The Washington times., 1922-07-22
Condition of
Our Streets
BY BILL PRICE.


making up their estimates
Il for the fiscal year 1924,
should not only include large sums
for improvements of streets and
roads, but they should exert every
possible effort with the Budget Bu-
reau and with Congress to prevent
the curtailing of estimates. 81
It is stated that the forthcoming
estimates will contain at least
b 100000 for street improvements.
The sum could safely be larger than
that. The painful truth is that
many of Washington thorough
fares. would be disgraceful to the
cheapest and, poorest town in the
United States. This condition of
affairs is due to the unfair attitude
of Congress toward District appro-
priations for the last five years.
In spite OF the fact that fully 60
per cent of the money authorized
by Congress is paid in by the peo-
pie of. the District, and not over 40
per cent by the Federal Treasury,
Congress pays no more attention to
the wishes Of local taxpayers
than if they were a bunch of
coyotes. The people of Boston
who, on one historic occasion,
started trouble over paying taxes
to Great Britain were freemen
compared to the way the people of
the District Of Columbia are
treated.
The Commissioners last year rec
commended to Congress that in the
present fiscal yaer there be appro-
priated $807, 900 for street improve
ments. Even that amount was too
small, considering that the work
on Washington streets is fully five
years behind actual needs.
The recommendations went to the
Budget Bureau. General Dawes set
an aged and vinegary former
United States Senator to work on
them. This Senator, sitting in an
office, unable to make the neces-
sary personal investigation, cut the
estimates to $275, 300, and Congress
ran the knife through that until the
amount finally appropriated was
$233,5O0.
That is a sample Of what Dis
trict taxpayers must stand for.
Their views as to what should be
done with the money they have
paid in taxes are not asked, and, if
given, are ignored.
Take two leading thoroughfares
in opposite parts of the District as
samples-Connecticut avenue north
west and Nichols avenue south
east. These are typical Of other
parts of the District. The Commits
sioners last year asked for appro-
priations for the extension of as
phalt paving on Nichols avenue
and for paving on Connecticut ave-
nue.. Not a dollar was appro-
priated for new roadway for either.
If the appropriations for the year
are sufficient to permit resurfacing
of the old paving on these thor
oughfares, no work has been done
by the engineer department. These
two thoroughfares would be con-
demned in any rural community in
the world. In the National Capital
their condition is pnspeakably dis
graceful
The Commissioners are at the
mercy of Congress, it is true, but
they will never get anything for the
District by suave acquiescence in
. whatever kicking or cutting that
body sees fit to give local people.
'The Commissioners will have to
adopt a determined, aggressive
attitude and do. some vigorous
fighting. If they don't Washing
ton will continue to 60 backward.
The civic and trade bodies of the
city must vigorously and systemat-
ically back the Commissioners in
their demands for absolutely nec-