APPROPRIATION BILL, FISCAL YEAR 1941

HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

EDWARD T. TAYLOR, Colorado, Chairman

ADDITIONAL URGENT DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATION BILL, FISCAL YEAR 1941

HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE, MESSRS. EDWARD T. TAYLOR (CHAIRMAN), CLIFTON A. WOODRUM, CLARENCE CANNON, LOUIS LUDLOW, J. BUELL SNYDER, EMMET O'NEAL, GEORGE W. JOHNSON, LOUIS C. RABAUT, JOHN TABER, RICHARD B. WIGGLESWORTH, WILLIAM P. LAMBERTSON, AND J. WILLIAM DITTER, OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, IN CHARGE OF DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATIONS, ON THE DAYS FOLLOWING, NAMELY:

THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1941.

ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

STATEMENT OF DAVID LYNN, ARCHITECT, ACCOMPANIED BY DEWEY D. ELLIS, MANAGER, HOUSE RESTAURANT

EQUIPPING CAFETERIA, NEW HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

Mr. WOODRUM. Mr. Lynn, you have two items in House Document No. 191, the first of which is $15,350 for equipping the cafeteria in the New House Office Building. Tell us about that.

Mr. LYNN. I have a short statement, Mr. Chairman, that I would like to present to the committee in connection with the cafeteria in the New House Office Building.

Mr. WOODRUM. We will be glad to have your statement.

Mr. LYNN. House Resolution 186, Seventy-seventh Congress, agreed to April 24, 1941, provides as follows:

Resolved, That under the provisions of House Resolution 590, Seventy-sixth Congress, agreed to September 5, 1940, the Architect of the Capitol is authorized and directed to establish a branch of the House of Representatives restaurant in the New House Office Building.

Section 208 of Public Act 812, Seventy-sixth Congress, approved October 9, 1940, provides that any appropriations made from the Treasury of the United States for the House restaurant shall be a part of the appropriation "Contingent expenses, House of Representatives, miscellaneous items," and the estimate in the amount of $15,350 required to equip the cafeteria in the New House Office Building, authorized by House Resolution 186, has accordingly been submitted through the Bureau of the Budget by the Clerk of the House at my request.

1

DISTRIBUTION OF ESTIMATE

The break-down of the items making up this estimate is as follows:

Estimated cost to furnish and equip cafeteria in the new House Office Building from appropriation: "Contingent expenses, House of Representatives”

Equipment and furnishings:

Sink and drain board.

Two electric refrigerators (41 cubic feet, four doors, each).

Table (toaster and sandwich toaster, hot plate).

Table (milk shaker-pie rack above).

Coffee table (Silex battery on it).

One electric range with high shelf; one electric range with salamander and fryolator_-_

1, 500

Truck, mounted with large covered container, for conveying hot and other foods from Capitol restaurant to House Office Building cafeteria____

Total, equipment and furnishings___

250

15, 350

Mr. WOODRUM. How much will be the annual deficit on this cafeteria operation?

Mr. LYNN. Mr. Chairman, I hope that there will not be any deficit. Mr. WOODRUM. "Hope springs eternal in the human breast," but what have we to base that hope on?

Mr. LYNN. I think there is a sufficient number of people in the two House Office Buildings who will eat in this cafeteria to maintain it. They have in the Senate Office Building a cafeteria, and I understand they do very well with that cafeteria.

Mr. WOODRUM. How many of these private restaurants around here will you put out of business by the establishment of this cafeteria? Mr. LYNN. I could not answer that question, because I do not know. Mr. Chairman, a great many Members of the House and employees of the House have spoken to me about establishing a cafeteria in the Office Building for the convenience of the occupants.

Mr. WOODRUM. Did we not at one time have a cafeteria in the House Office Building?

Mr. LYNN. That was a somewhat different arrangement. It was not a cafeteria; it was a regular restaurant.

Mr. WOODRUM. Is this cafeteria going to be operated by the same management as the House restaurant?

Mr. LYNN. Yes, sir.

Mr. TABER. Who manages the House restaurant?

Mr. LYNN. Mr. Ellis is our manager.

Mr. JOHNSON of West Virginia. Is he here?

Mr. LYNN. Yes; I have him here. I thought perhaps you would want to ask him some questions.

Mr. WOODRUM. He has done a good job with the House restaurant. There is a whole lot of improvement; but I just cannot see the idea of opening up another restaurant.

Mr. CANNON. Mr. Lynn, is it true that the present management of the House restaurant is handling it much more economically than it has been handled for some time heretofore?

Mr. LYNN. There have been some improvements, in every way, as far as the management is concerned.

Mr. WOODRUM. I quite agree with that.

Mr. CANNON. I think there has been great improvement in the service, and I was interested to know if the improvement in the service was the result of increased expenditure.

Mr. LYNN. On the other hand, we have decreased operating losses. Mr. WOODRUM. You will not have any deficit this year?

Mr. LYNN. Yes, sir; we will.

Mr. WOODRUM. You will? How much?

Mr. LYNN. I cannot say, as many factors have to be considered. For instance, recesses or an adjournment would materially alter the results.

Mr. WOODRUM. About fifty or seventy-five thousand dollars?

Mr. LYNN. No, sir.

Mr. WOODRUM. Not that much?

Mr. LYNN. No.

Mr. LUDLOW. How many persons will be required for this cafeteria? And on what pay roll are they to be carried? They are not carried in this statement.

Mr. LYNN. They would be paid out of the general funds of the House restaurant.

Mr. LUDLOW. How many persons will be required?

Mr. ELLIS. Approximately 25 persons.

Mr. TABER. How many persons do you expect to feed over there? Mr. ELLIS. I would estimate that we would feed at least 250 to 300 persons for lunch every day.

Mr. LUDLOW. How many meals would you serve a day? Would you serve three meals?

Mr. ELLIS. That is something that would depend on the demands. At present, I should think we would probably be open for luncheon only, with the possibility of some breakfast. I do not think there would be any need for dinner.

Mr. WOODRUM. Where will you do the cooking?

Mr. ELLIS. Most of the heavy cooking would be done in the present House restaurant kitchen in the Capitol.