Evening star., 1922-12-05
ESTIMATES LAUDED
BYCOMM|SS|ONERS
Budget Officials Fair-Minded
in View of Duty to Econ
omy. They Say.
NOW LOOK TO CONGRESS
Bonus May Be Supplied. Despite
Absence of Item in $685.
043,975 List.

The Commissioners were unanimous
today in expressing satisfaction over
'he estimates of s25.Ol3.973 sent to
Congress yesterday By the bureau of
the budget for the operation of the
city government during the next iis-
cal year.
The consensus of opinion at the
District Building is that if the ap-
propriations committees of the House
and Senate allow what the budget
bureau has sent forward the residents
of Washington will have much cause to
be thankful.
Director of the Budget Lord and
his assistants showed the utmost con-
estimates said Commissioner Ru-
dolph, chairman Of the board THE
budget officials made frequent per-
sonal tours of the city to become
thoroughly familiar with the items
we asked for and they went care
fully into every detail"
commissioner Oyster voiced his per-
sonal qualification over the increa Ses
allowed by Gen. Lord for the police
and hre departments. which come
under oysters supervision. Mai Sui
'ivan's department obtained an in
Of the fire department were raised
$112,56S.
Appreciate Increases.
"Of course" said Commissioner Oys-
ter. "the District government could
use more money to advantage. but
We realize that the budget bureau u
faced the task of economizing OH
government expenditures and we are
appreciative of the increases that
were allowed
Engineer Commissioner Keller join
cd with his colleagues in thanking
Gen. Lord for the fair-minded treat
ment which he said the District es-
Inmates received from the budget di
rector. He declared that the budget
officers handled the local estimates
in a systematic manner and allowed
what they thought were the most es-
sential items
Although the Commis issioners and
Budget Officer Daniel J. Donovan are
not talking about the part they
played in having more than S2o.OOO.-
600 sent to Congress, persons in close
touch with affairs at the District
building know that the residents of
the National Capital owe them some
credit.
The budget bureau originally de-
limit on District estimates and this
figure included s17o4.00O for the
bonus for city employees.
The Commissioners and Mai Dom
ovan made earnest representations to
the budget bureau for an increase in
this limit and succeeded.
The difference between the orig
inal limit of s24,5oo,o00 and the
s25,o43.913 actually transmitted to
Congress is only about $4,000. But
in reality the budget bureau raised
the first estimates by s2.215.O00. be-
for the bonus and applied that sum
to municipal Improvements.
Bonus Not Likely Lost.
While the bonus was not estimated
for in the local budget. District o.
ficials do not construe this to mean
that the city employees will not get
the additional compensation next
year
At the District building it is be-
1ieved that the budget bureau merely
eliminated the bonus estimate in or
der to leave that question open for
Congress.
It also was noted with satisfaction
that in cutting the Commissioner
estimate for street paving the bulge:
bureau left in the requests for paw
ing on the main arteries of traffic.
such as Connecticut. Georgia and
Rhode Island avenues and Bladens-
burg road.
Another item which pleased District
officials was that for -he continuance
of work on the construction Of the
Rock creek and upper Potomac main
interceptor sewers. whicr. when COM
pleted, will free Rock creek "f pollu-
tion by sewage from nearby Mary
land towns