Evening star., 1928-12-15
DR.. Carusi's Questions.

DR.. Charles F. Carusi, president of
the Board of Education. asks the citi-
zens of Washington to answer two
questions. The questions follow:
1. Do the citizens and taxpayers of
Washington desire that in addition to
the sum necessary to provide for the
current expenses of the public school
system for 1881 there shall be added the
sum of SO 100000 for buildings and
grounds, provided the total is not in eX-
cess of third Of the total revenue
of the District Of Columbia from all
sources?
Q. Do the citizens and taxpayers of
Washington desire that the Commits
sioners shall transmit to the Federal
Bureau of the Budget the estimates as
prepared by the Board of Education,
with such recommendations by the
Commissioners as to the maximum 20
be allowed as. in the light of other
needs of the District. the Board of Com
missioners shall deem properP
These questions cannot be answered
offhand. Due consideration must be
given contingent phases of the Districts
budget problem. Other cities may de-
vote one-third of their budgets to school
needs. But no other city in the United
States is in position comparable to
Washington's, where limitation upon
budget and ability to pay are concerned.
Before the Districts schools can receive
one-third of budget total another
question must be answered And that
question relates to the nature of those
items which of necessity must be cut In
order to increase the schools proper
tional share.
AS for the second question, the con-
bsntion is reasonable that the school
board should be permitted to advocate
end defend its own estimates before the
Budget Bureau. Since, however, the
Budget Bureau exercises arbitrary
power to cut the estimates would the
privilege of defending the boards
original estimates be of much practical
value? AS long as estimates must be
trimmed, would not the Board of Edu-
cation prefer to do its own trimming,
rather than pass the task on, even to
the Budget Bureau? Is not the Board
of Education the proper agency to do
this cutting?
The Board of Education is fighting q
righteous fight for the schools. Every
one win agree that the school problem,
under the present system, is being neg
lected. Instead of gradually expanding
under the five-year building program
SO wisely adopted in 1925 the system is
calling behind by reason of its failure to
receive money authorized for that pro-
gram. Before the old program is COM
pleted another one is being framed for
presentation to Congress.
But it is to be doubted whether an
Affirmative answer, by the citizens OF
the District, to the two questions sub
mitted by the Board of Education will
20 very far to assist in solution OF the
school problem. The school problem IS
not confined to the schools. 1t is a
problem faced by nearly every agency
OF L1e OlSbIICb. ~ 10 a PAOhACAh ~AAcO-
ing because of the failure by Congress
to adopt once and for all a just system
of sharing proportionately in meeting
the expenses of the American Capital.
So long as Congress follows the ex-
pedient of a lump-sum appropriation,
with no regard for the actual needs OF
the District or the city's ability to meet
those needs, the schools and the Dis
trict will continue to suffer When
Congress adopts a permanent policy and
agrees upon the proportional amount OF
Capital expenses to be borne by the
Federal Government the Capitals bud
get can be balanced by taking into con-
sideration its actual needs, and not, as
at present, by merely conf1ning those
needs to what can be paid for by
maximum of District revenue plus an
arbitrary and unelastic lump sum.
While the final decision concerning
the permanent fiscal relations OF Ma
. ton and capital is under consideration
end undetermined, an immediate SUD-
stantial increase of the tentative lump
sum payment would be just and wise
for reasons which have been often re-
cited and with which Congress Is
familiar.