Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-25
SIMMONS REGRETS
CARU.S| PROPOSAL
Representative Says School
Budget Must Be Handled
as at Present.

! Estimates for appropriations for the
District schools must continue to come
| through the District Commissioners and
not be submitted direct to the Budget
Bureau and 1t would be discourteous
for him to go over these estimates in
advance. Chairman Simmons of the
preparation bill stated in letter to-
House subcommittee on the District ap-
day to Charles F. Carusi, president of
the Board Of Education.
He further stated that proposal to
make an exception in the procedure for
submitting items for school expenditure
would be an opening wedge in the
budget law in regard to other branches
of the Government. Representative
Simmons, however, stated he would be
glad at any time to discuss school mat
ters with the school officials. His letter
to Mr.. Carusi follows:
Invitation Was Received.
"I have your letter of April the 22d,
requesting that meet with the Board
of Education Friday, April 26, at 2
o'clock pm, at which time you desire
to discuss with me certain questions of
policy In regard to expenditures for the
schools of Washington.
S"I noted by the Sunday press that
some time last week 1t had been agreed
that should be invited to meeting
of the board for the purpose of going
over with the board the various items
for the coming budget requests, and
while your letter does not so indicate,
presume that this Is the purpose OF
your invitation to me.
IT am ready to discuss at any time
school matters with the school officials.
I think, however, it will readily occur
to you that any discussion of items on
my part with the school officials prior
to the submission of these items to the
Commissioners, the Bureau Of the
Budget and to Congress would be de-
cidedly unwise.
Would Avoid DiSc0urteSy.
'The estimates and requests for
funds submitted by the Board Of Edu-
cation are subject to revision and de-
ductions or additions may be made
thereto by the Board of Commissioners.
The same Is true of the Bureau of the
Budget, and after these two agencies
have reviewed and, If need be, revised
your request for funds, the Budget
Bureau submits them, under the law,
to the committee on appropriations Of
the House. For me to approve or dis
approve requests for expenditures prior
to their submission to the Commission
ers would very obviously result in an
embarrassment to the Commissioners,
| the Bureau Of the Budget and to the
committee on appropriations. It would
be, to say the least, 8 discourteouS act
on my part to the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia and to the
Bureau Of the Budget for me to sit in
with any division of the District gov
ernment when it makes up its requests
for funds.
II am not in sympathy with the plan
that has been advanced by the Board
of Education under your leadership to
the effect that the requests of the Board
of Education for funds must be sub
mitted to the bureau of the budget and
to Congress by the Commissioners in
total and without revision, allowing the
Commissioners only the recommends
ton as to what part of it shall be al
lowed and what part disallowed. The
Board of Education is but one division
of the District government. I do not
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