The Lincoln times., 1955-03-21
use by their educational ant
public institutions?
FOLLOWS BOTH POLICIES

pubic institutions?
FOLLOWS BOTH POLICIES
The Government has been fol-
lowing both policies. Substantial
quantities OF real and personal
property. found to be surplus to
all requirements of the Govern
ment. have been transferred dur
ing the period between 1916 and
December 81, 1854. to the various
states for educational and public
health purposes. The acquisition
cost of the property transferred
during this period has been Sll2
billion and of this sum North
Carolina institutions have re-
ceived SAL million.
But due to an apparent con-
flict in the statute which au-
thorizes such transfer and certain
provisions of the National Sc
curity Act which authorizes the
Defense Department to "sell" GER
tain surplus property, public
sales of surplus property have
continued.
The record shows that these
sales have produced a return of
only a fraction of the acquisition
cost. The percentage of return
has been approximately pct. of
acquisition cost, although it
should be pointed out that much
Of the property sold was strict
ly military-type property which
had little, if any, commercial
value. The inclusion Of these
items contributed materially to
the lowering Of the percentage
rate.
The effect Of the bill the House
passed Thursday was to make
available for distribution to
schools and public health insti-
tutions the property the Defense
Department felt it was required
to sell In the past certain
abuses on the program were de-
tected. A few institutions con-
verted isone of the property they
had received under the program
! to other purposes. Several pro-
+ visions were inserted in the bill
We passed Thursday to carry out
, the clear intent of Congress that
only property which is useful and
needed by the institutions shall
be transferred and to insure that
property once transferred shall be
put to maximum use by the in
StitutionS receiving it.
One aspect OF the problem is
/ distributing. Congress intends
that the program be administer
ed fairly and equitably 50 that
the educational and public health
/ institutions in all of the states
may have an opportunity to ac-
quire this property. Unfortunately
states in which many military
installations are now located have
been obtaining perhaps more
| than their fair share of this pro-
perty. A provision was inserted il
the bill requiring the Secretary OF
Health, Educationand Welfare
| tthe Department of the Govern.
ment that will supervise the al
locations of the property to the
different StateS) to make quarter
ly reports to the House and Sen.
ate, listing the amounts of pro.
perty transferred to institutions
in each state. Such reports vii
enable future Congresses to de.
termine whether few states are
acquiring more than their fail
share of the property and which
states are not availing themselves
Of the benefits of the program
A special agency in North
Carolina has been created to han
die the program within our State
Most states have similar agencies
although in the past some state
agencies have been more militant
and aggressive than others. Tn,
name of the official who directs
this program in North Carolina is,
Mr.. Allison w. Honeycutt. De-
putty Director Division of Pur-
chase and Contract. North Caro-
lima Surplus Property Agency
216 East Lenoir Street. Raleigh
N. c. Telephone 43611, Exten-
sion 374.
All public school officials, busi-
! ness managers of colleges, uni