Evening star., 1942-12-02
House Bill Shifts
u. ). Air Conditioning
Units 10 Arms Plants
Measure Would Transfer
Machinery From Federal
Buildings to Factories

The House Public Buildings and
Grounds Committee today favorably
reported bill, requested by Presi-
dent Roosevelt, to permit him, dur
ing the war, to authorize sale to
defense plants of any mechanical
equipment owned by the Govern
ment which is urgently needed in
the conduct of the war and cannot
otherwise be provided"
The War Production Board earlier
asked the committee to approve a
bill in order to permit sale of air
conditioning equipment in Federal
building to war plants.
John Jex, jr., director of the
WPB's air conditioning branch, told
the committee that WPB believed
Government workers in the air.
conditioned buildings would be will
ing to sacrifice the comfort of cool
offices in the hot and humid days
of Washington summer so that war
production could be increased.
Not to Keep Plants Cool.
Mr.. Jex explained that the equip
ment the WPB wants to sell to the
war industries would not be used
to keep workers cool but would add
to the efficiency of the machinery
turning out aircraft, steel and syn
thetic rubber.
He said only the refrigerating
units-not the distribution systems
would be disturbed if Congress
passes the legislation. The distribu-
ton units, he added, would remain
intact, ready to be attached to a
new refrigerating unit after the war.
The Social Security Buildings
which house the WPB, the Office
of War Information and other Fed
eral agencies probably would be the
first to lose its air conditioning
plant. The building has seven re-
frigerating units. and Mr.. Jex de-
clared five of them have tentatively
been allocated to an aircraft plant
| in the Middle West. The two re-
/ naming units. he added, would be
sufficient to keep the basement and
| first floors of the building cool ir
/ the summer.
Only Large Units to Be Taken.
/ There are certain buildings ir
/ Washington such as the Archives
and the Mellon Art Gallery, Mr.. Je,
! said, which are Windowless and can
! not give up their r-condltionins
/ equipment. He told the committee
there are 100000 horsepower units
! of air conditioning in the Govern
ment buildings here, but WPB die
not plan to remove any unit les
/ than 100 hip.
! No plans have been made to re-
move the refrigerating units of thu
| So 600 600 plant which air condition!
the Capitol and the House and Sen
ate Office Buildings, but committee
men said members of Congress
would not want to be put in pre-
ferred class" If conditioning
equipment in other Government
buildings goes to war.
Mr.. Jex also urged approval of th
bill because it would allow transfe
of 100000 typewriters he said th'
armed forces are seeking.
Chairman Lanham remarked tina
many Of the typewriters in tn
Government departments are uset
very little" and some employees hat
complained tina: they did not hav
enough work to do. He said he be
lieyed the transfer of the little -use'
typewriters to the armed service
would be good idea and at tn
same time relieve the Government
payroll of unneeded typists.
Representative Bell, Democrat. o
| Missouri. added. however, that i
100000 typewriters are turned owe
to the armed forces there would b,
no one left to fight"