JK 501 .M 1918 Copy Ll , "^ T c s I cJ e n V 1 lESS I 1 '' f SENATE. i Doci I No Document 297 Proposed Transfer of Bureaus from Washington to other Cities MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TRANSMITTING IN RESPONSE TO A SENATE RESOLUTION OF SEPTEMBER 6, 1918, REPORTS FROM THE HEADS OF THE SEVERAL EXECUTIVE DEPART- MENTS AND INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHMENTS, IN REFERENCE TO THE MATTER OF TRANSFERRING FROM WASHINGTON TO OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, FOR THE DURATION OF THE WAR, BUREAUS AND PARTS OF BUREAUS OF THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS October 28, 1918. — Ordered to lie on the table and to be printed WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1918 ^\< 5' Senate Resolution 296. In the Senate of the United States, September 6, 1918. Resolved, That the President be requested, where compatible with the public service, for the purpose of relieving the congestion of population in the District of Columbia, to order the transfer from Washington to other cities in the coun- try for the duration of the war of such bureaus or parts of bureaus, commis- sions, and subdivisions of the several departments as can discharge their func- tions and pex'form their duties as well outside of said District as within its boundaries, such order to be effective not later than the 1st day of October, A. D. 1918. Attest : James M. Bakee, Secretary. P. G. M. says none. ' ■ n, •t ». m 21 1919 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. To the Senate: I transmit herewith, for the information of the Senate, in response to the resolution adopted by the Senate on September 6, 1918, num- bered S. Ees. 296, reports made by the heads of the several executive departments and independent Government establishments, in ref- erence to the matter of transferring from Washington to other cities in the country, for the duration of the war, such bureaus, or parts of bureaus, commissions, and subdivisions of the several departments as could discharge their functions and perform their duties as well outside of said District as within its boundaries. From these reports it will be noted that the heads of the executive departments and independent Government establishments do not deem it advisable to remove any branch of the Government service now located within the District of Columbia to any other location. WooDROw Wilson. The White House, %8 October, 1918. 3 PROPOSED TRANSFER OF BUREAUS, ETC., FROM WASHINGTON TO OTHER CITIES. Department of State, Washington^ September 10^ 1918. My Dear Mr. President: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, through your secretary, of a copy of Senate resokition 296, providing, where compatible with the public service and for the purpose of relieving the congestion of population in the District of Columbia, for the transfer from Washington to other cities in the country, for the duration of the war, of such bureaus or parts of bureaus, commissions, and subdivisions of the several departments as can discharge their functions and perform their duties as well out- side of said District as within its boundaries, such order to be effective not later than October 1 next. In reply to your request for a report as to whether any of the branches of the Department of State could discharge their functions and perform their duties as w^ell outside of the District of Columbia as within its boundaries, I would respectfully advise you as follows : It is presumed that the resolution of the Senate relates exclusively to those branches of the several departments now located at the seat of government. With this understanding and bearing in mind the close coordination of the several bureaus, divisions, and offices com- prising the Department of State, I feel confident none of them could discharge its functions or perform its duties as well outside the District of Columbia as within its boundaries. I hesitate, in view of no intimate detailed knowledge of the inter- dependencies between the several other executive departments and their respective branches, to express my judgment as to the action which should be taken in response to the resolution as it may affect their work and activities. Faithfully, yours, Robert Lansing. The President, The White House. The Secretary of the Treasury, W ashing ton^ September 26, 1918. Dear Mr. President : Replying to Mr. Tumulty's letter requesting a report as to whether there are any bureaus or divisions of the Treas- ury Department which could discharge their functions and perform their duties as well outside the District of Columbia as here, I beg to advise that I have had the question carefully considered and find that at the present time there does not seem to be anj' way m which any more work of the Treasury Department may be taken out of Wash- ington. 6 TRANSFER OF BUREAUS FROM WASHINGTOIT. First, I should draw to your particular attention the following pro- visions of the Eevised Statutes : Sec. 233. There shall be at the seat of Government an Executive Department to be known as the Department of the Treasury, and a Secretary of the Treas- ury, who shall be the head thereof. Sec. 1796. All offices attached to the seat of Government shall be exercised In the District of Columbia, and not elsewhere, except as otherwise expressly provided by law. These provisions of law would seem to prohibit the moving of any of the bureaus and divisions of the Treasury Department from Wash- ington without specific authorization of the Congress. I give below a statement of the many activities which are already conducted in the field and the reasons, entirely apart from the provisions of the law quoted above, which make it impracticable at the present time to transfer any more of the work from Washington. In the interest of efficiency and on account of the very great demand for labor and space in Washington, it has been the constant policy of the Treasury Department to decentralize its operations as much as possible. I cite the activities of the War Loan Organization as an illustration in this direction. From the beginning of the war I have maintained in Washington only sufficient force of the A¥ar Loan Organization to direct the campaigns for Liberty Loans, War Savings Certificates, and Certificates of Indebtedness, in addition to the force necessary to conduct the physical operations of printing, engraving, issuing, converting, redeeming, and registering bonds. The very char- acter of the latter work, performed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Register of the Treasury, and the Division of Loans and Currency, and its close relation to the Secretary's Office which exercises constant supervision and direction, makes it impossible to transfer those activities from Washington. The great agencies for selling the bonds and certificates, however, are located in the field. These agencies are centralized, under the general direction of the Treasury Department in Washington, in the several Federal Reserve banks which have charge of the campaigns in their respective districts. The Federal Reserve banks in turn have organized Liberty Loan com- mittees in the various cities in their territories and in this way the work is further distributed over the country. The greater part of the work of collecting the taxes is done in the field through the offices of the various collectors of internal reve- nue and internal-revenue agents throughout the country. The execu- tive administration of this service, and the filing and auditing of re- turns, are duties of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue which are performed in Washington. Under the law all regulations of the Internal-Revenue Service are subject to the approval of the* Secre- tary of the TreasurjT^, and many of the commissioner's decisions also require the specific approval of the Secretary. As a result, his office is in close and intimate touch with the office of the Secretary, and it would seem impossible to transfer any more of the activities of the Internal-Revenue Bureau from Washington. In the case of the Bureau of War Risk Insurance, it is believed to be impracticable at the present time for that bureau to function efficiently and effectively elsewhere than in Washington. It is neces- sary for the bureau to be in close touch with the records of the War and Navy Departments which are on file only in Washington and TEANSFER OP BUREAUS EEOM WASHINGTON". 7 which are being constantly consulted. To separate the bureau from the Treasury here at this time, it is believed, would involve great in- convenience, delay, and loss in efficiency. The work of the offices of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Treasurer of the United States is of such character and of such in- timate relation to the entire transactions of the Treasury Department that it would be impossible to transfer any of it outside the District of Columbia. Likewise, the work of the Comptroller of the Treasury and the auditors for the various departments must be clone in Wash- ington where the accounts are received and audited. The offices of the Director of the Mint. Federal Farm Loan Bureau, Bureau of the Public Health, Supervising Architect, Customs Division, and Secret Service Division are represented in Washington by comparatively small forces, and their work is so related to other parts of the depart- ment that they could not be moved without great confusion and re- sulting inefficiency. I am deeply impressed with the seriousness of the congestion in Washington and am sincerelv sorry that there seems to be no way at the present time for the Treasury Department further to decen- tralize its work. The subject shall continue to have my careful con- sideration, and -if there is any way in which the Treasury can assist in affording relief I shall be glad to take the necessary steps to do so. Cordially, yours, W. G. McAdoo. The President, The White House. War Department, ' Washington, September 30, 1918. My Dear Mr. Tumulty : Your communication of September 9 with reference to the removal of agencies of the War Department from this city is now the subject of a study by my military associates in connec- tion with the War Industries Board. It has been found that these agencies of the War Department are so intimately connected with the nonmilitary agencies, such, for example, as the Food Administration, that it will be impracticable to move the military agency without moving the interlocking nonmilitary agency. When decisions are made as to the future location of procurement agencies operating through the War Industries Board, the matter can be very quickly adjusted with reference to corresponding subdivi- sions in the War Department. Sincerely, yours, Benedict Crowell, Acting Secretary of War. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, . Secretary to the President. Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C, Septerriber 13, 1918. The President, The White House. Dear Mr. President : On the 9th Mr. Tumulty sent to me copy of a resolution adopted by the Senate on September 6, a copy of which 8 TRANSFER OF BUREAUS FROM WASHINGTON, is hereto attached, and asked that I send you a report as to whether there were under my jurisdiction any bureaus or parts of bureaus, commissions, or subdivisions, which could discharge their functions and perform their duties as well outside the District of Columbia as here; he. also asked my judgment as to what action should be taken in response to the resolution. After canvassing the situation, I have reached the conclusion that no bureau or subdivision of this department now located in Washington could be transferred elsewhere without impairment of its efficiency. All told, we have onlj^ 451 employees in Washington. I do not think that you are called upon to do more than acknowledge the receipt of the resolution. Faithfully, yours, T. W. Geegoey, Attorney General. Navy Depaetment, Washington.^ September ^-5, 1918. Sir : Eeplying to your letter of September 9, 1918, inclosing copy of Senate resolution 296, of September 6, 1918, and requesting to be advised as to whether there are under the jurisdiction of this depart- ment any bureaus, parts of bureaus, commissions, or subdivisions which could discharge their functions and perform their duties as well outside the District as here, I have to state that this matter was referred to the bureaus and offices of the Navy Department, which report, without exception, that it is impracticable to transfer any part of their activities outside the District of Columbia. Sincerely, yours, JosEPHus Daniels. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President., The White House. The Secretaey or the Inteeior, Washington. Septerrhber 11., 1918. My Dear Me. Peesident: I have your note regarding removal from the District of the activities which might well be removed, in order to get office space. You may know that we already have given 425 rooms to the Army and Navy and are very much congested. It would be possible to move the Pension Office and the Patent Office to some other city, in- asmuch as they are more self-contained than any other bureau, but there are about 2,100 people in these bureaus, one-half of whom, per- haps, own their own homes in this city. Some of them have lived here for 30 or 40 years. Cordially and faithfullj?^, yours, Franklin K. Lane. The President, The White House. TRANSFER OP BUREAUS FROM WASHINGTON. 9 The Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, Septerriber 18, 1918.. Dear Mr. Tumulty : I have your note of September 9, inclosing a copy of the resohition adopted by the Senate on September 6. I have carefully canvassed the situation in this department and I find that it would be impossible, without serious loss in efficiency, to remove to other cities any branches of the department now located in Washing- ton. Approximately 80 per cent of the employees of the department are now stationed in the field and, generally speaking, only the neces- sary administrative machinery and labort^tory facilities are main- tained here in Washington. Sincerely, yours, D. F. Houston, Secretary. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President. Department of Commerce, Office of. the Assistant Secretary, Washington, September 13, 1918. My Dear Mr. Tumulty : Your letter to Secretary Kedfield, dated September 9, inclosing a copy of a resolution adopted by the Senate requesting the President to order the transfer from Washington of bureaus, commissions, etc., during the war, came while both the Sec- retary and I were absent in connection with the United States- Cana- dian fisheries conference. Secretary Reclfield will probably return next Monda5^ In the meantime permit me to say that I have given the matter some consid- eration and fail to discover in the Department of Commerce anj^ spot or place where it seems to me to be feasible to take any action which would tend to relieve the congestion in Washington. We full}'' recognize the situation, and if we find there is anything we can do to help, I assure you it will be done most cheerfully. It seems to me that some of the newly created commissions — Food, Fuel, Alien Property, etc, — might be located elsewhere without ma- terial sacrifice of efficiency, but this could best be determined by the heads of such commissions, and the action you are taking will prob- ably secure responses indicating what can be done in that line. Sincerely, yours, E. F. Sweet, Acting Secretary. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, ISecretary to the President, The White House, Washington. Department of Commerce, Office of the Secretary, Washington, September 17, 1918. . My Dear Mr. Tumulty : Your letter of September 9, in regard to relieving congestion in Washington, has been called to my atten- tion on my return. I note Mr. Sweet's reply thereto of th«^ 13th instant. Tliis last is correct ; only it occurs to me to add to it that we are already conduct- 10 TEANSFER OP BUEEAUS FEOM WASHIIJrGTON. ing a considerable part of our departmental work in several services in branch offices located throughout the country, and are glad so far as lies within our power to extend this further. Sincerely, yours, William C. Eedfield, Secretary. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President^ The White House^ Washington. Department of Labor, Office of the Secretary, Washington., Septeniber 'Blf.yWlS. My Dear Mr. Tumulty : Eeceipt is acknowledged of your commu- nication of the 9th instant, transmitting copy of the resolution adopted by the Senate relative to the possibility of removal of cer- tain bureaus or departments from the District of Columbia for the purpose of relieving the congestion of population therein. In reply thereto you are advised that the Department of Labor is made up of a number of small units, the removal of any one or two of which would render no material relief. A copy of your letter and the resolution mentioned therein has been communicated to each bureau or service in the department, and the answers thereto are to the effect that the activities of each are so intimately connected with those of the other services of the Government in the District of Columbia, particularly the produc- tions divisions of the War and Navy Departments, that to be re- moved therefrom would seriously impair their efficiency. Cordially, yours, W. B. Wilson, Secretary. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President., White House., Washington.^ D. C. Interstate Commerce Commission, Washington, September i^, 1918. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President^ the White House. My Dear Mr. Secretary: Your letter of September 9 was duly received inclosing a copy of Senate resolution 296, requesting the President to transfer from Washington such bureaus or parts thereof as could discharge their functions as well outside of the District as within. I have very carefully canvassed the question of what bureaus of the Interstate Commerce Commission would fall under the category above referred to. The only one that could by any reasonable pos- sibility come within this class is the Valuation Bureau of the Eastern District. We have five or six valuation districts and the Eastern Dis- TRANSFER OP BUREAUS FROM WASHIlirGTOISr. 11 trict has its headquarters here. Thej^ have discontinued bringing to Washington men for temporary work, and the bureau, all told, would number about 55 in the Engineering Department and perhaps 35 in the Law, Land, and Accounting Sections. I took this up promptly on September 10 with Mr. Prouty, Direc- tor of Valuation, and a copy of his reply is returned herewith. I am bound to say that I rather am compelled to agree with him. If this bureau were ordered away from Washington, two-thirds of the employees would resign and take service in other departments here in Washington. Moreover, very real hardship would be imposed upon those who should actually go, in cases where they own houses here in the District. Besides, the work of the division would be badly disrupted. I have discussed this matter with Commissioner Meyer, and we both are of opinion that, bad as is the present congestion, the degree of relief to be purchased by the removal of this bureau would be bought at too high a cost, would result in relatively few. of the present force leaving the city, would work hardship in many in- dividual cases, and would disrupt the work and augment the expense of doing the current work of this bureau. There is no other bureau of the commission whose removal from Washington is thinkable. It might be perfectly feasible to remove the entire commission with each and every bureau and department thereof, let us say, to Chicago or St. Louis, but this would require an act of Congress as the statute makes Washington the official head- quarters of the commission. Sincerely, yours, W. M. Daniels, Chairman. Interstate Commerce Commission, Office of the Director of Valuation, Washington^ September 11., 1918. Memorandum to the Chairman : Replying to yours of September 10, 1918, inquiring whether the offices of the Eastern District of the Bureau of Valuation could be transferred to some other point than Washington. The offices of all other districts are located away from Washington, and, of course, the same thing might be done in case of the Eastern District. We find it convenient to be in actual contact, so to speak, with the Eastern District office, but that is not a matter of great im- portance. So far as the mere discharge of the functions of that dis- trict are concerned, there is little against the transfer. At the same time I believe such a transfer would be most unfortu- nate and unwise at the present time. The total number of office em- ployees of this district residing in Washington is 55. Of these 20 actually own the houses in which they live. Twenty more have leased apartments or houses and established homes. Of the remaining 15 many are the members of families. For example, the stenographer of Mr. Wendt is the wife of a man working in the War Department. The stenographer of Mr. Spencer is the wife of a man working in some other department; the Navy, I believe. Every one of our em- ployees could readily obtain employment in Washington and usually at a higher compensation than we pay. If these offices were to be transferred to-day to Baltimore, mo^t of these emploj^ees would leave 12 TEANSFEE OF BUKEAUS FROM WASHINGTON. our employment and enter the employment of the Government rather than to break up the homes which they have established here. In ordinary times it would be possil^le to recruit a new force in another city ; it is very doubtful if it could be done to-day. If such new force could be recruited, it would require, owing to the fact that most of them are experts doing expert work, one year to bring that force up to its present efficiency, and during^that year we could hardly perform what the present force would accomplish in six months. I am constrained to urge, therefore, that you do not recommend that the transfer should be made. Pkouty, Director. The Chairman. Federal Trade Commission,. Office of the Chairman, Washington., September 11., 1918. Mr Dear Mr. Tumulty: Yours September 9, 1918, re removal of bureaus, etc., from the District. A major part of the present work of the Federal Trade Commis- sion is cost finding and expert accounting upon order and in aid of the Army, the Navy, the War Industries Board, the Fuel Adminis- tration, and the Food Administration. That work ought to be performed in daily contact with such governmental agencies. Hence it should be done in Washington. War work being given precedence, the commissioners should be in immediate touch with it. Under procedure laid down by law the peace-time work of the commission can not be entirely delegated, and so must center where the commissioners are. However, the commission several months ago established small branch offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco in order to save expense and time in travel. A larger part of our work can be thrown on these offices, but the resulting transfer of employees will not be great. Lastly, the commission being by its organic law required, to respond to requests by Congress and congressional committees, its archives should be in Washington. The commission will reduce the number of its staff in the District to the lowest possible number, but it does not appear that a transfer en bloc of the commission nor of any of its subdivisions would be in the public- interest. By direction of the commission. Yours, very truly, William B. Colvee, Chcdrman. Hon. Joseph Tumulty, The White House. United States Civil Service Commission, Washington., D. G .., Septemlier 11).., 1918. The President: In response to the letter of September 9 from your Secretary requesting that we report to you as to whether there are under the jurisdiction of this commission any bureaus, or parts of bureaus. TEAlSrSFEE OF BUREAUS FROM WASHINGTOIST, 13 which could discharge their functions and perform their duties as well outside the District of Columbia as here, we have the honor to state that in the judgment of the commission it is necessary to the proper and efficient administration of the civil-service rules that the divisions of this office as at present constituted remain in this city. We have the honor to be, Very respectfully, John A. McIlhenny, Chas. M, Galloway, H. W. Craven, Commissioners. Office of the Public Printer, Washington^ Septemher 11^ 1918. My Dear Mr. Secretary : I am in receipt of yours under date of September 9, 1918, relative to report to the President as to whether there are under the Public Printer any bureaus, or parts of bureaus, commissions, or subdivisions which could discharge their functions and perform their duties as well outside the District as here, and also my judgment as to what action should be taken in response to the Senate resolution. In answer to the first part of the President's request : There are no bureaus, divisions, etc., under the control of the Public Printer that could perform their duties outside of the District. As to my judgment as to what action should be taken in response to the Senate resolution : The present congestion affects the Govern- ment Printing Office, and some remedy should be found to relieve the Public Printer; to-day he is confronted with a shortage of skilled help, and reasons assigned for refusal to accept positions in the Gov- ermnent Printing Office among the class of help in the main are want of living accommodations, caused no doubt by the large increase of war workers in the various new commissions, etc. Sincerely, yours, Cornelius Ford, Puhlic Printer. Hon. Joseph P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President., The White House., Washington., D. C. United States Tariff Commission, Washington., September 11., 1918. My Dear Mr. Tumulty : In reply to your letter of September 9, in- closing copy of the resolution adopted by the Senate in regard to the possible transfer to other places than Washington of parts of the work of this commission, I beg to state that no such transfer seems to be practicable. Our organization involves no division into bureaus or parts of bureaus. It is a united and comparatively small one, and the duties incumbent upon the commission can not be performed ef- fectively outside the District. 1 remain, witli much respect, Very truly, yours, F. W. Taussig, Chairman. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, The White House, Washington. 14 TRANSFER OF BUREAUS FROM WASHINGTON". United States Shipping Board, Washington, jSeptemher 11, 1918. Dear Mr. TuMULTr: Answering your inquiry of September 9, I do riot know of any bureaus or parts of bureaus, commissions, or subdivisions of the United States Shipping Board which could per- form their duties as well outside the District of Columbia as here. As you know, the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation offices here moved to Philadelphia about the first of June, y/hich materially reduced our former organization in Wash- ington. Sincerely, yours, Edward N. Hurley, Chairman. Hon. J. P. Tumulty, Secretary to the President, The White House. United States Railroad Administration, Washington, September 13, 1918. My Dear Mr. President: In the absence of the Director General, I am responding to your inquiry of the 9th of September, submitted through Mr. Tumulty, as to whether there are under the jurisdiction of the Director General of Railroads any bureaus or other organiza- tions which could perform their duties as well outside the District of Columbia as inside it. The Railroad Administration has been built up on the theory that the organization in Washington should be kept as small as possible. As you are aware, a great part of the work connected with the Railroad Administration is carried on through the several regional directors and Federal managers, and only work of a general supervisory nature is conducted here in Washington. For this reason it would not be practicable to moA^e any of the exist- ing parts of the Railroad Administration to another city without impairing the efficiency of the organization. Sincerely, yours, Walker D. Hines. The President, The White House. War Trade Board, Washington, September 2Ii., 1918. My Dear Mr. President: In accordance with the request con- tained in Mr. Tumulty's letter of September 9, transmitting a copy of Senate resolution No. 296, I beg to report as follows : The War Trade Board has now some 18 branch offices, located in the more important cities, the employees of which total 135 people, there being about 300 in New York City alone. The War Trade Board in its functions is closely related to other boards and departments located in Washington. It is in constant touch, for instance, with the State, War, and Navy Departments, the Shipping Board, the Food Administration, the War Industries Board, and the foreign legations. The formulation of its rules and regulations is possible only by personal conference with officials of these departments. TEANSFER OF BUREAUS FROM WASHINGTON. 15 In addition, certain problems of reorganization are now in con- templation which will result in a reduction in the number of employees. My recommendation is that to transfer the whole or any part of the War Trade Board at the present time at least would be inadvisable. Sincerely, yours, Vance C. McCormick, Chairman. The President, The White House. Committee on Public Information, Washington, D. C, September i^, 1918. Hon. Joseph P. Tumulty, The White House., Washington., D. G. My Dear Mr. Tumulty: Answering your letter of September 9, inclosing the copy of a resolution adopted by the Senate, I submit herewith a list of bureaus already maintained by this committee outside of Washington. From the first I have had the idea embodied in the Senate resolu- tion, and have carried it out to the best of my ability. The only divisions of the committee now in Washington are those that it is impossible for me to move to any other place. Sincerely, George Creel, Chairmati. NEW TOEK OFFICES. Division of Distribution (brancti), 461 Eightli Avenue. Labor Publications, 51 Chambers Street. Division of Advertising, 164 Metropolitan Tower. Division of Foreign Picture Service, 235 West Twenty-tbird Street, Division of Foreign Press Cable Service, 20 Broad Street. Division of Foreign Press Mail Service, 95 Mad son Avenue. Division of Pictorial Publicity, 1201 Fifth Avenue Building. Division of Films, Times Building, Times Square. WOEK WITH THE FOEEIGN BOEN. German Bureau, 32 Union Square. Hungarian Bureau, 20 Exchange Place and 123 East Twenty-third Street. Scandinavian Bureau, 235 West Twenty-third Street. United States Food Administration, Washington, September 12, 1918. Dear Mr. President: With respect to your inquiry as to whether any part of this department could be moved outside the District, I bog to say that already we have practically moved our Cereal Divi- sion to New York, and a large part of our sugar activities. I do not believe there is any other part of the organization that could be moved without very largely destroying the efficiency of the whole. So much of this work is dependent upon cooperation with other Gov- ernment departments that I can see little hope of advantageously m.oving it. Yours, faithfully, Herbert Hoover. His Excellency the President of the United States, Washington, D. C. 16 TKAlSrSFEE OP BUREAUS PEOM "> Office of the U. S. Fu Washington^ D. LIBRfiRY OF CONGRESS 012 052 904 3 0\ Dear Mr. President: Concerning the possibility of moving bu- reaus or parts of bureaus of the Fuel Administration to points out- side the District of Columbia, I beg to advise that already we have decentralized, as much as is wisely possible, our administration. Several thousand members of the administration are now scattered over the several States. Cordially and faithfully, yours, H. A. Garfiem). President Woodrow Wilson, The White House^ Washington^ D. C. Alien Property Custodian, Washington^ D. (7., Se2Jtember 19^ 1918. Dear Mr. President : In response to your letter of the 9th instant, inclosing copy of resolution adopted by the Senate, I beg to say that, of approximately 570 officers and employees of this office, I have already established about 100 at our branf^h office in New York, where a considerable portion of our business is done. My selling organi- zation, charged with the duty of selling enemy-owned properties, is entirely in New York, and a large part of the Bureau of Investiga- tion is also there. I can not move out of the city any of the other bureaus in my office unless I move the entire organization, and this, I fear, would hinder greatlj^ the operation of the office. We must constantly keep in touch with other departments of the Government, especially the War Trade Board, Department of Jus- tice, and the State Department. Our communication with these de- partments is constant. In the matter of investigations of enemy-held propertj^ we cooperate closely, not only with the Department of Jus- tice but also with the Intelligence Bureaus of the War and Navy Departments. In issuing demands for enemy property we must keep in touch with the War Trade Board to make certain no licenses have been issued, as we issue demands only for the property of enemy persons not licensed. Besides this, before taking action in many cases, we are compelled to submit to the Department of State ques- tions bearing upon the" diplomatic policies of the Government. For these reasons I believe the duties of this office could not be performed " outside the District of Columbia as well as within its boundaries." Very respectfully, A. Mitchell Palmer. To the President, The White House.