Evening star., 1950-12-07
House Hearinqs
On Dispersal Bill
Open Tomorrow
Public Works Group
Speeds Sl90 Million
Measure for Truman

Acting under a request from
President Truman for speed, thu
House Public Works Committee
tomorrow will start hearings or
a bill authorizing $3.50 million fol
sites and buildings for scattering
key agencies in suburban area
near the Capital.
The administration bill wa
introduced yesterday by Chair
man Wilmington of the Public
Works Committee. He promptly
scheduled a meeting for 10 am
tomorrow to hear officials of the
General Services Administration
the Budget Bureau. the Public
Buildings Service and the Ma
tional Security Resources Board
Senator Chavez. Democrat, o.
New Mexico announced today HI
will introduce the same bill in th'
Senate this afternoon. He hopes
to have hearings in the Senate
Public Works Committee, OF which
he is chairman, next week.
Mr.. Wilmington said he hopes
for action at this session OF Con-
gress. President Truman, it was
revealed, wrote to House ano
Senate Public Works Committees
several days ago asking for action
without delay.
Letter to Committee.
In his letter the President said
"On last August 80 I submitted
to the Congress an estimate Of
appropriation to provide for build
ings in dispersed areas to permit
continuity of important Govern
ment functions in case OF an
attack on the Nations Capital
The Congress did not approve the
estimate and indicated that it had
some question with respect to the
legal authority for the proposal.
at is my strong belief that such
q program, including the author
ity to decentralize the functions oi
Government, should be adopted
without delay. The Administrator
of the General Services Admins.
tration, at my direction, has pre-
pared a draft of legislation which
has my approval. I have asked
him to discuss this with you i'm
mediately.
"I shall appreciate your CO.
operation in this matter"
Sites Being Considered.
The building dispersal program
which would require several
years, is designed to assure con-
tinuation of vital defense agencies
In the atomic age. The Budget
Bureau would decide which agen-
cies would be moved. Actual as
signment of space would be
handled by the GSA.
Eight sites in Maryland and
Virginia are under consideration
for the dispersal program. Some
5000 Government workers would
be accommodated at each site
Original plans were to build. on
four sites initially..
w. E. Reynolds, head Of the
Public Buildings Services, who
will be one of tomorrow's wit
nesses, said some of the major
factors entering into the selec-
ton of the building dispersal sites
would be: The topography OF the
available areas, their location ir
relation to utilities and the avail.
ability of arterial roads. Gen
orally, it is planned to use sites
within 20 miles or so of the Cap.
ital.
Funds Legislation Later.
Last August Mr.. Truman asked
for S149.8 million to start the dis
persal of key agencies. In hi
present request, he is asking fol
authorizating legislation. leaving
the appropriation of funds tt
come thereafter.
Under the bill, GSA would bt
authorized to- acquire sites "out.
side of, but in the vicinity of anc
accessible to, the District"
The bill also would authorize
construction of buildings, roads
bridges, utilities. communication
facilities and such off-site facili
ties as may be necessary.
The new dispersed buildings
would be standard ones insteat
of special-purpose buildings *
that agencies of different charac
ters could be shifted in and ou