The Washington herald., 1916-12-21
Larger SALARIES FOR
DC. CHIEFS Defeated
Members Discuss Whether Commits
sioners Earn Present Compensation.

What District Commissioner Louis
Brownlow described as remarkable
readiness of the House TO concur in
the provisions of the District of Co
lumbia appropriation bill as reported
by Representative Page, Of North
Carolina, makes 1t likely that the bill
will be passed before today Is ended.
The House, in committee of the
whole, seemed disposed to accept the
measure, which was prepared by q
subcommittee on the estimates OF the
District Commissioners without hag-
Cling over the principles involved.
define a policy disregarding salary in
crease provisions for all District en-
/ ployes receiving less than $1.Soo
year and substituting the graded and
! 10 per cent increases carried in the
Legislative judicial and executive bill.
The action of the House on salary
increases is described in another col
umn-
Mr.. Brownlow's satisfaction with the
House treatment of the supply meas
ure showed him UP as a good loser"
and a philosophic public OFFICIAL
something rare in politics, for Repub-
| lIcan Leader Mann had ruthlessly
slaughtered a provision increasing the
District Commissioners salaries from
/ $5, 900 to $4,000. Mr. Mann made
point OF order against the increase
and Mr.. Brownlow. from his seat In
the gallery, saw himself losing about
IS, 900 without losing his poise.
Debate Over Salaries.
Apropos Of the increase in salary for
the Commissioners there was some de-
bate as to whether the Commissioners
earned their salaries. Mr.. Mann. who
admitted he had never been in the Dis
trict building, questioned Representative
Howard, OF Georgia, who said the three
Commissioners were the hardest worked
men in Washington. Mr.. Madden. of IL
linois told of one day when he went TO
the District building at 2:3O o'clock and
found no one in the Commissioners Of
fee
This was all wrong. Mr.. Madden said
in a few hundred well chosen words. Still
Mr.. Brownlow was unperturbed, and
neither did he blush when Mr.. Page said
the District Commissioners had recon-
mended a $500 increase for themselves,
or so per cent Mr.. Page said he did not
know OF their recommending 80 per cent
for any other District employe.
The section in the bill transferring the
functions OF the tax assessor to the tax
collector was stricken out by Mr.. Mann.
Also the license bureau provision went
out as new legislation and not in order.
Two $1,000 Clerkships.
One bit of new legislation. that pro-
viding for the machinery for the dis
coSery of Intangible taxable property,
remained in. 1t provides two $1.5O0
clerkships and will net the District
taxes aggregating about $5Oo,O0o.
New legislation cutting on the pay Of
an excise commissioner not confirmed
by the Senate was stricken from the
bill.
Tho true consideration" section re-
Quiring that all deeds shall have a
correct statement of the financial
transaction went out on a point Of or
der. The Commissioners intended this
to prevent questionable practices in
real estate deals.
The annual license for automobiles.
although new legislation, was contin-
ued in the bill
Not an item for street repairs and
improvements carried in the original
bill was stricken out. and the Com
missioner expressed satisfaction over
the prospects of putting the Capital
streets in good condition. In this con-
nection. however, the House refused
to accept the Commissioner recon-
pendation for extending the benefit
assessments in condemnation proceed
ings beyond abutting blocks.
In tho appropriation OF $1S,5Oo for
Fairgrounds, provision was made for
ten new employees, four playground d.
rectors, four assistants and two
watchmen. The House declined to
compel the street railway company to
place trolley wires in Georgia avenue
underground and the telegraph COM
pany to place its Water street cables
in underground conduits.
The recommendations for school ex-
tensions and improvements were left
in the bill.
Sixteen New Policemen.
force are provided in the allowance of
two additional heutenants, four more
sergeants and ten more patrolmen. The
Commissioners asked for thirty-eight
men and a new captain. There Is also
q provision for a new suburban station
house to cost S32,5Oo. The proposed traf-
fic bureau was stricken from the bill on
a point of order.
To the Fire Department the House was
liberal. Thirty-eiGht captains were ad-
vanced from $l.400 to $3.50 a year, 40
lieutenants from s, 200 to $780, 40 ser
geants, a new rank. were provided at
s., 200 a year, and 1S3 firemen from 81, ,OSO
10 $1,1+O. The House also added ten new
pieces of motor fire fighting equipment,
10 cost $4,000.
The only loss to the Health Department
was the elimination Of an appropriation
of $4,000 to fight infantile paralysis |
Provision was made, however. for tuber-
culosis dispensaries.
Before adjournment the House agreed
to the Commissioners plan for the So
called Barry Farm Highway.