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Show Uncle Sam Needs Many New Buildings WASH I Nii'l. Congress nt Its next session will be urged by the President to appropriate sulllelent public pub-lic money that the government's agencies agen-cies may be properly housed In 'Washington. 'Wash-ington. The problems of housing the various departments and bureaus of the government gov-ernment was discussed at a cabinet meeting at the White House and It was agreed by nil present that between now and the time congress convenes a consistent and economical construction program must be carefully prepnred. It seemed to be the opinion of the meeting that the building program should not be confined, to Washington, but should answer the needs of the federal government in Its operations throughout the entire country. The President and his advisers are in accord with the general Idea presented pre-sented by the fine arts commission, which calls for a centralization of government departments In the mall and south of Pennsylvania avenue, and it was Intimated after the cabinet meeting that the program to be prepared pre-pared very likely will include these Ideas. According to the views expressed by a number of the cabinet officers during the discussion, the problems of housing have grown to embarrassing embarras-sing proportions. The condition of some of the rented buildings is such that not only Is the health of occu-panls occu-panls endangered, but the efficiency of workers is being Impaired. The discussion dis-cussion was brought up by Secretary Mellon of the treasury, who stated that he wanted advice on how to handle han-dle the situation, whKh up to that time had him "stumped." One rented building under his department and which houses a certain section of the Income tax division Is In such need of repair that the building has actually become unsafe. . Secretary Mellon was followed by other cabinet officers, each with their gloomy accounts of housing conditions of their respective departments. Each gave the opinion that the problem Is becoming worse each year, and that already It had been found difficult to efficiently carry on the work of the government. Postmaster General New, in describing describ-ing the problems of his department, is known to have told the gathering that the demands for better housing facilities facili-ties for post offices throughout the United States are most extraordinary and Insistent. It was pointed out thnt the normal business of the department has Increased In-creased more than 250 per cent. The buildings are still being used throughout through-out the country which were either erected or rented for the use of the department as far back as fifty years ago. |