Evening star., 1950-09-08
Slow Haste Seen
Facing Agency
Dispersal Plan
Signs Indicate Senate
Will Soften Cut in
D. 6. Defense Funds

lions Committee but faces strong
ENTHUSIASTICALLY sentiment.
This was indicated after Gen.
eral Services Administrator Jess
Larson and his top associates met
in closed session with the COM
mittee for more than two hours
yesterday.
The GSA spokesman as we'll as
Senator Mcmahon, Democrat, of
Connecticut. chairman of the
Joint Atomic Energy Committee,
urged the appropriations group to
approve the Presidents request
for $139.8 million to pay for
removing various agencies from
Washington to points within 80
miles in Virginia and Maryland.
Chances of immediate or COM
plete approval of the 1898 mill
lion outlay before Congress ad-
JournS. seemed DINNER today.
But there were signs the COM
mittee might restore at least part
OF the cut made by the House two
weeks ago in the Districts civilian
defense fund request.
S26O,OOO Cut.
The District asked for $3.50 900
but the House sliced the sum to
$4,000. Committee sources re-
vealed that several members have
urged that the most, if not all.
OF the $290.000 be written back
into the bill.
The decentralization item and
the District civilian defense pro.
posal are part of a $16.7 billion
emergency supplemental appro-
prlatlon passed by the House and
now under scrutiny of the Sem
ate committee. The bill is ex-
pected to be reported to the Sem
ate early next week.
Neither Mr.. Larson nor COM
m1ttee members would disclose
all details Of the dispersal plan.
They emphasized, however, that
one of its major aims would be
to assure continuity of National
leadership, uninterrupted opera
ton OF most essential Govern.
ment functions, and safeguard
ing OF irreplacable records and
planning if Washington becomes
an A-bomb target.
The committee. it was learned.
was told that GSA not only has
mace extensive surveys as the
basis for possible construction of
new buildings and highways out
side of Washington, but also has
looked into the feasibility of using
caves in Virginia and Kentucky
for storage of valuable records.
Few, if any, of the 10 commit
tee members at the meeting op-
posed the general idea of plan.
ming for dispersal of key Gov.
ernment agencies, particularly
such vital establishments as the
Central Intelligence Agency and
some Pentagon Offices.
Distance Questioned.
But several Senators. It
was learned, raised the oues-
ton whether decentralization, if
deemed necessary at this time,
should be of a far wider scale
than the 20 or 80 mile radius
out OF Washington. They sug-
gested that perhaps some of the
agencies should be scattered as
far as the Middle West.
Mr.. Larson disclosed that he
tried to anticipate possible OBJ
lectlons as to the legal authority
for the GSA to construct build
Ings and highways and the gen.
eral carrying out Of the S139.8
program in general. He
SAID he gave the committee a
comprehensive statement setting
forth "the sources of our legal
THE committee was verv mich
interested in our presentation" he
told reporters. "a great many in
telligent questions were asked"
He would venture no prediction
about the final vote on the pro-
poSal. He and others revealed.
however. that some Senators had
asked pointed questions as to
whether the recently recommends
ed plan would receive sufficient
study at this late date in the con-
gressional session.
A committee member, who would
not be quoted directly, commented
there was a general feeling on
the committee" and perhaps in
me Senate. that "this thing should
De given more careful Thought
Ihan is possible at this moment"
He added that he appreciates
the need for more space" for
protection of Government opera
lions and continuity of leadership.
he has not yet made up his mind
ABOUT the 1889 request and be-
lleves it might require more
study" he said.
Necessity Questioned.
Another member said his first
reaction to the plan was: do
We have to do that?" After hear
ng Mr.. Larsons explanation, the
Senator said he felt that maybe
We do" But he declared he ia
'tlli undecided and will have to
consider the proposal more deeply
before I make up my mind how
% vote on it,
Senator Mcmahon, who is not a
member of the Appropriations
committee, testified for about Is
minutes.
Il impressed on them" he re-
ported later, that the Soviet
Union has atomic bombs. Lack
II international control constitutes
world threat. The defense of
he United States requires a