belongs in the District"
If the Government begins to erect
Federal buildings outside Washing
ton, he said, other similar proposals
will follow and there would no
longer be a centralized seat Of Gov
ernment where the Federal Govern
ment exercises exclusive control.
He pointed out that one OF the
main reasons the Judiciary Commit
tee voted recently to shelve the Dis
trict suffrage amendment was that
it Is essential to retain exclusive
Federal control over the Capital.
Senator McCarran said that If
the time ever comes when there Is
not enough room in the District for
Federal activities, some of the resi-
dents should move. He believes,
however. there Is ample space.
Hearing Tomorrow.
Meanwhile. the Appropriations
Subcommittee considering the War
Department proposal expected to
hear various Government officials
for and against the proposal tomor-
row in executive session.
Placed in the supplemental de-
fense bill by the House, the build
ing project has incurred the oppo-
sition of agencies charged with
National Capital planning. The
Fine Arts Commission has opposed
it, pointing out that the Arlington
Experimental Farm long ago was
designated for future enlargement
of Arlington National Cemetery.
The National Capital Park and
Planning. Commission has urged
that the dimensions of the building
be scaled down, citing the traffic
and other public service problems
that would be created by the con-
centration of so many employees in
Arlington County.
Belief that the wide expanse of
the grounds of the Soldiers Home
would make an adequate and suit
able site for the proposed building
was voiced by Commissioner John
Russell Young.
While making clear that the selec-
ton of a site was not the RESPONSE
bility of the District Commissioners,
Mr.. Young said a suggestion that
the Soldiers Home grounds be used
appeared to him to be "a splendid
idea" He did not indicate how de-
tails of the plan might be worked
out and said he had no intention
of suggesting that any action be
taken.
The Commissioner declared he
felt there was no reason which
compelled the placing of the build
ing in Arlington County. He said he
felt the Soldiers Home grounds
were so large and so situated that
traffic congestion would not be as
great there as in other places where
the War Department building might
be erected.
For one thing, he explained, the
Soldiers Home grounds offer ample
space for off-street parking and for
other facilities.
He added that he did not know
whether it would be desirable to
move the Soldiers Home to some
new location, but that he felt this
would not be required.