Evening star., 1951-03-08
DecentraIiziinq
Plans Include
Stable Units
Senators Reported in
Accord on Removal o.
Temporary Buildings
By Fruncis P. DouaIos

By Froneis P. Douglas
Some "sizable units" of Gov
ernment are scheduled for re.
moval to other cities when space
can be found for them. according
to a Budget Bureau official.
Leo c. Martin, consultant In
the Budget Bureau who has been
working on the decentralization
program, said that more agencies
to be moved will be announced
from time to time when quarters
are found for them in other cities
These will be in addition to the
agencies with 5,183 employees an
nounced for removal yesterday
These agencies form the "a" list
while other agencies with 14,158
employees form the "B" list for
which the space problem else
where has not yet been solved.
Mr.. Martin said it is hoped to be
able to assign a substantial part
of the agencies on the ''B" list for
removal this year.
Dispersal Move Separate.
These developments also were
apparent today:
1. If Congress passes the dis
persal bill it will probably be with
a hard-and-fast provise that the
temporary buildings of World War
II will be torn down at last. The
pending dispersal bill provided
for moving agencies with 10000
employees into the suburbs as dis
tinct from the decentralization
plans to move agencies perma-
nently to other cities.
= 2. Veterans Administration units
were not included in yesterdays
decentralization list because legis-
lation affecting the agency's or
ganization is now before Congress
and there is no space elsewhere
Immediately available. This may
be changed later when space now
occupied by the Census Bureau in
Philadelphia becomes vacant late
in August. ....
The Senate Public Works Com
mittee will meet again tomorrow
to consider the dispersal bill and
may vote on it then. Chairman
Chavez said the committee seems
completely in agreement that the
temporary buildings must CO."
Usefulness "Outlived."
Senator Chavez said only that
the temporary buildings have out
lived their usefulness and should
be removed. But it is known that
there is a feeling among both
Senate and. House members that
so long as the tempos exist to
provide Office space for which no
appeal must be made to Congress,
it is difficult to put ceiling on
Federal employment.
Dispersal of 10000 employees to
outlying areas and decentraliza-
ton of agencies with $4,000 en-
ployes would remove the need for
retaining the tempos.
The General Services Admin
istration has urged their elimina-
ton both because maintenance
costs are high and because their
f1lmsy construction would increase
the hazard to occupants should
the Capital be bombed.
There are now 10000 employees
in 20 World War II temporaries.
w. E. Reynolds, Public Buildings
Commissioner, told House hear
ing. In addition, he said, there
are $4,000 employees in four World
War I tempos which are "a years
old.
The World War I temporary
buildings are the Navy and NUM-
tions Buildings on Constitution
avenue; Temporary E, where the
Office of Price Sterilization and
the Wage Sterilization Board are,
and Temporary No. 2. This last
= is west of the old Washington
Auditorium and houses a large
Government switchboard installa-
ton and those who work at it,
and other employees.
Built of Concrete.
These four buildings differ from
later ones in that they are built
of concrete instead of wood frame
construction and the upkeep is
moderate.
How many employees will follow
the various decentralized agencies
to other cities is a question. Dur
ing World War II, agencies with
10000 employees were moved to
other cities. Mr.. Martin said
about SO per cent of the employees
went with their agencies.
This time, he said, he expects
the percentage will be higher be-
cause the World War II move was
temporary and the present moves
are to be permanent.
One GSA witness told Congress,
however, that it is planned to
move only agency heads and key
personnel with the decentralized
agencies. Other employees would
find jobs in the expanding emer-
gency agencies here, while the
removed agencies would fill out
their staffs by recruiting in it's
new home.
Fund Request Next Week.
Mr.. Martin said the Budget Bu-
reau would send to Congress next
week a request for an aprropria-
tion to defray the costs of moving.
This is planned to be enough to
move the agencies already tested
and for the removal of agencies
now as the t'B" list.
The requested appropriation
will cover the costs of renting
space, the cost of the moving of