Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-28

In answer to questions fro
Service Committee, Mr.. Flemmil
be approved for this area rath
heads involved felt that dispersal
to other cities would interfere
with the effective operation OF
their activities.
The issue arose during hear
Iings of a House Appropriations
Subcommittee on the 1857 Cen
|eral Government Matters APP
preparations bill.
Chairman Andrews. Democrat
of Alabama. closely questioned
Mr.. Flemming about difiiculties
encountered by the Veterans Ad-
Iministration and the Geological
Survey in constructing a new
hospital and headquarters build
ing. respectively. in the Wash
ington area.
Representative Andrews. dis
cussing the ONCE of Defense
Mobilization's dispersal building
plans. asked: as 1t your thought
that no new Federal buildings
should be constructed in Wash
Iington, D. CO."
Mr.. Flemming replied: No, BY
no means.
Mr.. Andrews: Except hos
pitfalls?
Mr.. Flemming: No; take the
Department of State. They will
build new building here.
Mr.. Andrews: Why would moi
your thinking apply to the De-
partment of State as we'll as To
the Geological Survey?
Mr.. Flemming: For this rea-
son. the Department Of State is
"a department whose operations
have to be carried on in close
proximity to the embassies oil
the various governments that
have accredited Representatives
here. In my Judgment, it would
be virtually impossible for them
to carry on their activities in any
area other than an area that
Is close to the President.
The situation disclosed by Mr.
Flemming in his testimony Is
that President Eisenhower and
the administration, in line with
national security policies, would
prefer to have new Federal con-
struction confined to areas other
than Washington.
But II it is found that the new
facilities could not be operated
effectively in other areas. then
the Washington location would
be approved for the new build
ing. In this event, the buildings
would be fortified with the most
protective construction features
available.
LEAVE USE-Some postal re-
gional and district Offices re-
Gently notified postal workers
that they could not use any oil
their 1856 annual leave until
after July /. when the new fiscal
year begins The workers were
told that this was being done fof
economy reasons. since the de-
partment was running out oil
funds. Use Of annual leave be-
tween now and June 80 would
'necessitate hiring substitutes to
take their place and impose
greater cost on the department,
the employees were told.
Many Of the employees pro-
tested to the department and to
their unions. declaring that they
had already made vacation plans
and that postponement Of the
vacations would work hardships
on them and their families. They
also feared they might never get
the opportunity to use some OF
the leave If they had to wait
until the latter part Of the year,
when the workload increases.
The unions protested to As
sistant Postmaster General
Norman Abrams who agreed
that any such instructions were
contrary to department policy.
He said postponement Of vaca-
tons could only occur when ii
was agreeable to the employe
on a voluntary basis.
What apparently happened
was that a department directive
to the field that employees be
encouraged to postpone leave