Evening star., 1921-05-11

Liberal support by Congress of the
demonstrated needs of the. public
schools is urged by the Washington
Board of Trade in a report of its
school committee sent today to Scna-
tor Capper of Kansas and Repre-
sentative Walters of Pennsylvania.
chairmcn of the District committees
of the Senate aud House. respectively.
by William :. Washburn'
The report pointed out that urgent
needs of the schools justify the adop-
ton of constructive program for
initiation during he coming year.
which will enable all children of
school age to be given adequate ac-
comm modatiOnSs
In "A communicati tion attached to the
report Mr.. Washbu:n. who is chair
man of the boards school committee.
empha sized the fact that the citizens of
the District ARE Just as willing TO
be taxed to support an efhcicnt school
system as are the people of any state
, in the Union to support the SCHOOLS
of that state. In it he advocated "A
separate system of taxation for tn"
public schools. stating that if this
became a reality. the Commissioners
would no longer he required or per
mitted to divert into other channels
public moneys needed for this pur-
pose"
Guard Against Waste.
He also commended the members
of the committees for epdeavorinG
to guard against waste, eNraVagance
and graft in school expenditures.
Sound business management in tN-
penditure of public moneys. he SAID
"seems to he practically impossible.
The report read as follows:
"The public schools of the District
! Of Columbia command the interest
! of the great majority of the resi-
dents of the District Whether ol
not he has children Of his own. no
patriotic citizen complains of paying
| his. share of taxation necessary TO
establish and maintain an efficient
public school system.
"The people of the District very
properly have right to expect that
! ample provision be made for the
proper training of all children or
! school age residing here. and II IS
| the duty of the school authorities
i to ask for sufficient funds to MAIN
tain Il public school system of the
| highest efficiency in response to the
| demands of the people. 1t is the
/ Judgment of your committee that the
| constructive program of the school
authorities ought to be supported by
! a sufficient appropriation to provide
! adequately for the needs of public
| SCHOOLS.
/ Chfldren's Needs First.
| 1t appears to your committee that
! ample accommodations for all school
! children: and reasonable compensation
! for teachers are entitled to pr mary
J consideration. Your committee is not
, ,unmindfuI of the duty of Congress
{ to scrutinize closely all proposed eX-
penditures but let the pruning be
i done so as to affect least of all the
! welfare of children of today. who to-
| morrow must be prepared to assume
| the duties of citizenship.
| "While the District Commissioners.
| because of limitations of law, are
obliged to scale administration
| against their personal inclinations and
F.! judgment-to keep the budget within
bounds, Congress has power to au-
| thorize the expenditure of funds
needed by the school authorities to
keep the doors of properly equipped
! public schools open to every child
| IF the need to curtail is so great
let consideration of projects less ur-
gent or those essentially esthetic in
character be postponed.
Congress is emphatically right in
| refusing to appropriate money fol