Evening star., 1923-01-07
D. C. SCHOOL BUDGET
SLASH OF s65O,0O0
IS DUE TO BLANT0N
(continued from First Page

to an item OF $4,000 for. purchase Of
| new site on which TO locate the
junior high school, between Goth
street and Rock creek and X and o
streets northwest, was sustained.
No objection was raised on the
item OF $4,000 for the purchase of
land adjoining the Garnet-Patterson
School to provide for the remodeling
and the construction of an addition
to the school.
VIII Add to School.
No objection was raised to the item
| Of $4,000 for beginning construction
of hird-story addition to the Thorn
son School, with authorization for
the Commissioners to enter into con-
tract for the proposed addition at a
total OF cost not to exceed $135,000.
In the item of 100000 for begin
ming the remodeling of the Western
| High School and construction of an
addition to provide a new assembly
hall, separate gymnasium for boys
and girls and additional classrooms.
Representative Ben Johnson secured
an amendment which will prevent
subletting of contract for carrying
out this work under a $550,oO0 limit
of cost.
Representative johnson also sue
ceeded in having proviso on the school
building item eliminated to conform
with this one-contract policy.
Proposal by Representative Beogg of
! Ohio to increase the salary of the
superintendent of schools from So
! 600 to $4,000 was rejected on point
of order by Chairman Cramton.
Limit Other Collections
In the paragraph carrying sS25,o0o
(! for collection of ashes and mlscellane-
Gus refuse Representative Cramton
| had a limitation approved to the eff
! feet that none of this fund should be
used for making such collection at apart
ment houses of four or more apart
| ments where the landlord furnishes
! the heat.
When the community center depart
ment appropriations were under con-
! sideration Representative Blanton
| questioned regarding complaints that
/ at community center entertainments
| admission fees are charged and that
| the officials contend among them
selves as to who will take charge of
these funds. Representative Blanton
| called this an Entertainment fund
| and said the entertainments ought to
| be given free. On motion of Rep
resentative Sisson of Mississippi,
| democrat, a proviso that not more
| than so per cent OF the $4,000 for
| community center work. to be paid
! wholly out of revenues Of the Dis
| trict, should be expended for salaries
J Of directors, supervisors, teachers.
clerks and janitors, was amended by
| inserting 70 per cent instead OF 90
per cent.
! Police and Fire Funds Unchanged.
! No change was made in the items
as recommended by the committee
| for the police and fire departments.
/ Representative Blanton in two places
! sought to have an amendment insert
| ed which would give all members or
| the police force one day on in seven
and furnish them with uniforms and
all required equipment Representa-
tive Cramton raised the point OF order
that this was new legislation on an
appropriation bill. The item OF $1,000
| Exclusively for the purchase or gas
| masks and oxygen helmets, was
pa assed unchallenged
The new legislation for transfer
ring to the jurisdiction OF the Dis
| trict health office a child hygiene
| service, including the establishment
| and maintenance of child welfare sta
| tions forjthe clinical examination, ad-
vice, care and maintenance of chill
| dren under six years Of age, also was
| unchallenged.
There was a big row in the House
! over the action of Representative
! Blanton in raising the point of order
| against the proposal to buy the two
| playground sites. He was supported
| by Representative Sanders Of Indiana
The contention was that the appro-
| priations committee was exceeding
1 its authority in including such Items
( not authorized by specific Legislation
| from the legislative committee having
Jurisdiction Chairman Champion eX-
planned that the appropriations COM
mittee had included only items where
| there was no controversy as to the
need for the appropriation. arguing
! that the specific authorization was
! lacking only because an opportunity ty
had not been afforded for passing
such legislation.
Chairman Focht of the House Dis,
trict committee said there was nc
controversary regarding the necessity
for purchasing these Fairgrounds
that everybody knew there was neee
for Fairgrounds. He said tho only
through the legislative committee
was because the District of Columbia
committee was not granted a chance
to present its bills in the House. HI
charged that his committee Is ham
strung" and censured the "Haphazart
way" Of legislating for the District
Chairman Focht bitterly attacked the
/ rules committee. This was resented
by Representative Smell Of New York
who probably will be chairman of the
rules committee in the next Congress
Representative Smell said that or
two separate Mondays the House wa:
looking for business and that tn,
members OF the District committee
were not on hand to call up theil
bills. He denied the charge that the
rules committee had been blocking
District of Columbia legislation.
Crnmton Gives Advice.
Representative Cramton, in charg,
of the bill, said:
You can have two Mondays
month for District legislation, and
predict you won't get any new play
grounds except through the approprt
ationS commit ttee.'
He called it "alI nonsense" to con
tend that any time II is desired t.
buy small piece of land 1t shotflC
| po Noh5iuoIOu anu dppTONCu Wy IIl
District legislative committee.
| What the District cmomfttee shoult
do, and should have done long ago,
said Representative Cramton. "is I,
bring in legislation providing for 1
| system of Fairgrounds"
Representative ChindbIoom, repub
!1ican. told the House that he ha,
hunted through the calendar am
could not find any bill before tn,
District committee covering the pur
] chase of playgrounds