Evening star., 1950-12-10
20-MiIe Radius
Held Inadequate
For Dispersal
Congress Members
Voice Doubts Over
Distance for Sofety

~uSt SAt~S tSH S@sSNy
Doubts that a dispersal of Gov
eminent agencies 20 miles from
downtown Washington would be
an adequate distance for safety
were expressed on both sides OF
the Capitol yesterday.
Chairman Chavez of the Senate
Public Works Committee said
there are indications that some
members feel that the sites of the
dispersed agencies should be far
ther than 20 miles.
Senator Chavez has introduced
In the Senate a bill authorizing
the $3.50 million dispersal plan. A
hearing on the measure will be
held shortly by the Public Build
ings Subcommittee, headed by
Senator Holland, Democrat, of
Florida.
Limit Held Inadequate.
On the House side Representa-
tive Gary, Democrat. of Virginia,
said he is mot at all certain that
a dispersal program limited to a
20-mile radius is going to be suf-
f1cient to avoid a possible castas-
trophe" in the event of an atomic
bomb attack.
This is more or less a perman-
ent plan" he said. Before any
permanent plan is adopted there
should be serious study of possible
future needs In dispensing these
buildings"
Jess Larson, General Services
Administrator. testifying before
the House Public Works Commit
tee Friday. said that 20 miles
should provide safety from the
blast effects of an atomic bomb
and from atomic radiation or
other lethal effects.
He said that the eight sites in
Maryland and Virginia for the
dispersed agencies would be not
less than 20 miles distant except
where the topography of the land
provides additional safety. Such
an instance would be where the
Government building would lie
behind high ground protecting it
from the direction of Washing
ton. the assumed target center.
Could Be Ready in 8 Months.
Committee members also ques-
toned whether it might be bet
ter from the standpoint of safety
to move the agencies farther
away, even Ito the mountains.
Mr.. Larson stressed the advan-
tages of face-to-face conferences
between various agency heads and
having officials near enough to-
be readily available when Con-
greSs should call them. Situated
on roads radiating from the Capt.
tai and linked together by roads
the area the dispersed
agencies would be readily acces-
slble to one another and to the
l63 permanent Government struc-
lures in Washington.
Mr.. Larson said that once the
reiforced concrete structures are
started at least portions of them
would be ready for occupancy in
nine months, they would be
largely completed" in 1S months
and the job would be all but
toned up" in "a months.
1t is not clear what action the
House Public Works Committee
will take. 1t was indicated from
the questions of some members
that they did not want the war
emergency to be used as an ex-
cuse to put through a plan initial
ly devised by the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Committee
for purposes other than protec-
ton against attack.
Worked on Plans Since '48.
Col. w. Ramsay Potts of the Ma
tional Security Resources Board
testified however, that the NSRB
had been working on plans for
the protection of the Capital since
the fall of 1948 One of the first
steps was to find what other agen-
cies had done and were doing
along the same line and it de-
veloped that the planning COM
missions program for dispersal to
protect property values, relieve
congestion and ease the downtown
traffic problem was along the
same lines.
The bill before Congress pro-
vides only for approval of the
program and authorization of a
$3.50 million appropriation. If it
goes through before the end OF
the year Congress will be asked
at the new session to provide the
money.
Chairman Cannon of the House
Appropriations Committee was
disposed to look favorably on the
program although it has not yet
reached his committee.
"We can't put all our eggs in
one basket" he said. There must
be some dispersal, but at a mini
mum cost. 1t is imperative"
The Senate Public Works Com
mittee is expected to hold hear