The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-02-17

| give sufficient money for necessary
! public construction in the District Of
| Columbia.
1t became known at the Capitol to-
| day that the House Appropriations
| Committee making up the deficiency
bill has decided not to increase the
cost limit of a number of important
and necessary buildings here, espe-
cially Of school buildings.
Several years ago, before war
prices had hit things everywhere.
congress appropriated about 100000
for new Eastern High School and
/ money for suitable and necessary
school buildings in many places, in
Guiding Petworth and Woodbridge. A
limit OF cost was put on each build
| ing.
By the time the plans had been
completed prices OF labor and ma
terial had risen and contractors would
not make bids within the cost limit.
In the appropriations for the pres
| ent fiscal year Congress did not in
! crease the cost limit of these build
ings, waiting for the war to close.
The House committee called the Dis
trict Commissioners before them last
week regarding District projects for
| which more money is needed. The
| Commissioners asked for about ST.
| O00,O 900 for Eastern High School ami
| increE ses of about 90 per cent in -he
] limit of cost placed on other build
ings.
Waiting for Lower Prices.
From the committee today came the
! positive information that its members
( consider 1t unwfse to authorize ap-
preparations for construction on pres
ent prices-which means that 81 $780,
600 OF public buildings in the District
that are badly needed will be post
pOned another year, despite the fact
that within few months, when more
District soldiers are returned to their
homes, there will be a large number
of unemployed mechanics and laborers
who would welcome opportunity TO
get work.
While Congress holds off from
authorizing construction now, when
labor seeks employment, the private
builder here and elsewhere is urged
by the Department of Labor to begin
building. Congress holds on tightly
to the dollars Of the Government
purse so far as the District is con-
cerned, but it's members talk early
and often about plans for caring for
unemployment, and these plans all
revOlve around expenditure Of money
upon public works.
Lack of Consistency.
President Wilson is to come back
from France and hold conferences on |
unemployment, giving his advice as to !
what should be done. He can hardly
find consistency in any policy that |
urges private capital to invest its |
money and overlook obstacles while !
the Government tightly grips its own |
funds and comes to the conclusion !
that it is best to wait for falling |
prices. That sort of example is a poor |
enc, not very encouraging to indus
try.
The District government can not
do anything. It's hands are tied. Con-
gress fixed limit cost on construc-
ton Of these buildings and upon other
works. When the jobs can not be
done within the limit the hands of
officials are tied.
One Of the reasons for postponing
construction of buildings for schools
is that appropriations were made near
" two years ago for a number Of
portable school buildings to tide over
the congestion in the schools. Some
OF these buildings have been delivered
and about forty more are arriving at
a fairly rapid rate. Like the war
buildings constructed in the public
parks they will probably do service
Tor many years to come OF course
they do not meet the situation as to
the Eastern High School
To Push Construction.
Wherever not tied down by cost
limits that prevent action the Dis
trict Commissioners are preparing
plans to put as many men TO work as
possible this spring and summer.
Street and road construction and re-
pairs, sewer and water construction
and other projects will go forward.
but the appropriations for these are
just sufficient to make ends meet.
There are no unusually large funds
available for public construction in
the District; no opportunity to put to
work forces above the average size
General KUtz, Engineer Commission
ar of the District, is endeavoring to
make his plans so that employment
may be given early in the spring to
he greatest number Of men. On many
projects which have heretofore been
lone by contractors, through bids sub
nitted, there are either no bids in
prospect or they are at such prices
he District can not meet them ow- ,
ng to limited funds. The only re-
course is TO do the work by day labor ,
1r leave it undone.
Advertisements calling for bids for =
District works are soon to be inserted,
put there is not much hope that con {
FACTORS will respond in satisfactory
way owing to uncertainties Of the :
'uture.
One OF the labor difficulties in ,
right now is a scarcity
u common labor. This is one Of the {
ew cities Of the country in which this
s true. There is q Discrimination on
he part OF returning soldiers right
low, and Of unskiIled labor generally
o accent this kind of work n it can
,e avoided. That is a problem which
he future will have TO work out, Dis
riot authorities said today.
100000 FIRE IN WILMINGTON.
WILMINGTON. Del, Feb. I7.-Prop-
rites Of three lumber companies and =
n ice and coal firm were swept by
lanes early this morning and dam 4
ged to the extent OF more than $500
hn H.