Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-17
SIMMONS ATTACKS
DELAY ON SCHOOLS.
Declares Municipal ArChi-
tect's Own Figures Indi-
cate Building Is Slow.

Sharp difference between Chairman
Simmons of the subcommittee which
handled the District appropriation bill
and Municipal Architect Harris as to
whether or not there have been avoid
able delays in carrying out the public
school building program in the District
was again brought to the attention OF
the House today when Mr.. Simmons
replied to recent newspaper article
in which Mr.. Harris had denied certain
charges made In previous speech by
Mr.. Simmons in the House.
THE municipal architect admitted
the facts but denied that there had
been a delay" said MIR. Simmons today.
His plea becomes one of confession
and avoidance"
Cites Harris Claim.
st desire now to discuss the munich
pal architects plea of avoidance as
quoted in The Evening Star. Mr.. Har-
ris Is quoted as stating that appropria-
lions for school buildings become avail
able July of each year, that prefer
ence is given elementary schools and
the work is so planned as to have the
schools completed year from the fol-
lowing September.
I'm my judgment, that time could
we'll be shortened, but let us measure
Mr.. Harris work by his own yardstick
on certain of these schools. Money for
the Powell, Morgan, John Quincy
Adams, Raymond. Burville and Mur 6d
Schools became available July l, 1928.
According to his own statements, these
buildings should have been completed
in September. 1929.
Three months after Mr.. Harris says
he planned to have these buildings COM
pleted and II months after the money
became available the Powell School Is
but SO per cent complete and it Is not
expected that that building will be COM
plete until some time in March, 1880,
months later than Mr.. Harris flxed as
q reasonable time.
Excuses Are Offered.
THE same situation applies to the
Morgan School.
THE John Quincy Adams School will
be ready for occupancy January /, or IL
months after the money was available.
The same applies to the Burrville School
and the Murch School.
THE Raymond School is now ready
for occupancy.
mfr Harris offers an excuse in each
instance for these delays, but admits
that the buildings have not been done
according to what he, himself, says Is
q reasonable time.
"Mr. Harris is again quoted as say
ing that one project has been held up
by an insufficient appropriation allowed
by the Bureau of the Budget to start
construction. He evidently there refers
to the Roosevelt Business High School,
for he charges later on In his attempt to
justify construction delays, that the
Bureau of the Budget cut his original
request 100000 for the school as an
initial appropriation to 100000, and
that as the law allows but 3 per cent
for plans he was unable to complete the
work with the SO 900 thus provided. He
further states that the plans can be
completed only at cost of $45, 600.
Denies Budget Cut.
"The attempt of Mr.. Harris to shift
the responsibility to the Budget Bureau
and blame them for this delay cannot
be justified in light of the admitted and
known facts.
I'm the first place the Budget Bureau
did not cut his original request for
81 900, 900 to $500 900 for this school for
the obvious reason that no request was
made of the Budget Bureau fer $1,000
900 to start that school. The Budget
Bureau had a request Tor 100000,
which was reduced to $3OO.OOO. l am
advised that the District Commissioners
cut the request of Mr.. Harris from
81 900, 900 to 100000. The difficulty
here is not that the appropriation was
reduced, but that the language used IN
connection with the appropriation was
restricted.
at am advised by the Budget Bureau
that they we're not asked to change the
language Neither Mr.. Harris nor any
other District official made request
before the committee of Congress for
change. Responsibility for the delay in
the Business High School rests with
Mr. Harris and the District officials, who
submitted that language to the Budget
Bureau and to Congress and asked no
change in 1t.
$4,000 Already Given.
MIR. Harris says he needs $4,000 be-
fore the plans for that building can be
completed Had he received his orig
inal request of 100000 he would
have had but $4,000 for plans and
superintendence. He also overlooks the
fact that in 1927 he had an appropria-
ton of $4,000 to start the plans for
this building. !.
Mr.. Harris states that the delay in
starting the Alice Deal Junior High
school in the Reno section was caused
by the fact that the land had not been
purchased He admits, however, that
the park and Planning Commission had
not determined the grades of streets in
that area. When asked If he would be
ready with plans and specifications for
the Alice Deal School when the land
purchased is completed he replied that
no date Of completion of plans or build |
ing can be fixed at this time. The
money to buy that land became avail ,
able July /, 1928, II months ago. Money !
to start construction Of the building has |
been available since February, 1929. and |
vet no hope Of early work is held out
has been any delay.
Gives Purchase Dates.
"In his newspaper statement Mr.. /!
Harris says that the delay at the A. j. /
Bowen School was caused by the fall |
ure to get title to land which was ac- !
ouired in January, 1929. In his letter |
to me of December 10, Mr.. Harris gives |
the last land purchase date as of Nav. |
1of V11oV1c nd |