Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-10
DIFFER ON FIGURES
Trustees of 6. w. U. Object
to Estimate of Debt.
AMOUNT PLACED TOO HIGH
University Authorities Believe De-
partment of Justice Statement
Should Be Modified.

Members of the board of trustees OF
the George Washington University do
not agree with agents of the Depart
ment of, Justice in their figures to
the total of amounts borrowed with
out authority from various endowment
and trust funds of the Columbian Col
lege. Columbian University and the pres
ent institution. The figures contained
in the report transmitted to Congress
by Attorney General Wickersham show
that $3S9.393.4S has been borrowed to
meet the current expenses of the uni
verSity, from endowment and trust
funds. Members of the board of trus-
tees believe they can bring about re-
duction in that figure to approximately
100000
The note. estimated at S:sJo,01O. which
was recorded several days before the re-
port was made public places the medl-
cal property of the university in trust
security for the repayment of St,D.
Ws, to the endowment funds. This note
will not be supplemented by another to
meet the figures mentioned in the report
though members of the board of trustees
say the note would have been made larg-
er in the first place had it been known
the total for amounts borrowed would
prove TO he in excess of $3J0tO0.
The attitude of members of the present
administration in maintaining that the
figure reached by the Department of
Justice is excessive, is based on several
transactions involving parts of different
endowment funds of the university.
Sales of Lots Cited.
One of the transactions in question had
to do with the sales of number of lots
In this city given to the old Columbia Col
Sl,a 81,
Iese WIS first founded in 1s2! until 1872
The proceeds Of these sales were used to
defray the running expenses of the diff
ferent institutions operating under the
charter. until about the last named date,
when objection was raised to the further
sale of the lots for current expenses.
When such objection was raised. the
then president. of the university went be-
fore thes District legislature and obtained
the passage of IAN act validating all
previous sales and the use of the pro-
ceeds.
Learning later that such action to be
in itself valid. must come from Congress,
that body was induced to pass an act val
idating the previous action of the District
legislature. Trustees of the university
hold now, that as Congress validated the
previous sales and uses of the proceeds.
the general fund Of the university. for
which the moneys were used. should not
be held accountable for them.
Departments View.
The Department of Justice agents, how
ever, placed another construction on the
validating act. and charged the amounts
up to the general fund.
The Admiral Powell scholarship en-
dowment and the Corcoran endowment
fund also figure i'm transactions on the
construction of which the government
agents and the trustees of the university
fail TO agree.
No action will be taken in the immedi-
ate future to bring about reduction
in the figure, but as Socn as Immediate
difficulties are Strengthened out an at
tempt with this end in view will he in
order.