Evening star., 1946-08-09
Patent Unit Has
SpacePriority,
PBAChief Says
Commerce Officials
Hope to Move Sectior
Here From Richmond

HSIG TIOUt NlSHtI1OHO
Commissioner of Public Buildings
w. e. Reynolds said today that re-
turn of Patent Office divisions now
In Richmond to Washington has
had number one priority with his
organization for six months but
that he felt the valuable records OF
the office should not be placed in
temporary buildings or any but the
highest type of rented or Federally
owned building.
He said he has felt that the Pat
ent Office should go in the Com
merce Building and has held q
series of conferences over the
months to find way to make room
for 1t there.
He said his staff had been told
by Patent Office representatives
that the office would take any space
he had available if only it could get
back to Washington, but that he
was certain that what was really
meant was "any suitable building.
Response to Questions.
This statement came in response
to questioning concerning charges
by patent attorneys and examiners
Yesterday that Mr.. Reynolds has
failed to act" to end the separation
of the divisions, a situation held
largely responsible by attorneys and
patent officials for an 81 per cent
rise In the patent backlog over last
year at this time.
Mr.. Reynolds said he felt that
patent records must be kept In a
fire-proof, we'll lighted sturdily con-
structed building to insure their
safety and preservation and that he
doubted if the Office would be willing
to work in a temporary structure.
He has asked the Bureau of the
Budget, he said, to provide him with
EMPLOYMENT ceiling figures for the
second quarter of the present fiscal
year so that he can tell what space
cuts will be possible.
Supported by Wallace.
Secretary of Commerce Wallace
said today the statement made by
Bernard L. Gladieux, his executive
assistant, July 30, accurately re-
flected his views" on the Patent
Office situation and that "he had
nothing to add"
Mr.. Gladieux. he said, conferred
with him before making the state
ment.
Mr.. Gladieux insisted the Com
merce Department does not have
control of all the space in the
Commerce Building.
He said Secretary Wallace and the
department are "keenly aware" that
the Patent Office work lis hampered
and made difficult because its oper-
ations are now divided between
Washington and Richmond"
But, he said, The consolidation
of the Patent Office cannot be car
ried out until space is made avail
able in the Commerce Building
through the transfer to new loca-
tions of non-Commerce Depart
ment agencies now OCCUPYING space
in the building, or until space out
side the building is provided.
Nom Commerce agencies in the
building are the Maritime CommiS-
sion, formerly a Commerce agency
but now divorced by presidential
reorganization, and the Civil Aero
nautics Board, whose work is close
ly integrated with the Civil Aero
nautics Administration. The latter
is a Commerce agency.
The Maritime Commission occu-
pies about 100000 square feet of the
Commerce Building, more than any
agency now there. The Patent Of
fee would require an additional
$4,000 square feet to house the
Richmond divisions. There are
1,099, ,046 square feet of office space
exclusive of walls, roofs, partitions,
etc. in the building
Mr.. Reynolds said today the
building is full now and that his Or
ganization has made om-by-
room survey of 1t.
He said he is now empowered by
a new law passed early this spring
plus presidential directives to make
running survey on Office space
occupied by all agencies of the Ex-
ecutive Branch and enforce space
savings. Under this authority he
could force agencies to move to
other Offices.
On the other hand, he explained
the administration has been plac-
ing all its emphasis on returning as
much privately owned Office space
to private occupation as possible.
This was taken to mean that the
White House and the Budget Bu-
reau have laid little emphasis on
returning war-separated agencies to
Washington.
Attorney Wires Criticism.
Space saving at the expense OF
Government efficiency came in for
criticism yesterday in a telegram
from Charles M. Palmer, patent
attorney, which read in part:
"The Public Buildings Administra
ton controls all Federal space ano
under your president Truman's) re.
cent order has full responsibility tc
provide space in the Commerce
Building for the entire Patent Office
staff. The Public Buildings Admin
istration has failed to act, and in
stead has returned 20 acres of Wash.
ington Office space to private owner.
ship and expects to triple this fig.
ure."
Mr.. Palmer's telegram followed
an earlier letter to Mr.. Truman
from the Patent Office Society, com.
posed of examiners, which callee
attention to the present desperat,
conditions" which are the result Of
splitting the Office between Rich.
mond and Washington.
l. ri MI