Evening star., 1945-12-04

sssWsuSS aO0su.
Proposal to Charge
D. c. so Pet. Of Cost
Called Grossly Unfoir'
The House Public Buildings and
Grounds Committee today heard
several witnesses unanimously in
dorse the need for a new Federal
courthouse here, but with the Board
Of Trade and Federation of Citizens
Associations spokesmen objecting to
the District Of Columbia paying half
its cost.
Todays session concludes several
days Of hearings on legislation to
authorize the new building.
Letters stressing the urgent neces-
sity for the building were read into
the record from Attorney General
Tom Clark and former Attorney
General Robert Jackson, now in Ger.
many at the war criminals trial.
AlCSc IIC0CHtS 1cStImOuy.
The first testimony against the
fiscal plan of the bill was presented
today by William H. Press, executive
secretary Of the Washington Board
OF Trade, and by Harry S. Wender,
former president of the Federation
OF Citizens Associations.
Mr.. Press read to the committee
an official statement adopted last
night by the board of directors of
the trade body. This statement
charged that halving the cost of the
project between the Federal and Dis
trict governments was grossly un-
fair"
The proposed courthouse, Mr..
Press said, should be paid for by the
Federal Government, while the cost
OF operation and maintenance would
continue to be divided according to
the system of percentages based on
the amount of litigation from the
Federal and District governments
respectively.
"MonumentaF Type Building"
The new court building, Mr.. Press
said, would be monumental in
character" in keeping with the
architecture in the National Capital
and therefore would cost more than
the courthouse needed only for
District of Columbia litigation.
Chairman Lanham offered a ques-
ton as to whether it would be feas-
lble for the District to separate its
court affairs from the Government
and erect District courthouse for
local matters. Mr.. Press replied
that in such case, the courthouse
would have to take its place in 4
long list of much-needed municipal
construction, including schools and
health centers. Therefore it would
be subject to a priority, he said.
The District will have available
about s11,500,000, he said, to meet
these postwar construction needs
but he pointed out that there was a
sharply increasing curve of operat-
ing costs for the District which was
likely to exceed the revenue. There
fore he thought that for the District
to spend $5,000,0O0 or $1,000 900 of
these funds for courthouse might
be "out Of line at this time"
I Matter of Principle.
questioned by Representative
Arnold. Republican, Of Missouri, AZ
to whether the businessmen repre-
senting the Board of Trade "don't
want to share in the cost of this
courthouse" Mr.. Press replied that
in his opinion the problem should be
considered as part of the overall
question Of fiscal relations between
the Federal and District govern
ments.
Its a matter of principle Mr..
Press said. 1T is tied up with Fed
eral-local relations
Mr.. Press pointed out to the Mis-
souri, representative that the Dis
trict pays so per cent of the cost of
operation and maintenance of Dis
trict Court and 80 per cent of the
cost of the Court of Appeals, a pro-
portion determined by the judges,
the Department of Justice and the
District Commissioners as reason
able"
Rental Basis Proposed.
For the Federation of Citizens
Associations, Mr.. Wender fled for
the record a three-page resolution
adopted Saturday night by the
federation. It proposed to have the
District share placed on q rental
basis instead of sharing in the cap
ital outlay for site and construction,
Such a rental basis, he explained,
would be comparable to the esti-
mated cost Of equivalent space and
facilities which the District might
otherwise secure for its local court
needs.
In view, however, of the monu-
mental character Of the proposed
new courthouse, which Mr.. Wender
defended as necessary to uphold
the dignity of the courts as sym
Dol of justice" he contended the
building should be paid for by the
Federal Government.
d. C.. Should Get Credit.
Mr.. Wender told the committee
that in his opinion the District gov
ernment should be given credit for a
value of the site, now estimated by
Federal authorities at $2,240, 900.
He also contended that the Dis
trict should be given credit for its
investment in the old courthouse,
which probably would be turned over
to the Federal Government which
now holds title to it.
Henry P. Chandler, director of the
administrative Office of United States
Courts, strongly urged construction
|of new courthouse and read a
letter from former Attorney General
jackson approving the project. The
letter from the present Attorney
General, which errived during the
hearing, was read for the record
by Chairman Lanham.
Other witnesses were Chief Justice
Laws of District Court and David
Lynn. architect Of the Capitol, who
would supervise construction.
Lanham Asks for Documents.
Chairman Lanham urged that any