489721 COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SEVENTY-FOURTH CONGRESS JAMES P. BUCHANAN, Texas, Chairman EDWARD T. TAYLOR, Colorado WILLIAM J. GRANFIELD, Massachusetts THOMAS L. BLANTON, Texas THOMAS S. MCMILLAN, South Carolina B. M. JACOBSEN, Iowa MALCOLM C. TARVER, Georgia J. BUELL SNYDER, Pennsylvania WILLIAM B. UMSTEAD, North Carolina WILLIAM R. THOM, Ohio MARION A. ZIONCHECK, Washington JOHN F. DOCKWEILER, California EDWARD C. MORAN, JR., Maine JAMES MCANDREWS, Illinois EMMET O'NEAL, Kentucky GEORGE W. JOHNSON, West Virginia JAMES G. SCRUGHAM, Nevada JOHN TABER, New York ROBERT L. BACON, New York CLARENCE J. MCLEOD, Michigan MARCELLUS C. SHIELD, Clerk SUBCOMMITTEE ON INDEPENDENT OFFICES Messrs. Woodrum (chairman), Boylan, Granfield, Johnson (Oklahoma), Moran, Wigglesworth, and Bolton. NOTE. In order to expedite the consideration of the appropriation bills during the first session of the Seventy-fourth Congress the hearings on this bill were practically completed prior to the convening of that Congress. They were conducted by the following subcommittee of the Seventy-third Congress, all of whom were reelected to the Seventyfourth Congress; Messrs. Woodrum (chairman), Boylan, Granfield, and Wigglesworth. Mr. Lambertson was designated as a member of the subcommittee of the Seventy-third Congress to participate in the hearings in place of Mr. Goss who was not reelected to the Seventy-fourth Congress. Messrs. Johnson (Oklahoma), Moran, and Bolton were not appointed to the subcommittee until after the organization of the committee for the Seventy-fourth Congress. INDEPENDENT OFFICES APPROPRIATION BILL FOR 1936 HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN CHARGE OF THE INDEPENDENT OFFICES APPROPRIATION BILL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1936, ON THE DAYS FOLLOWING, NAMELY: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1934. EXECUTIVE MANSION AND GROUNDS STATEMENTS OF ARNO B. CAMMERER, DIRECTOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; R. O. JENNINGS, ASSISTANT CHIEF, BRANCH OF OPERATIONS; AND CAPT. E. P. LOCK, JR., CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY Mr. WOODRUM. We will begin the hearings this morning on the independent offices appropriation bill, and the first item we will take up for consideration is that for the Executive Mansion and grounds. We have with us Mr. Arno B. Cammerer, Director of the National Park Service, and some of his assistants. Mr. Cammerer, will you present the justifications for the item for the Executive Mansion and grounds? Mr. CAMMERER. Mr. Chairman, we have prepared this justification as briefly as we could in the two pages that we have here, and with your permission I would like to make that a part of the record. They are concise, and I believe present the picutre as well as any oral statement I might make to you. JUSTIFICATION FOR 1936 ESTIMATES Mr. WOODRUM. Suppose you read that justification in the record. Mr. CAMMERER. Very well. It reads as follows: The work under this appropriation consists of maintaining the Executive Mansion and grounds and operating the White House greenhouses. The appronation act for the fiscal year 1935 provided the total sum of $174,210, of which the sum of $50,000 was for extraordinary repairs, refurnishings, and equipment, and is avalable until expended. After deducting the nonrecurring item for 1935, the net increase of $19,088 for 1936 is to provide for 100 percent salaries and for electricity, as follows: Additional amount required for 100 percent salaries_ Electricity. Net increase___ $8, 688 10, 400 19, 088 Following the project estimate sheet, the items by activities are explained as follows: 1. The personnel is divided into three classes according to assignments with amounts, as indicated for 1936, the same as 1935 except for the increase necessary to pay the 100 percent salaries. The sum of $7,390 is allotted for temporary employees for social functions and other work of a temporary character. 2 and 3. The sum of $5,225 is allotted for greenhouse supplies and materials and greenhouse repairs. This amount is the average expenditures for these purposes over several years and is not excessive for the 18 houses (13 used exclusively and part of 5 others). 4. Electricity for the Mansion and office building has been furnished from the State Department Building plant without charge against the appropriation for the White House. This arrangement was used in order to eliminate the additional metering and panel boards which would have been required if separate charges had been made. However, in connection with the alterations and addition to the Executive Office, it was decided to modernize the electrical system as far as possible because of the installation of certain equipment requiring alternating current. This necessitated a separate transformer and meter for the White House, and precludes the possibility of this service being furnished without charge. The estimated cost of the alternating current for the fiscal year 1936 is $10,400. Electricity for the direct current equipment still remaining, amounting to about $4,000 per year, will be obtained from the State Department Building plant as heretofore without charge to the White House appropriation. All other fixed charges are in proportion to previous expenditures. 5. The item of repairs to furniture, furnishings, equipment and buildings is in line with previous expenditures for these purposes, except during those years in which additional funds were available for extraordinary repairs, refurnishings, etc. 6. The amount estimated for equipment is in proportion to previous expenditures and is necessary for replacements. 7. This item is to provide a fund for miscellaneous contingencies that arise in connection with the operation of the Mansion, such as the purchase of soaps. cleaning materials, and other supplies. Mr. WOODRUM. What about the White House personnel; is the number for 1936 the same as that for 1935? Mr. CAMMERER. It is exactly the same. You will find that in the first column on page 10 of the committee print of the bill. Mr. WOODRUM. There is a net increase in the amount of $19,088, and that is explained on account of the necessity of bringing the salaries up to 100 percent, and the furnishing of electricity, which you have just explained, in item 4. Mr. CAMMERER. For the alternating current; yes, sir. Mr. WOODRUM. Otherwise, the appropriation is practically the same as for 1935? Mr. CAMMERER. Exactly the same, except for the $50,000, which is only appropriated once every 4 years. CARE OF WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS BY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Of course, Mr. Chairman, there are quite a number of things that the National Park Service does, in the way of furnishing labor, and so forth, to the White House, which we do not include in these figures. Mr. WOODRUM. The President has the right, and it has been the custom, to draw on different departments for personnel or assistance in the way of expert help needed for work at the White House, in the case of an emergency. That has been true, has it not, all the time? Mr. CAMMERER. Yes, sir. Mr. WOODRUM. The White House has called on the Park Service for considerable assistance in maintaining the White House grounds, has it not? Mr. CAMMERER. For considerable labor. Mr. WOODRUM. Has that been occasional, or periodic, or more or less an established custom? Mr. CAMMERER. It has been more or less an established practice. Of course, I inherited the present system last August, when maintenance of the White House was transferred to the Office of the National Capital Parks and to the National Park Service. But I know that custom has been going on for 7 or 8 years in the past, at least, and it is a perfectly legitimate and necessary service that we render, in taking care of the White House grounds, doing carpentry repair work, and so forth. There is a tremendous amount of that kind of work, and we are the logical bureau to do it. Mr. WOODRUM. And the expense of that is taken out of the Park Service appropriation? Mr. CAMMERER. We have to save here and there on Washington park items in order to furnish that service, but we have been able to do that. Of course, the Park Service appropriation does not reflect the true cost picture. Mr. WOODRUM. Neither does the White House appropriation, as it stands? Mr. CAMMERER. No, sir. Mr. WOODRUM. Would it not, as a matter of bookkeeping practice, and for the sake of accuracy, be better, in future budgets, to let the White House appropriation carry that item rather than transferring it from the Park Service appropriation? Mr. CAMMERER. We think so, Mr. Chairman. We think the true cost of this new activity should be reflected in a proper appropriation. Mr. WOODRUM. As I understand it, this service which the Park Service renders in connection with the White House grounds is not a temporary or sporadic service, called for like the other activities, but it is the regular established service that has been rendered through the years and paid for as a part of the park appropriation. Mr. CAMMERER. That is true. The White House service is not allowed to suffer for any money because we withdraw that from other tems for the National Capital parks in the District, and transfer the labor to do it from that service. I think, as a matter of bookkeeping, It ought to be shown, probably in the way you suggest, Mr. Woodrum. Mr. WOODRUM. You have the information which you can furnish to the Bureau of the Budget, so that they could make that change? Mr. CAMMERER. Yes, sir. Mr. WOODRUM. I suggest that next year that might be called to the attention of the Bureau of the Budget and presented to them in that way. Mr. CAMMERER. Very well, sir, we will do that. REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT OF FURNISHINGS Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Would you say a further word about the $50,000 for extraordinary repairs and equipment? Captain Lock. It has been customary for the pest 20 years for Congress to appropriate a sum that approximates $50,000 for each |