Evening star., 1923-09-18

In strong appeal for more funds
for the National Capital, transmitted
to the budget bureau today, Mai.
Daniel j. Donovan. auditor, revealed
that the limit of $25.144.SS2 for next
year actually allows s2.5e0, 900 less for
urgent improvements than was appro-
priated by Congress for the. current
year.
After recounting to Gen. Lord the
many vital requirements that must go
unmet If the supplemental estimates
are not allowed, Maj. Donovan said:
1T is needless to say that great
city like Washington is a. living and
growing thing, and that its activities
canRot be- conducted upon the basis of
a constant or diminishing scale of ex-
penditure. Appropriations made sole
Iy on the basis or the allowable esti-
mates Will mean retrogression. not
progress"
The letter received the approval of
Commissioners Rudolph. Oyster and
Bell at q board meeting this morning
before 1t was sent to Gen. Lord.
school Estimates Gut.
One of the startling revelations in
the letter is the statement that the
item for continuing the urgenly need
ed school building program has been
reduced to almost 100000 less than
the current appropriation for that
purpose. The sum requested will,
the letter says. be sufficient merely to
complete four buildings now under
contract.
The total amount appropriated for
the current year is S22,77s,915. At
first glance it would appear that the
budget director has allowed the city
considerably more for next year than
IL now has.
Maj. Donovan pointed out in his
letter, however that S1.266,961.50 of
the $25,144Ss2 allotment represents
trust and special funds. no part of
which comes out of the pockets of
the federal or District governments.
THE total of estimates. therefore,
activities chargeable to the District,
including water service, which the
commissioners may submit to your
bureau is $23,877,s20.5e,'' reads the
letter.
1T would appear. therefore" the
major continued, that the Districts
allowable total of. estimates for 1925
is S1.0Ss,o04.50 in excess of the ap-
preparations contained in the District
appropriation act for 1924.
Nearly s2,5O0, zoe Less.
But when the estimates for 1925
are studied and comparisons made
with appropriations for 1924: such is
found not to be the case. The real
situation is that the allowable total
of estimates for 1925, considered on
basis with comparable appropriations
for 1924 and the necessity for includ-
ing provisions for certain items not
included in either the estimates or
appropriations for 1924, are NEARLY
So, 300, 900 less than the appropriations
made by the District appropriation
act for 1924"
1t was in an effort to have this dis
brightened that the city heads trans
mifted to Gen. Lord with the regular
estimates last Saturday list OF ur-
gent supplemental needs, aggregating
$7103,0S4.
The letter in part follows:
I'm your letter of August II, 1923,
YOU informed the Commi missioners that
a maximum total of -$25.144,SS2 had
been allocated to the District, which
amount the estimates could. not ex-
ceed. You further Informed them
that H such sum was not sufficient to
meet absolutely necessary require
ments they could submit list of
supplemental items showing the. .addi-
tional amounts which. in their Judg-
rnent, appropriate provision should
be made for.
Ask $32 ,00O, 900.
The tentative estimates forwarded
by the Commissioners on July, 26.
1929, totaled $32,53S, ,702.S2. In COM
pliance' with your instructions the
commissioners have limited their
Anal estimates proper to $25,144,SS2.
but they also transmit series OF
elemental estimates amounting to
S7103,0S4. The two sets of estimates
aggregate $32,247 ,966. which amount
the Commissioners earnestly urge be
included in the budget to be submit
tod by your bureau to Congress.
THE estimates proper, totaling
$25,144,SS2, are classified as follow 4
Chargeable to the revenues of the
United states and the District of CO.
lumbia. $22,S41. .06O.5 so, schargeable to
the revenues of the water department
81, ,036.S6 90; permanent and indefinit Z
appropriations, chargeable wholly tc
the revenues of the District of CO.
Iumbia, $40,000.00; trust and special
funds. no part of which is chargeable
to the revenues of the United States
or the District of Columbia, S1,226,-
$3.50.
with every desire Loyalty to CO.
operate with you and to conform to
(Tsn-tinuod or, IooOa y (oI,r,v, K 4 3