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Show Uncle Sam Needs Many New Buildings WASHINGTON. Congress at Its next session will be urged by the President to appropriate sufficient public pub-lic money that the government's agencies agen-cies may be properly housed in Washington. Wash-ington. The problems of housing the vnrious departments end bureaus of the government gov-ernment was discussed at a cabinet meeting at the White House and It was agreed by all present that between Bow and the time congress convenes a consistent and economical construction program must be carefully prepared. It seemed to be the opinion of the meeting that the building program hould not be confined to Washington, but should answer the .needs of the federal government In Its operations throughout the entire country. The President and bis advisers are In accord with the general Idea pre-ented pre-ented 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 bousing have grown to embarrassing embarras-sing proportions. The condition of some of the rented buildings Is such that not only Is the health of occupants occu-pants 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, which 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 v?as followed by other cabinet officers, each with their gloomy accounts of housing conditions of their respective departments. Each gave, the opinion that the problem la 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 bis 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 that the normal business of the department has increased in-creased more than 2S0 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 yean ago. |