Evening star., 1941-12-31
House Group 10 Call
0. P. N. Officials on
Moving From Capital
War Organization Is
Accused Of Trying to
Run Out Old Agencies

Oficials of the Office of Production
Management will be called early next
week to testify before the House
Subcommittee on Decentralization of
Government Agencies, Chairman
Downs announced today
The decision was reached after
Representative Manasco, Democrat,
OF Alabama insisted that such ac-
tion be taken.
They're trying to run out the
old-time agencies from Washing
ton while 80 per cent Of their own
employees could be moved out of
Washington without any impair
ment of the efficiency of the organ
isation," Representative Manasco
declared.
Meanwhile the subcommittee
heard S. D. Schell. executive direc-
tor Of the Maritime Commission.
protest against removal of that
agency from Washington. Mr..
Schell testified that this action
would impair the war program.
Others Coming Here.
The commission now has some
1900 employees in Washington and
about the same number in the field,
but an increase of TOO or 300 is
expected in the near future and
about half of the new employees
would be stationed in Washington,
Mr.. Schell said. He added, however,
that space would be provided for
them In the Commerce Department.
The subcommittee also heard a
recommendation that the Fish Snd
Wildlife Service be moved to the
Patuxent MD Wildlife ReServa-
ton instead of Chicago, as proposed.
The proposal came from Ira N.
Gabrielson, director of the service,
who asserted that the agency could
be properly housed at Patuxent for
five years at a cost of S250,000 while
the cost for the same period in Chi
cago would be $498,000. The service
has 800 employees in Washington
and 1900 in the field.
Chairman Downs remarked that
he had received protests from all
over the country against the pro-
posed relocation of the Wildlife
Service in Chicago.
Questioned by Chairman Downs
whether the Budget Bureau had
held hearings or had made sur
vey before deciding to transfer the
Wildlife Service, Dr.. Gabrielson said
that no hearing had been held and
no survey made. as far as he knew.
Senator Radcliffe. Democrat, of
Maryland, a member of the Mi
gratory Bird Conservation Commits
sion and representing the Oyster
Institute. also protested against
transfer of the Wildlife Service.
Representative Bland, Democrat,
Of Virginia, accompanied by Will
liam S. Snow of Alexandria. a men,
Der of the Inland Game and Fish
Commission, also opposed vigorously
transferring the Wildlife Service
from the Washington area.
While the decentralization hear
ings continued. it was disclosed that
representatives of the Securities
and Exchange Commission and the
Public Buildings Administration
visited Philadelphia yesterday to
canvass Office space available there
for the S. E. C. Under the decen-
tralization program announced re-
Gently, the S. E. C. would be trans
ferred to Philadelphia.
Richmond Faces Crowding.
Earlier, the S. E. c. had considered
the possibility of moving to. Rich
mond instead, but S. E. G. officials
expressed the view today that most,
II not all, housing facilities avail
able in the Virginia city would be
required for the Patent Office. 1000
of whose employees are scheduled to
be moved there early in January.
They feel it is unlikely that Rich
mond could accommodate another
large Federal agency.
The S. E. C. has about 1900 en-
.ployes in Washington. 1t plans to
keep a liaison office here. stated
with a small group of employees.
Though giving no hint of what
further transfers of Federal agen-
b cies from Washington are contem-
plated, President Roosevelt pointed
out at his press conference yester-
day that this is a time of war, and
warned that its hardships must be
shared by civilian workers as well
as the men in the armed services.
- Every effort is being made. the
Chief Executive added to minimize
the decentralization of government
families and individuals. Certain
inconvenience are inevitable and
must be eXpected be said