Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
D. C. CHILDREN BEING ROBBED
OF EDUCATION. HOUSE TOLD
Casey Cites Part-Tiime Glasses and Port
able Buildings-Hurls Barrage of Charges
at Appropriations Committee.

| sibility. They are prohibited from
| spending any money other than that
authorized by the bills passed by Con-
gress.
Cites Lack of Educational Facilities.
"You have been told that there is a
surplus in the Treasury to the credit
of the District of Columbia, and you
have been told that there is no need
for additional school facilities, notwith-
standing that there are at the present
time 5000 children in the District of
Columbia, who attend school on what
is called part time. That means that
one child will go to school this morn
ing and another child remain at home:
the child who remains home in the
morning will take the place of the child
who went to, school in the morning by
going in the afternoon. This means
that 5000 children in the District of
Columbia are being robbed of their
education and additional and unneces-
sary burdens are being imposed on
their parents. The facts will show that
we are S3,500,000 behind in appropria-
tons for providing for school facilities
children inethe District of Columbia; /
should be interested in.
In addition to this, We have approx
mately rs or 30 portable schools that are
moved from place to place to relieve
the load in certain sections when con-
ditiOnS become SO cOngeSted that they
can not handle the school children
these Shacks which are moved from
place to place at best poorly lighted.
poorly heated. poorly ventilated, and
are nothing more than insanitary make
shifts in which we compel the children
of the District of Columbia to attend
school. I believe Congress should be
interested In this matter, and believe
further that Congress should appropri-
ate sufficient money for the erection
Of proper public school buildings.
Sewer Question Raised.
We also have situation In the Dis
trict Of Columbia with reference to
sewers to which wish to direct at
tcntion.
We have, and the testimony will cor
roborate my statements, subdivisions in
the District of Columbia with $4,000 or
10000 people living in thickly populat-
ed and congested centers without a
sewer or a water pipe, and where the
outside toilets are increasing year by
year. There Is no justification for
condition of that kind in the Capital
City of the great United States, and
further, let me say that these insanitary
toilets in many instances, because Of
the Seepage from them, have destroyed
the only source of water in those
neighborhoods- wells that are To-
Gated there. Further than that, you
should know we appropriate approx
mately $4,000 year to empty these
toilets of night soil, and what is done
with this night soil? Is 1t dumped into
the river? Is it creamated as it ought
TO be In sewerage disposal plant or
creamatory or in any other sanitary
way? No; 1t is not. It Is sold to the
truck farmers adjacent to the city of
Washington and used as fertilizer to
grow vegetables which are sold to the
people of the District of Columbia. Is
1t not about time that Congress under
took to put stop to this inSanitary ana
unjustifiable condition.?
Last year I called attention to the
fact that beautiful Rock Creek Park,
with that beautiful stream running
along its shore, NO bathing, no bath
ing, and where you will find during
the Summer months thousands of citi-
zenS OF Washington and their families
every Saturday afternoon and Sunday
eating their dinners. have seen
them going to the crek and wash
ing their plates. knives and forks. And
no doubt some of the children, not
knowing any different, drink some of
the water, and after eating their food
their dishes are again washed In Rock
Creek, which is an open sewer. That
Is why children and people are not
permitted to battle In 1t. No effort is
made to eliminate these conditions.
Congress- repeat, should be interested.
Says Taxes Ought to Correct Evils.
IF the people of the District of Co
lumbia want to build more schools, want
to build more sewers, want to make this
city more sanitary and more beautiful,
then the people of the District of CO.
lumbia ought to be permitted to do it
out OF the taxes they pay.
II just want to take moment or two
on the question Of the District employees
salaries. When the bill for the fiscal
year 1929 was before the House for its
consideration. it carried an item of ap-
proximately $4,000 for Step-upS, as
recommended by the Bureau of Eff
cheney, for the employees of the District
doing like work to those in the Federal
departments. At that time it was stated
on the floor of the House by every
member Of the subcommittee and also
by the report of the committee to the
House that this was a two-year pro-
gram. The reason for that was that
the Bureau of the Budget recommended
to Congress in last years bill an item
OF approximately $4,000 for necessary
Step-ups, as provided for by law. When
the subcommittee looked into the mat
ter, we found that instead of $4,000 be-
ing, sufficient to comply with the law. it
took over $4,000. A two-year program
was agreed upon, to the effect that APP
proximately half of the amount due
these employees would go into last years
bill, with the solemn promise that the
other half would 60 into the bill now
before us for our consideration.
That promise has been broken. It
IS said that the WEIGH act took care of
-