The Washington times., 1925-01-05
And They Jailed Ponzi.

we QOn Z An the least NINA
admitting that we have no head
for figures. We have q very
good eye for figures, especially
on r street, but only when we're
off duty, generally, as a rule.
street anyhow, so what's the
odds?
What were trying to get through
US is this: The appropriation
subcommittee stands aghast at
the idea Of increasing the Police
Court allowance $4,000 over the
current insufficiency. They've got
beyond viewing with alarm now,
so they have to stand aghast in
stead. God only knows what
they'll do after they get through
standing aghast-enrow duck
fit, probably lame duck lit.
They've been standing aghast on
the Police Court question for about
two weeks now, and we can't
help sympathizing with 'em. It
must be awful to stand aghast
such a long time-should think
they'd find 1t more comfortable
to sit down aghast.
While the committee was stand
ing aghast we did little figuring
on the back OF an old envelope.
Ever notice how many epoch.
making things are scribbled on
the backs Of envelopes? Newton
worked out the caRculuS on the
back of an envelope-150 years
before envelopes were invented,
which shows what a genius he
was. And IincoYn wrote his
Gettysburg address on one OF EN-.
too, which was unconventional to
say the least. 1t must have made
the p. o. d. sore when they found
the address on the back OF the
envelope.
We're copying this off our
envelope: During 1924 the Police
Court collected $517 ,164.52, which
is seven times what it cost to
build it, with $4,000 odd left
Overland the committee is hag-
Cling about an $4,000 increase.
The Police Court building was
erected in 1908 at a cost of
7G,O00---and every year since
that time it has collected more
than the cost Of construction.
Every year since it was built 1t
has turned into the Federal
Treasury more than $4,000; its
total collections since the date
of building amount to $685.
9O8.48, or approximately three
times it's original cost every year
of its existence. That is, every
four months since 1908 the
Police Court has enriched the
Federal Treasury by $4,000.
Ever since 1908 it has returned
it's cost to Congress every four
months, and they're haggling
about increasing the running
expenses by 31A per cent of the
ness of the Police Court in 1908
was 500, 1884. so the collections
for the year just past show an
increase of more than 400 per
cent.
average of 81 500 in cash passes
over the counter Of the Finance
Office, where two clerks receive,
count. check, and post it in two
sets of books, stand ready to
refund part or all Of each de-
post, or collect more, according
to TIE courts verdict, and
correct the entries accordingly.
Iidh6 d "cChly ICpOI
turn in the cash, balanced to the
last cent, to the District Auditor
every Monday Of the year. This
in twelve by twelve room with
the equipment of lumber-camp
field-office, and the quiet seclu-
sion of a one-arm lunch room at
1880 p. m.
Frank A. Sebring, executive
head of the Police Court, re-
sponsibIe for a business whose
gross receipts are half million
a year. supervises all work from
charwoman to head bookkeepcr-
pecls off his coat and sWeats over
those same books for q siX-hour
session when the business gets
out Of bound, purchases food for
prisoners, and filing cases for a
business that has doubled in vol
ume during the last five years;
watches coal bills. lighting bills,
stationery bills, and God knows
what else of every description re-
lating to operations that have in
creased 400 per cent since 1903
and when he asks for an $4,000
increase for running expenses,
Congress stares at him with the
blank aTnazement of "a workhouse
cook trying to figure out what
on earth Oliver Twist wants with
/ more.
And while automobile killings
! have averaged one every four lays
during the last two years, Con.
gress is putting in its time stand.
ing aghast at the Idea of letting
us spend our own money for the