Evening star., 1925-01-29


In the Interior Department appropri-
alton bill on account of Freedmen's
Hospital, this bill embraces all regu-
lar annual appropriations chargea Bile
partly to the Treasury of the United
States and partly to the revenues of
the District of Columbia, including
appropriations on account of park
areas under the jurisdiction of the
Superintendent of Public Buildings
and Grounds, the Geological Park and
for certain work being performed un-
der the supervision of the Engineer
Department of the Army.
An item of $4,000 was added today
for support of the tourist camp in Po-
tomac Park.
Regarding the increases over the
budget estimates the committee re-
port says:
The committee has found it i'm
practicable to make any substantial
reductions in the budget proposals.
On the contrary, a number of situa-
tions presented themselves which the
committee felt should not pass un-
needed, and it has, therefore, in a
number of instances, seen fit to exceed
the budget estimates, the net aggre-
gate of such eXcesses being s246, 1856"
The biggest increase for salaries is
In the office of the Engineer Commits
sioner, with an allowance of 81, 500
above the budget recommendations,
and the biggest salary decrease under
the budget figures is in the Public
Library allotment, which is cut down
SS.640.
The biggest increase in the whole
bill is for salaries in the police force,
providing for additional officers,
which is S219,77O more than current
appropriations and S233, 500 more than
the budget recommended.
Provision is made for appointment
of 12S additional policemen, so of
whom are to be regularly assigned to
traffic work.
Eighty-six additional teachers are
contemplated, "a of whom will be
substitutes. Funds are made imme-
diately available under the bill so as
to provide improved heating and
lighting facilities in a number of
school buildings.
One of the most important street
Improvement items was put in the
bill at the last moment-s100,O0O for
widening Z street from Fifth street
to Thirteenth street and Thirteenth
street from f street to Pennsylvania
avenue to a width of SIS feet, to cor
respond with the widening of Thir-
teenth street last year. All of this
appropriation is to come out of the
gasoline tax fund, making the total
street improvements under that sum
SS12,00O
There are substantial increases all
along the line for charities and
corrections.
In endeavoring to justify the lump
sum of $9,000,000 as a substitute for
the definite proportion of 60 per cent
by District taxpayers and 40 per cent
from the Federal Treasury, the COM
mittee makes clear that under the
definite proportion policy, which is
still the general law, the real share of
the Federal Government in upkeep
and development of the Nations Cap
ital would be S11,573, ,09S.SO instead Of
the fiat s9,oOO,oOO offered.
Fiscal Policy Explained.
Discussing the fiscal policy the re-
port filed by Representative Charles
r. Davis, Republican, of Minnesota,
says:
1t will be seen from the opening
paragraph of the bill that it proposes
the imposition of a total charge
against Federal funds of $4,000, 600,
the same amount as will be contrib
uted during the present fiscal year,
the bill being shaped with respect to
the division of the expenses of the
District of Columbia for the ensuing
fiscal year exactly rs is the law for
the fiscal year now current. e., in
lieu of appropriating on a percentage
basis, as had been the practice prior
to the fiscal year 1925, it is proposed
to continue the policy initiated in the