Evening star., 1943-03-04
Byrd Drafts Bill
ToReduceUse
Of u. 5. Autos
DismissoIs Provided
For Violations; Pool
Would Be Set Up
BY JAMES E. CHM.

Chairman Byrd of the Joint Con-
gressional Economy Committee to-
day drafted bill designed to stop
Federal officials and employees in
Washington from using Government
automobiles on unofficial missions.
Drastic in its scope, the proposed
legislation provides for the summary
dismissal of any Government worker
who uses or authorizes the use of
Government-owned car for other
than official purposes. The bill also
provides fine of 81 900 or imprison-
ment for not more than a year, or
both
The bill would authorize the
Budget Bureau to establish imme-
diately and operate during the war
period a decentralized passenger
automobile pool for the use of Gov
ernment employees in the Washing
ton Metropolitan Area when no
public transportation is practi-
cable
Will Introduce Bill Tomorrow.
Specifically exempt are the auto
mobiles used by the President, Vice
President. heads of the executive
departments and foreign diplomats.
Senator Byrd. Democrat. of Vir-
glnla said he would introduce the
bill when the Senate reconvenes to-
morrow after a two-day recess.
The proposed legislation, he
pointed out. follows recommends
tions of the joint Economy Commit.
tee submitted to the Senate Febru-
ary Is.
Other outstanding features OF the
bill provide:
l. That each Government DEPART
ment or agency certify to the Bud
get Bureau names of it's officers and
employees who are entitled to use
Government-owned cars for official
purposes.
2. That each Government depart
ment shall loan to the proposed
automobile pool some of it's cars, the
number to be determined by the
Public Buildings Administration of
the Federal Works Agency.
3. That the Government-oWn
vehicles comply strictly with the
mileage conservation program rec
commended by the Office of Price
Administration.
4. That each Governmental
vehicle display conspicuously sign
designating the particular depart
ment or agency which operates it.
Extravaganza Deplored.
The Joint Economy Committee in
its report to the Senate deplored
the great extravaganza" of the
travelling costs of various Govern
ment agencies. In crisis such as
this" the report declared, "the Gov
ernment itself must set an example
to the people 1t should not ask
sacrifices of the people which en-
ployes of the Government do not
themselves make. The committee
has had presented to it many in
stances of travel in separate cars
instead of using the same car.
The committee finds this practice
especially reprehensible in the De-
partment of Agriculture, which in
the fiscal year 1912 travelled 143,-
100000 miles in rented cars and 49,
85S.594 miles in Government-ow
cars. The committee is of the
opinion that large proportion of
this travel is unnecessary and should
dispensed with, and for much of the
balance the same car can be used
by different employees of the Agri-
culture Department"
The committee also said it believed
that substantial economies could be
made in the employment of full
time chauffeurs. In the last fiscal
year the report showed there were
403 full time chauffeurs and 695
part-time drivers.
Price Administrator Prentiss M.
Brown revealed last Monday that
President Roosevelt had requested
40 per cent reduction in the mileage
of all Federal automobiles. Mr..
Brown said he had been asked by
the President to organize a system
of effecting this conservation.
Mr.. Brown asked all Government
agencies to appoint mileage ad-
ministrators and to send him the
names of these persons by the end
of this week, He hoped much of the
cut could be brought about by
greater pooling of Government
owned vehicles and by an advance
clearing'o requests for the use of
automobiles.