Evening star., 1920-11-27

The need of increases in salaries for
District employees in order to hold to-
gether an efficient force properly to
maintain the National Capital is i'm
pressed upon Congress by the District
Commissioners in their letter trans
mitting the District estimates for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1922.
Congress also is asked by the Com
missioners to adopt liberal policy In
regard to improvements and building
projects in the National Capital. which
have been neglected during the war
period, and especially to adopt
beoad- gauge policy with regard 70
the erection of public schools and pro-
vision for parks and playgrounds.
Re.ssns for Increases.
I'm compiling the estimates the
Commissioners were confronted with
REQUESTS for increased appropria tions
and added improvements, which in
the aggregate were far in excess OF
the amount which the Commission
ers are permitted by law to submit,
the Commissioners say in their let
are due in part to the steadily In
ereasing cost of materials and sup
plies and in part to the fact that
much necessary work of improvement
was deferred during the three-year
period of the world war" the letter
explained.
estimate is the proposed increase in
the salaries of the statutory employees.
This, the Commissioners feel, should
receive the fullest consideration II
the efficiency of the organization is
to be maintained and Justice done to
q large body of faithful and efficient
employees
.'Ie is true that all the employees
of . the District government except
those receiving in excess OF S2.740
have had the benefit of the bonus dur
ing the past year. but this bonus is
not at all commensurate with the IN
creased cost of living.
Say They Are Conservative.
I'm estimating increases in COM
pensation the Commissioners believe
that they have been very conserva-
tive. They had before them the
recommendations of the heads OF the
various departments of the District
government. In practically every
case the recommendation Of the Com
missioners in the estimates submitted
will be found to be not only less
than those asked for. but substantially
less than those recommended by the
reclassificatiofi commission.
The Commissioners have included
very few new positions in the belief
that IL the salaries of the present per-
sonnel are increased, the efficiency OF
the organization would be so improved
that the need for added personnel
would. to a certain extent, be obviated
some additional employees are asked fol-
where the need seemed to be pressing
but as between in creased salaries and
increased personnel. the Commissioners
hope that Congress will agree with
them that an increase in salary OF the
present force is of primary Importance
Edueational Needs.
"The estimates submitted by the
board Of education were in excess OF
$4,000 900. To At the needs Of the
schools in a budget covering all Dis
trict needs, and still keep within ths
authorized limit. made it necessar,
10 decrease the school estimate tc
approximately 100000. This amount
though 40 per cent in excess Of the
amount appropriated for the current
fiscal year, does not include many
highly desirable and necessary build
Ing projects.
"WhiIe the Commissioners wers
forced to cut severely the school esti'
mates, as well as those submitted fol
parks and Fairgrounds. they are in
. full accord with the board OF educa'
tion in believing that school facilitfe,
at the present time are so inadeQuat.
as to call for extraordinary expendi
lures. notwithstanding the present
high cost Of building construction.
1.-The school construction worl
should be undertaken in a broad ant
comprehensive manner and the cos
thereof spread over term Of years b.
means of . bond issue or some equiv
alent method Such a method OF financ
ing may also be well applied to tn
proposed additions to Fairgrounds an'
park systems
These additions are all highly desir
able and the land should be acquires
before 1t In built upon or devoted t
other purposes. Delay in acquiring
will result in ultimate increased cos
and In losing portions which woul'
properly be q part Of the playground
and park system
Already considerable areas desig
mated In the Mcmillan plan. as desira
BILE for park areas have been grade'
and converted into building sites an
many sites desirable for Fairgrounds ar
also being built up"