Evening star., 1942-10-03

1t. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, who
was in charge Of construction for
the Army at the time work was be-
gun on the new War Department
Pentagon building in Arlington, re-
piled yesterday to charges made by
Representative Engel, Republican of
Michigan, that there had been
waste in connection with the
project.
Gen. Somervell said the building
proper had cost $40, 1874 900, exclu-
sive of work on the approaches and
grounds. He held that this was not
excessive and pointed out that Con-
gress had been notified in advance
that the cost would exceed the
original estimate of s35 100000.
At the same time, he implied
criticism of Representative Engel
for setting himself up as judge of
what constituted a military secret.
Representative Engel, in airing his
charges, made public number of
figures marked "confidential' by the
War Department.
Letter to Woodrum.
Gen. Somervell's reply was con-
tanned in a letter to Representative
Woodrum, Democrat of Virginia,
ranking member of the House Ap-
propriat.onS Committee.
Representative Woodrum inserted
the letter in the Congressional Rec
ord, with the remark that it mot
only vindicates the wisdom of the
project but shows that the Corps
OF Engineers and the contractors
have carried the project through
successfully under the most unus-
ual and difficult circumstances"
In his letter, Gen. Sumervell said:
Il am in full agreement with the
statement of Mr.. Engel that the
building is we'll constructed with a
minimum of steel, with no unneces-
sary architectural features, such as
marble halls, fountains, statuary and
the like, that the Offices are very
simple, using a marked economy OF
space and lacking everything that
points to the elaborate.
Il cannot agree, however, that
the War Department failed to keep
faith with the Congress of the
United States with respect to the
construction of this building.
Included No Highway Costs.
I'm the House hearings of July %,
1941, stated that the building could
be built, on the then contemplated
site, for $35,000000 exclusive of IA
cilities). I pointed out that the Bu-
reau of Public Roads had already
prepared general plan for the
highway development from the
South and West to the City of Wash
ington and that the proposed build
ing site would fit into that layout
without difficulty. None of the costs
of this general highway system were
therefore Included in the estimates
In the Senate hearings of Au-
gust g. 194l, I stated, with reference
to the proposed change in location
it is impossible for me to give vol
any accurate figures on the southern
site I further added that the cost!
would be considerably increased due
to the additional roads and the ex.
pensive foundation and grading re-
quirements. You are Of course aware
that this change in site was made
The comparative figures as tt
building costs are extremely mis-
leading If those costs are not baset
on comparable facilities, as was tn,
case in Mr. Engels discussion. Tn,
Pentagon Building Is entirely self
contained including its own sewage
disposal plant. heating plant, etc. II
any event, it is hardly fair to charg,
the general road development of tn
Washington approaches against tn
per square foot costs Of the Pentagol
Building 49,.
If we compare the cost of tn
building proper, s49,194,000, we f1n'
that the cost per square foot gross i
only 1882. figure comparable t.
that of other Government buildings
Comparing the net costs is is foun
that the Pentagon Building drop
we'll below the others.
Changed After Pearl Harbor.
"The attack OIL Pearl Harbor o.
December Z, 1941, changed the re
quirements Of the War Department
both as to the needs for space an
, speedy construction. Changes in tn
building necessarily followed. O
. May 7. 1912, informed the Hous
!. Appropriations Committee, throug
, is chairman, of all the develop
ments in connection with the siz
, and cost of the building.
. Although the building is not ye
completed it has been partially oc
cupied for many months. 1t no
, accommodates over 1900 personn,
and If the remainder of the buildin
, is occupied proportionately, as
, contemplated, it will accommodate
. over 10000 employees.
Because Of the size and com
plexity of the undertaking, it was i
the best interests of the Unite
S States to use more than one firr
i on the construction work. In joir
S ventures such as this, the War De
4 partment holds the group respor
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