ALLOWANCES FOR QUARTERS, ETC., IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, ACT OF JUNE 26, 1930, AS CONTAINED IN BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR 1934, APPROPRIATION, SALARIES AND EXPENSES. SUBAPPROPRIATION, 'INSPECTION AND QUARANTINE" Title of position: Senior veterinarian, London, England; salary, $4,600; maximum allowable under regulations, $1,500. COMPENSATION OF TEMPORARY FIREMEN Mr. NELSON. Continuing with the charges, we are asking an increase of $2,640 for compensation of four temporary firemen for six months. The addition of these extra units that will be completed during the fiscal year 1934 will put a demand on our plant power in excess of its capacity and, in order to provide for an economical solution of that problem, we plan to put into operation the emergency plant that we now have at the greenhouses of the department. By operating that plant, we believe we will be able to carry the steam load until the central heating plant is put into operation. It is absolutely essential, of course, that we keep heat on in the greenhouses; otherwise the experimental work being conducted at that point will suffer, and we are asking for these four employees for six months each in order to be able to operate the emergency power plant. Mr. BUCHANAN. Would it not be practical to take care of that out of the contemplated savings by getting heat from the central power plant? Mr. NELSON. We won't need this as soon as the central power plant gets into existence. Mr. BUCHANAN. That is true, but that other appropriation for heating purposes will be in effect. Mr. NELSON. Yes; but if the central heating plant is not in operation, we won't have enough steam from our own plant to supply all of our buildings. Mr. BUCHANAN. That is true. Mr. NELSON. Of course, it is of great importance to our department that we have enough steam available to heat the buildings and we are asking for this amount in order that all of the structures available for occupancy will be heated. If the central heating plant is done on time, these employees, instead of being employed for six months, will only be employed for three months-October, November, and December. Mr. BUCHANAN. Of what year? Mr. NELSON. The calendar year of 1933; fiscal year, 1934. Mr. BUCHANAN. So that heating plant is not supposed to be in operation until a year from now? Mr. NELSON. December 26, 1933; that is the contract date of completion. But in a plant of that size and complexity, it is almost certain that some delays will occur. Mr. BUCHANAN. Do you think three months will be a sufficient leeway, instead of six? Mr. NELSON. We have to provide for heat during October, November, and December of next fall. Mr. BUCHANAN. If they are going to be on time, you have three months' leeway. Mr. NELSON. That is it. Mr. JUMP. Just to give you this much assurance, when this item was under discussion the Director of the Budget had the same questions in his mind that you do and they sent for representatives of th Supervising Architect's Office of the Treasury to come before the Budget Committee when they were considering the agricultural estimates, and they went into this question in detail and convinced themselves those things had to be done. That illustrates that this desirable coordination is taking place inside of the Government, as well as when we come up here. MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES, department of AgriCULTURE Mr. BUCHANAN. The next item is: For stationery, blank books, twine, paper, gum, dry goods, soap, brushes, brooms, mats, oils, paints, glass, lumber, hardware, ice, fuel, water and gas pipes, heating apparatus, furniture, carpets, and mattings; for lights, freight, express charges, advertising and press clippings, telegraphing, telephoning, postage, washing towels, and necessary repairs and improvements to buildings and heating apparatus; for the maintenance, repair, and operation of not to exceed three (including one for the Secretary of Agriculture, one for general utility needs of the entire department, and one for the Forest Service) and purchase and exchange of one motor-propelled passenger-carrying vehicle and one motor cycle for official purposes only; for the payment of the Department of Agriculture's proportionate share of the expense of the dispatch agent in New York; for official traveling expenses, including examination of estimates for appropriations in the field for any bureau, office, or service of the department; and for other miscellaneous supplies and expenses not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical and efficient work of the department, which are authorized by such officer as the Secretary may designate, $267,254: Provided, That the Secretary of Agriculture during the fiscal year 1934, may maintain stocks of stationery, supplies, equipment, and miscellaneous materials sufficient to meet, in whole or in part, requirements of the bureaus and offices of the department in the city of Washington and elsewhere, but not to exceed in the aggregate $200,000 in value at the close of the fiscal year, and the appropriations made for such bureaus and offices for such stocks and for toilet-room supplies and materials and equipment used to clean, in whole or in part, the buildings occupied by the department in the city of Washington shall be available to reimburse the appropriation for miscellaneous expenses current at the time supplies are issued: Provided further, That the appropriations made hereunder shall be available for the payment of salaries of employees engaged in purchasing, storing, handling, packing, or shipping of supplies and blank forms and the amount of such salaries shall be charged proportionately as a part of the cost of supplies issued and in the case of blank forms and supplies not purchased from this appropriation the amount of such salaries shall be charged proportionately to the proper appropriation: Provided further, That the facilities of the central storehouse of the department shall to the fullest extent practicable be used to make unnecessary the maintenance of separate bureau storehouse activities in the department: Provided further, That a separate schedule of expenditures, transfers of funds, or other transactions hereunder shall be included in the annual Budget. Mr. NELSON. The following statement is presented in connection with this item: NOTE. There is an apparent increase of $77,254 in this appropriation, but since $1,754 is transferred from the appropriation "Salaries, office of the Secretary," with a corresponding reduction in that appropriation, there is an actual increase of $75,500 in working funds. (1) The increase of $77,254 is explained as follows: (a) A reduction of $840, which amount can be dropped, as a nonrecurring charge for the installation of the night telephone switchboard. The translation of the department from manual to automatic telephone operation made it neces sary to install a small manually operated switchboard to handle calls during other than the regular office hours. (b) An apparent increase of $1,754 is represented by the transfer from the appropriation "Salaries, office of the Secretary," to be used for payment of supply handling charges for the offices comprising the immediate office of the Secretary. Under the method of operation proposed in the 1934 Budget, all organizations participating in the activities of the centralized supply room will be required to pay as part of the cost of the supplies furnished amounts representing the handling charges for such service. (c) $76,340 increase for expenses incident to occupancy of the new units of the department's extensible (south) building. The contracts for the completion of the south building have been awarded by the Treasury Department and under the schedule provided, four of the five wings involved in this operation will be completed during the fiscal year 1934. This contemplates the occupancy of approximately 750,000 square feet of office and laboratory space and the increases requested are necessary to permit the department to occupy and maintain these quarters. Of the amount requested, $48,900 represents nonrecurring items which may be dropped from the 1935 Budget, and, with the addition of $6,000 provided for window blinds in the 1933 appropriation act, a total of $54,900, as shown in the following statement, will be subject to elimination: Moving Electric current changes Window blinds.. Scrubbers.. Total The various increases requested are as follows: $23, 000 6, 500 24,000 1, 400 54, 900 $15,440 increase for fuel consumption for heating the additional units. A careful estimate indicates that the requirements for fuel represent an increase of $15,440 over the demand for the fiscal year 1933. In making this computation consideration has been given to the cost of heating structures to be abandoned, and the amount estimated represents the net increase in fuel consumption. of the large structures to be abandoned is heated at the expense of the lessor and in other instances the organizations are being moved from temporary or other structures for which the department has not been required to furnish any of the heating costs. One $23,000 additional for the expense of moving into the units of the new extensible (south) building. The actual cost of occupying the first two units of this structure was $11,878. The area to be occupied during the fiscal year 1934 represents approximately double this space, and a slightly greater unit cost is anticipated due to the fact that the activities to be transferred are located at a considerable distance from the department with the consequent added cost due to the greater time to be consumed in the actual transfer. $12,000 additional for electricity required for light and power in the new units of the extensible (south) building. One of the large structures to be abandoned is now leased under a provision for the furnishing of light and power by the owners, and units of the department will also be transferred from structures where similar service is furnished from other than department appropriations. It is estimated that the light and power will cost $500 per wing per month of occupancy, or a total of $18,000 for the new wings to be occupied during the fiscal year 1934. From this is deducted $6,000, representing the cost of light and power in the buildings to be adandoned, or a net increased expenditure of $12,000. $6,500 increase is required to provide for the changing of electric current characteristics of the laboratory and office equipment used by the various branches of the department which are to be moved to the new extensible (south) building. These organizations are now located in quarters provided with direct current electricity and the change to alternating current will require the replacement of all motors except a limited number of the small-capacity universal type. In most instances this can be accomplished by the purchase of new motors with the old motors exchanged as partpayment. This estimate is based on the actual cost of the change-over for the organizations already transferred to the south building with an appropriate reduction because of the smaller quantity of large-capacity motor-driven laboratory and technical apparatus. An increase of $18,000 is required to provide window shades or blinds for the four wings of the south building scheduled for completion during the fiscal year 1934. Based on purchases recently made, it is estimated that the blinds may be procured at a cost of $6,000 per wing, or a total of $24,000. As $6,000 is provided for similar blinds for the fiscal year 1933, the net additional amount ($18,000) is necessary in order to make this building ready for occupancy. An increase of $1,400 is required to provide for the procurement of two electrically operated scrubbing machines. It is estimated that the units of the building scheduled for completion will comprise approximately 170,000 square feet of corridor and lobby space. To provide for the cleaning of this area in the most efficient and economical manner possible it will be necessary to utilize power-driven equipment. The use of these cleaning machines will make unnecessary a request for additional funds for the employment of extra personnel and will effect a substantial savings in maintenance costs. CHANGE IN LANGUAGE Provision is made in the budget for amending the language relating to the maintenance and operation of the central storeroom, as follows: [Matter within brackets omitted; new language in italic] Provided, That [in connection with activities authorized in the act of August 10, 1912 (U. S. C., title 5, sec. 542),] the Secretary of Agriculture, during the fiscal year [1933] 1934, may maintain stocks of stationery, supplies, equipment, and miscellaneous materials sufficient to meet, in whole or in part, requirements of the bureaus and offices of the department in the city of Washington and elsewhere, but not to exceed in the aggregate $200,000 in value at the close of the fiscal year, and the appropriations made for such bureaus and offices for such stocks and for toilet-room supplies and materials and equipment used to clean, in whole or in part, the buildings occupied by the department in the city of Washington, shall be available to reimburse the appropriation for miscellaneous expenses current at the time [additional supplies and materials are procured for the general stock] supplies are issued: Provided further, That the appropriations made hereunder shall be avaliable for the payment of salaries of [additional] employees engaged in purchasing, storing, handling, packing, or shipping of supplies and blank forms and the amount of such salaries shall be charged [proportionally] proportionately as a part of the cost of supplies issued and in the case of blank forms and supplies not purchased from this appropriation the amount of such salaries shall be charged proportionately to the proper appropriation: Provided further, That the facilities of the central storehouse of the department shall, to the fullest extent practicable, be used to make unnecessary the maintenace of separate bureau storehouse activities in [the several bureaus of] the department: Provided further, That a separate schedule of expenditures, transfers of funds, or other transactions hereunder shall be included in the annual Budget." The Comptroller General, in a letter to the department dated April 25, 1931, indicated that additional legislation would be necessary if the department desired to continue the operation of a central storeroom which had been in operation for a number of years under language originally contained in the agricultural appropriation act of August 10, 1912. In accordance with this ruling, recommendation was incorporated in the 1933 Budget and the new language was included in the 1933 act. This language did not entirely meet the views of the General Accounting Office and following representations to the Budget Bureau by the Comptroller General an amended provision has been included in the 1934 Budget which covers the points to which the General Accounting Office has objected. The amendments contemplate the placing of the central supply organization on a completely self-supporting basis with rembursement from the several appropriations of the department to cover, as a part of the cost of the materials furnished from the central storeroom, the expenses involved in the procurement, storage, issue, and shipment of such materials. The authorization recommended provides for the retail distribution by the central supply section of supplies to the ultimate consumers in the department to the fullest extent practicable. WORK UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION This appropriation, as indicated by its terms, provides for a great variety of miscellaneous objects necessary in the conduct of the work of the department, It provides for fuel, stationery, furniture and office equipment and supplies. lumber, hardware, glass, paint, laundry, toilet and cleaning materials, electricity, telegraphing and telephoning, ice, postage, travel expenses, repairs and improve ments to buildings and heating apparatus, maintenance and operation of motor vehicles, freight, express and drayage charges, and miscellaneous supplies and expenses not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical and efficient work of the department. It provides also for the compensation of such personnel of the Central Supply Section as may be engaged in the procurement, storage, issue and shipment of supplies and materials for the several bureaus of the department, reimbursement being made to this appropriation from the appropriations of the bureaus for which such service is rendered. INCREASE FOR FUEL FOR HEATING ADDITIONAL UNITS Mr. BUCHANAN. This $1,754 is not an actual increase? Mr. NELSON. No, sir; just a transfer from the appropriation with respect to the Secretary's office, to miscellaneous expenses. On the $15,440 increase in coal consumption, for the fiscal year 1933 our estimate is that the coal consumed will cost us 18 per cent more than for 1932 and, for the fiscal year 1934, that it will be 42 per cent more than for the fiscal year 1933. Mr. BUCHANAN. Because of the completion of the different units? Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir. Mr. BUCHANAN. Of course, you took into consideration the reduced. price of coal? Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir. We have saved 60 cents on the price of coal. Mr. BUCHANAN. Sixty cents a ton? Mr. NELSON. Sixty cents a ton. Mr. BUCHANAN. So this is an actual increase for expenditure in the new units of the Agricultural Building that will be completed during the next fiscal year? Mr. NELSON. That is correct, sir. EXPENSE OF MOVING INTO NEW EXTENSIBLE BUILDING On the $23,000 additional for the expense of moving into the new buildings, the actual cost of occupying those two wings already completed was $11,878. We are estimating that to occupy these two wings and this one and such portion of this one as will be completed [indicating], it will cost $23,000. Mr. BUCHANAN. That is two more wings you are estimating on occupying. Why is it going to cost so much more to move into them than it did to move into the other two? Mr. NELSON. It cost $11,000 to move into those two. Mr. NELSON. No, sir; $11,000 for the two, and we have three and practically a fourth wing here. This section here is to be done and this section across the front [indicating]; so we are estimating it will cost $23,000 to occupy four wings. Mr. BUCHANAN. In other words, you have three wings and a half to move into, and are estimating it will cost $23,000? Mr. NELSON. That is correct. Mr. BUCHANAN. And you moved into two wings for $11,000? Mr. NELSON. Yes, sir. Mr. SUMMERS. It is practically the same rate. Mr. BUCHANAN. No; that would be four wings. Mr. SUMMERS. Yes; if there were four full wings, it would be the same. |