Evening star., 1961-11-12

/. Why was a site near =
2. What does NASA plan to
build. and do. there?
3. Is the center really needed.
sor will it largely duplicate fac
Iilities already in existence?
Frankly dubious about the
necessity for such a center is
Representative Daddario, DEM
yocrat Of Connecticut, an in
ffluential member of the House
Space Committee. Mr.. Dadda-
rio has been trying for about
two months to get answers to
these questions.
"I wrote Mr.. Webb before
Congress adjourned, asking
him about the Houston center, /"
Mr.. Daddario said. 81 have re-
ceived an acknowledgement but
no answer UP to now. hope
Mr.. Webb will make it his busi-
ness to .anSwer-and hope his |
answer is a good one.
Other Questions Raised
I'm any case. I expect we will
want to look into the whole
Houston thing. We will want to
find out whether NASA's need
for a life sciences capability
warrants the expenditure of
$50 million, or whether this
need can be met more cheaply
and efficiently some other way"
Specifically, Mr.. Daddario
said, he asked Mr.. Webb for
plans and specifications" on
the Houston center. Lack Of a
reply makes him think NASA
does not really know what it is
going to do at Houston, he
added.
The thing I'd like to look
into is how you choose a site
without having plans and spe-
cifications for your require
ments," the Connecticut legis-
lator said. He predicted that
Space Committee Chairman
George Miller, Democrat of
California, would appoint a sub
committe to look into the whole
life sciences" picture, including
the need for a center at Hous-
ton.
Mr.. Daddario and others in
and out of Congress have made
no secret of their suspicion that
considerations other than those
Of pure merit entered into the
selection of Houston. !.
I'VE can't tell you why Hous-
ton was chosen without saying
things derogstory Of other To-
cations we considered" a NASA
official explained. /
Political Factor Denied
Charges that possible polit-
ical considerations existed have
been met to date by no refuta-
ton other than flat-and often
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Vice Presi-
dent johnson recently chided a
reporter for doing me and the
space effort a great disservice"
in inquiring about such reports.
According to those who be-
lieve politics entered into the
selection. the considerations
were something like these:
Representative Tn ON a S,
Democrat, who represents the
northern part of Houston in
Congress, heads the appropri-
ations subcommittee that holds
NASA's purse strings. OF late,
he has been somewhat stiff
necked about space appropria-
tions. 1t has been suggested
that establishment of a large
NASA center near his home
base might make Mr.. Thomas a
little more conscious of-and
sympathetic toward - NASA's
financial problems.
Casey Facing Fight
Representative Casey, Demo-
crat, who represents the south
ern part of Harris County
CHouston) in which the site
is actually located, is said to
be in trouble in the coming
election. Mr.. Thomas 9th dis
trict is regarded as a safe"
area for the Democrats. but (
Mr.. CaSey's 22d district might
well go Republican in 1862. Mr.. |
Casey, a member of the Space
Committee, may be able to
bolster his position by taking
at least part of the credit for
location of a $50 million ia 4
cility in his district. /
These considerations-wheth-