Resolved, That the Military Affairs Committee of the Senate be instructed to investigate the situation and report on the feasibility of utilizing said garage and the best means to handle the situation. The CHAIRMAN. And I would like to include in the record a memorandum prepared by Dr. George C. Ruhland, health officer of the District of Columbia, as well as a letter which I have received from him, dealing with this subject. I had written to Dr. Ruhland, as I have written to everyone else whom I thought would be officially interested in this subject. (Said letter and memorandum are as follows:) GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Hon. FRANCIS MALONEY, M. C., United States Senate, Washington, D. C. October 1, 1943. DEAR SENATOR MALONEY: This will acknowledge your memorandum under date of September 29, in which you include copy of the concurrent resolution under which temporary sleeping quarters in the legislative garage for men in the armed forces is to be provided. This Department has investigated the possibility of utilizing this space for the indicated purpose, and I am transmitting a report to Congressman Tolan on the matter. I am enclosing copy of the report. Sincerely yours, GEORGE C. RUHLAND, M. D., Memorandum to Dr. George C. Ruhland, health officer. Subject: Conversion of United States Senate garage into sleeping quarters for military personnel. From D. C. Malcolm and A. P. Bell. In accordance with your instructions the writers made an inspection of the United States Senate garage on Friday, September 24, 1943. The inspectors met with Senator Langer, the Senator's secretary, and the superintendent of the garage who guided the inspection group through the building. Additional information was obtained at a later date from the office of the Capitol Architect who has given this problem sufficient thought to have prepared a tentative floor plan and to have drawn up pertinent data on floor areas, heat, and ventilation. The inspection and information obtained from the Architect's office revealed the following: 1. The structure is so located and constructed as to be considered a fireproof underground garage having a concrete floor and ceiling and stone side walls. 2. The total parking area affordea is 70,500 square feet; however, due to the need of a portion of the garage for servicing and storage of official Government cars and trucks, only 39,500 square feet is proposed to be used at present for sleeping facilities. 3. In the portion to be converted for sleeping purposes mechanical ventilation is supplied by two fresh-air fans having a total capacity of 20,000 cubic feet per minute and five exhaust fans having a total capacity of 28,000 cubic feet per minute, thereby placing the room under a slight negative pressure. 4. The structure is artifically lighted throughout, having no facilities for natural light or ventilation other than doorways. 5. Heat is supplied by recirculating, motor-driven unit heaters. 6. Toilet facilities consist of 10 toilets, 2 urinals, and 6 washbasins. If that portion of the building that contains 39,500 square feet is converted to sleeping quarters 700 men may be housed at one time. This figure is based on military and Public Health Service recommendations of 50 square feet of floor space per bed, exclusive of main aisles. The requirement is 30 cubic feet of fresh air per person per minute where artificial ventilation is used. The housing of 700 men will require, according to military requirements, a minimum of 35 toilets, 28 urinals, 56 lavatories, and 28 showers. It will also be necessary to construct a fireproof partition between the north and south walls in order that the sleeping quarters be isolated from that portion of the building housing the gasoline pumps and official cars and trucks. There are two major features of this structure that tend to make it undesirable for sleeping purposes: 1. The floors and walls are of unheated concrete and rock, respectively, laid on and against the earth. Under these conditions it will be difficult to keep them dry and free from moisture at all times. It is further believed that, although the heating facilities appear to be adequate, the unheated concrete floor will create conditions such as to make sleeping on canvas cots cold and uncomfortable due to the cold air cushion at floor level. 2. Since the heat, light, and ventilation for this building are dependent upon a continuous and unfailing supply of electric current, a power failure or the pulling of the master switch in the Senate Office Building, as occurs in black-outs, will cause these quarters to be completely without heat, light, or ventilation, and will thereby create conditions conducive to general disorder and personal injury. If this building is converted definite precautions should be taken to insure electric power at all times. Respectfully, The CHAIRMAN. I also offer for the record a letter from the Vice President, which I received, dealing with this subject. (The letter referred to is as follows:) Hon. FRANCIS MALONEY, United States Senate. OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT, DEAR SENATOR MALONEY: I have your letter of September 29 enclosing a copy of Senate Concurrent Resolution 19, introduced by Senator Langer, to provide temporary sleeping quarters in the legislative garage for men of the armed forces. If you and the Architect of the Capitol have looked into this subject, I shall be most happy to be guided by your judgment. I have not studied the question sufficiently to have a definite opinion one way or the other. Sincerely yours, H. A. WALLACE. The CHAIRMAN. The matter was also taken up with Lieutenant General Holcomb of the United States Marine Corps, and he felt that any opinion coming from his branch of the armed forces ought to be from the Secretary of the Navy. I shall include, if there is no objection, General Holcomb's letter. (The letter referred to is as follows:) HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, Hon. FRANCIS MALONEY, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MALONEY: In view of the fact that Senate Concurrent Resolution 19 deals with all the armed forces, I feel that it is a matter upon which the expression of the views of the Secretary of the Navy should be given before any official comment is made by me. Accordingly, I have referred your letter, dated September 29, 1943, together with the copy of the resolution, to the Secretary of the Navy. Sincerely yours, T. HOLCOMB, Lieutenant General, United States Marine Corps, The Commandant United States Marine Corps, The CHAIRMAN. Also a letter which I received from Vice Admiral R. R. Waesche, which came to me under similar circumstances. 94477-44- 2 (The letter referred to is as follows:) Hon. FRANCIS MALONEY, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD, Chairman, Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR MALONEY: I have your letter of September 29, 1943, referring for expression of my views copy of Senate Concurrent Resolution 19, introduced by Senator Langer, "To provide temporary sleeping quarters in the legislative garage for men of the armed forces." The Navy Department (Office of the Judge Advocate General) is securing the views of the interested offices of the Navy Department, including the Coast Guard, relative to this resolution, for inclusion in a report in reply to a similar letter from you. The views of the Coast Guard, therefore, will be included in that report. Very truly yours, R. R. WAESCHE, Vice Admiral, United States Coast Guard, The CHAIRMAN. I also have here a letter from Mr. Winfree E. Johnson, chairman of the servicemen's lodging committee of the Welfare and Recreational Association of Public Buildings and Grounds. He sent me a copy of a letter which he addressed to Congressman John H. Tolan on the subject, as well as some charts. He also sent me a report of the servicemen's lodging committee and the minutes of the servicemen's lodging committee meeting held on September 28, and a report of the survey of conditions relative to the servicemen lodging at Union Station. I will include all of this in the record with the exception of the charts, and I would like to say for the benefit of the reporter that if any of this material is not easily prepared for the record, that it may be left out. I do think that the over-all subject is so important that we ought to have all of the information together. Do you agree with me, Senator Andrews? Senator ANDREWS. Yes, sir. Frankly, I have never seriously considered the matter. I can give you my reasons. (The documents referred to are as follows:) WELFARE AND RECREATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF Hon. FRANCIS MALONEY, The United States Senate, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR MALONEY: For the information of your committee, you will find enclosed the following: (1) A copy of my letter to Congressman J. H. Tolan. (2) Charts showing the weekly status of cots for servicemen. (3) Servicemen's lodging committee report for the night of Saturday, October 2, 1943. (4) The minutes of the servicemen's lodging committee meeting held Tuesday, September 28. (5) A report of the survey of conditions relative to the servicemen lounging at Union Station. You will note from these articles that the committee has long realized the problem which exists at Union Station and have made a comprehensive study since this condition was first recognized. We have felt that there have been sufficient lodging facilities provided for the servicemen. However, we realize that these facilities are not altogether satisfactory. I wish to call to your attention the fact that the problem presents itself only on Saturday nights. You will note that on the servicemen's lodging committee report, the asterisks denote those places which are open throughout the week. To date there has been no shortage of cots available for the men on week nights. Consequently, in considering the renovation of the legislative garage for sleeping quarters for servicemen, you might have the thought in mind that there will not be a great demand for accommodations during the week. In advocating additional facilities, our committee has in mind the uncomfortable conditions which exist in the recreation area, provided by the United States Army, during the coming winter months, and realize that a more comfortable and convenient place would be greatly appreciated. If you desire any further information on this subject, I will be glad to comply with your request. Very truly yours, The Honorable JOHN H. TOLAN, WINFREE E. JOHNSON, Chairman, Servicemen's Lodging Committee. House Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. TOLAN: In Tuesday's meeting of the servicemen's lodging committee the articles appearing in the Evening Star, the Washington Times-Herald, and Post, with reference to your experience at the Union Station at 4 a. m. on Sunday, September 19, were discussed with mixed feelings. During the past year the servicemen's lodging committee, meeting every Tuesday, has made tremendous strides in providing lodging facilities for servicemen either on leave in or passing through Washington. For your information the servicemen's lodging committee is a subcommittee of the war hospitality committee, and consists of representatives from the majority of the organizations providing recreation, entertainment, and lodging for servicemen in Washington. For the past year accurate records have been maintained of the number of cots available and occupied each week, and enclosed herewith is a set of charts which are supervised and maintained by the special services officer of the military district of Washington. Also enclosed is the lodging report of the past week end in question, together with a report from the Memorial Bridge recreation area, which is under the supervision of the military district of Washington, giving the necessary information relative to the transportation to the recreation area of servicemen of all branches of the armed forces. For your information, a trucking service is maintained between five centralized locations and the recreation area, providing free transportation for all servicemen who desire free lodging in the Memorial Bridge recreation area. Your attention is called to the fact that free transportation was available from all of these locations as long as there was any demand for transportation, and it will be noted that from approximately 3 a. m. on Sunday morning there was only a total of 49 men who expressed a desire for transportation from the Union Station. All service clubs and lodging facilities are aware of the existence of this transportation system and it is used to no inconsiderable degree. Although you did observe a large number of men reclining on chairs, floors, and so forth, a serviceman can learn about the lodging situation in Washington merely by asking information from either the Service Men's Lounge or Travelers' Aid at the Union Station. With reference to your resolution concerning the possible use of the Senate garage as a lounge and lodging facility, attempts were made by this committee during the past winter to obtain either the basement or the Senate garage for use and all efforts came to naught. Representatives of this committee had interviews with Mr. Lynn, Senator Byrd, and others and were advised that it would not be possible to obtain either the basement or the garage for use as an overflow center for the Union Station. Recreation Services, Inc., operating agency for the war hospitality committee, obtained the Capital Park Hotel for use as an overflow center to be ready about October 15, 1943. This will no doubt do much to alleviate the trying conditions at the Union Station, but if it is possible through congressional assistance to obtain the use of the Senate garage an overflow center for the Union Station it will be much appreciated. This committee will be pleased to discuss details at your convenience. But it is thought that you should have made known to you what is being done for servicemen in this city as the articles released to the three papers give the impression to the public that little or nothing is being done, which as you can readily see is not the case. Very sincerely yours, MINUTES OF THE SERVICEMEN'S LODGING COMMITTEE OF THE WAR HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE, METROPOLITAN CIVILIAN DEFENSE, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1943 Present: Winfree E. Johnson, chairman, Servicemen's Lodging Committee. Harold Buckles, secretary of Congressman Tolan. Floyd D. Akers, chairman, War Hospitality Committee. Capt. John H. Simpson, United States Army, Military District of Washington. Lt. A. A. Tillmann, United States Marine Corps. Lt. Comdr. W. D. Thompson, United States Naval Reserve, welfare and recreation officer. D. C. Malcolm, inspector, District of Columbia Health Department. Guy P. Webb, reporter for Washington News. William Flythe, reporter for Times Herald. Commander William A. Corley, retired. David Whatley, United Service Organizations attorney. John Luther, Evening Star reporter. Vesper Smith, Young Men's Christian Association, United Service Organizations representative. Clarence Arata, executive secretary, Washington Board of Trade. |