The Washington herald., 1913-12-26
MONDELL URGES
BATHING POOLS
Upbraids Members Who Also
Cut Out Playground
Appropriation.
HAVE RIGHT TO APPEAL
Does Not Think Voters Would Send
Man to Hous, Who Was Op-
posed to City's Needs.

In the debate on the District of CO.
lumbia appropriation bill in the House Of
Representatives on Monday the members
present listened to an able advocacy by
more than one Of their colleagues Of the
cause Of the people of Washington ana
the position of the newspapers of the
city. Representative William F. Murray,
of Massachusetts, showed himself a
friend of the schOol-teachers of Wash
ington, when the longevity pay system
was threatened. while Representative
Mondell, of Wyoming, made a splendid
fight to establish the right of the tax
payers OF the city to spend their own
money for Fairgrounds and bathing
pools. Mr.. Monoell called attention TO
the proposal in section of the District
appropriation bill to ''confiscate" 81 ,50o-
0o0 of money belonging to the people of
Washington, who are denied the right
To use it for necessary improvements
Following are some significant extracts
from Mr.. MondeIl's address:
MI. Chairman. Fairgrounds are pur-
chased and maintained in the District of
Columbia entirely at the expense of the
people of the District Let us bear that
in mind. Uncle Sam does not pay a
1GlA- llc nalI-anQ-nalI
plan does not apply. The people of the
District desire to buy a playground in
the northwest, on Park road, that Is now
being used as a playground by the suffer-
ance of the owner. The children of that
entire district are likely to be compelled
10 leave that playground any day be-
cause the owner wants to use the prop
erty.
CIty's Town Council.
II this bill becomes a law as il now
stands, the people of the District of Co.
lumbia will have $l.5OOOOO left over and
above paying one-half of all the items
carried in the bill.
Under the provisions of section of
this bill that money is to 60 into the
Treasury, is to be confiscated, and the
people of the District are not to be al
lowed to spend 81, coo of their own money
for the purchase of Fairgrounds for their
own children. 1t is not the fault of
the Committee on Appropriations. The
Committee on Appropriations has no
authority to purchase new Fairgrounds.
This is subject to a point Of order But
there is committee that has jurisdiction,
the chairman of which committee made
a motion just a few minutes ago to
strike out the only appropriation con-
tained in this bill for the maintenance
That committee has jurisdiction to carry
out the will Of the people of the District,
to provide Fairgrounds for their chill
dren, and IL has not done so. This
morning We heard some of the gentle
men complain and wax indignant because
it is said that some people of the Dis
trict have suggested-it is not clear
whether they suggested it or not-that
they might call to the attention of their
At n
these gentlemen toward the District. The
people of the District of Columbia, whose
town council we are, have the right to
appeal to our constituents and say: We
do not think the men you have elected
and sent here are treating the District
of Columbia fairly. We do not think
they are fair Representatives when they
refuse to allow the erection or main
tenance of bathing beaches. when they
refuse to allow the people of the Dis
trict Of Columbia TO spend their own
money to buy grounds on which chill
dren can play. We do not think your
Representative should refuse to allow the
building of needed public comfort sta
tions.'
at Is Lcgitimatc Criticism."
For my part, 1 think gentlemen are
overtender when they resent that kind
1t would be effective, in my opinion, in
any part OF the country. I do not believe
any district in the country would justity |
its Representative in opposing appro-
priations for bathing beaches, opposing |
the establishment of more bathlng
beaches, opposing appropriations TOT
needed public-comfort stations, opposing |
appropriations for Fairgrounds and the
maintenance of Fairgrounds, to be paid
for out of the funds belonging to the |
people of this District.
Mr.. Chairman, a moment ago. on the
motion of the chairman of the District |
Committee. the only item contained IN |
this bill giving the young people OF the |
District of Columbia an opportunity TO |
bathe under proper supervision and reg
ulation was stricken from the bill, and |
vet there are gentlemen who wonder
why it IS that the newspapers in the DIS
trict of Columbia and some of the citi-
zens of the District criticise members OF
Congress because of their attitude to-
ward the District of Columbia 1 doubt !
IL there is a city in the Union of any
considerable size that has not more |
bathing pools and public bathing beaches
than the District of Columbia. the capi-
tai Of the nation, this great and beautiful
CITY: and vet a member of the House,
charged by appointment with the duty
of giving consideration to the needs OF
the District. feels it is his duty to strike
from this bill an appropriation of $500,
the only appropriation made in the bill
for the maintenance of these entirely In
adequate facilities they now have. The
committee having charge OF these mat
ters refuses, declines, or neglects to make |
any additional provision whatsoever
whereby the youths of the District can
learn to swim and can occasionally get
a bath in the open under proper super
vision; and the chairman Of that com
mittee is instrumental in striking from
the bill the small sum now in 1t for
Of the bathing beach. And
vet gentlemen wonder that the people
of the District do not approve the kind
of treatment they give them. For one,
1 am surprised at the moderation dis
played by the people and papers of the
District. l.