Evening star., 1942-03-12

chasing around from department to
department"
AS the hearing began Mr.. Mellett
made public a letter he had sent
Chairman Byrd, defending the need
for the central information struc-
ture. Mr.. Mellett said:
ITO perform the functions de-
scribed by the President, 1t was
essential that an office be provided,
preferably one with ground floor
space, in the most central location
available.
I'VE asked for and obtained from
the Park and Planning Commission
the ALLEGATION of the space on the
Government-owned land at the
corner of Fourteenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue. At the same
time we asked the Public Building
Administration to provide us with a
building adequate to the intended
building be of size sufficient to
house other operations Of the ONCE
Of Government Reports, and permit
us to relinquish our present rented
quarters. We hoped it would be
of sufficient size to enable us to
meet any later expansion that might
result from further additional duties
imposed on our Office as part Of
the executive office Of the President.
Building Is Costing 100000.
THE Public Buildings Admins
tration has planned and is now
building a two-story structure that
will provide $1,000 square feet of
usable floor space. The estimated
cost is 100000. The Government
is at present paying, in our behalf.
$4,000 rent per annum for 10000
square feet of such space in the
upper floors OF a commercial Office
building At the same rate per
quarter foot, $4,000 feet would cost
the Government more than $l55,-
600 per annum. AS real estate
values are sometimes expressed, this
would mean the new building should
pay for its own cost in less than
four and half years.
Mr.. Mellett said a similar need
for central information Office arose
in 1884, resulting in establishment
of the United States Information
Service, as division Of the National
Emergency Council 1t is now in
o. G. R. Mr. Mellett quoted a news
paper in 1884, stating the bureau job
was to make the going rough 1or
lobbyists" Then he added: "Wheth-
er or not the Information Service
did make the going rough for lobby
lists, and whether or not such lobby
lists have reason to be concerned
now, is difficult to say. However, it
is certain that the service rendered
has been useful over the years to
hundreds Of thousands of citizens
and that in recent months, because
Of the vast expansion Of war and
war production activities in Wash
ington, the demands on this service
have grown very great.
Calls Expansion Inadequate.
'We have no illusion that the eX-
panded operation We are planning
will meet completely the immense
problem presented by present con-
ditions in Washington, but we do
believe we will be able to improve
the situation so greatly as to more
than justify the effort and expense"
Mr.. Mellett emphasized the pro-
posed new headquarters is not 10 be
a press release bureau to duplicate
work of departments, but was to be
q place where businessmen and
other citizens could be directed to
any official in the Government.
In his letter Mr.. Mellett referred
only to 10000 square feet of existing
space occupied at Fourteenth and
G streets, and which is to be given
up. Under committee questioning.
however, he explained o. G. r. also
occupies space at present on H street
and a former automobile showroom
on upper Fourteenth street, aggre-
eating in all 10000 square feet. The
new building on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. will contain only $4,000 square
feet.
I'm other words, whether Congress
approves or disapproves, you'll do il
anyhow" asked Senator McKellar.
I'VE have no notice Of the will of
Congress-" Mr.. Mellett responded,
insisting that he knew only that
the personnel and equipment money
was not put in the last deficiency
bill.