Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-17

and public parks and the Washington
auueduct. They make an imposing pa
rade. Their combined salaries and al
lowances amount to about $4,000
year. All of them are charming gentle
men, and the purpose of Mr.. Simmons
in placing their names and their sal
aries in the record is obviously one OF
two-either to show that the Washing
ton community receives the expert
services of these able men without cost
las their salaries we're paid by the Fed
eral Government), or merely to allow
District residents to run over the names
and check them against their Christmas
card list. :.
If the former purpose is in mind, 1t
is well to mention the fact that the
Army officers assigned to the DstricC
Building-the Engineer Commissioner
and his aSsistants-are not there De-
cause the taxpayers of Washington nave
sought to be relieved of the cost OF
paying the salaries of civilians VINO
might execute their functions; put pc
cause Congress has ordered them sta
toned there. In this connection it will
be borne in mind that If Gen. Crosby
takes Office as a civilian Commissioner
his retired pay could doubtless be set
down as an item of expense escaped Dy
the District because it has generously
been shouldered by Uncle Sam Inc
residents of the District, of course, help
to pay the salaries of the Army ofncers.
Through their Federal taxes they con-
tribute almost three times as much TO-
ward the payment of salaries for these
Federal officers as the people OF, say,
the State of Nebraska. Their per capita
share is SIS higher than the average for
all the States.
High School Instructors Elsewhere.
AS for the other officers and nom
commissioned officers on duty mere,
those assigned to the high schools as
military instructors could as well have
been assigned to the high schools of
other cities, which have the same privi-
lege enjoyed by the District in utilizing,
free of charge, the services of these
men. It is a matter that rests with the
cities. Some of them do and some
do not" according to Representative
Collins. Certain persons tried to get
this work in the New York schools, but
it was opposed and defeated"
Of1icers assigned to the District
Militia by the War Department occupy
status comparable to those assigned
to the militia organizations in the
States.
Col. U. S. Grant, Sd. explains the
status of the officers assigned to the
Office of Public Buildings and Public
Parks.
LAS this Office is "a 1ndepndenr es1ab-
lishment," he says, mot connected with
the municipal government of the Dis
trict of Columbia, do not consider that
any of its employees should be consid-
cred as coming within the class enumer-
ated. The duties of the officers herein
named involve the expenditure of funds
appropriated in the District of Columbia
acts. but in relation to Washington as
the National Capital rather than as the
municipal government. The officers are
not assigned to and serving the District
of Columbia
Yet Col. Grant and his subordinates
are included in the list.
The other Army officer mentioned is
Mai. Brehon Somervell, District Engi-
neer. There are United States district
engineer officers scattered throughout
the country.
Shoes for Centipede.
BY far the most intriguing table of
those used to indicate the generosity OF
the United States to the District, how
ever, is one that lists items making up
the surplus property turned over to the
District by the United States Govern
value in 1929 to S279, 900.
There was some uncertainty as to
whether the District asked for this
property or whether it was merely
handed over. Mr.. Donovan did not
know Mr. Simmons suggested that If
the District had not received these gifts
free their purchase would have been
necessary Mr.. Donovan would not
agree to that, though he was willing to
say that eventually it may all be used"
Included in the long list of supplies
are boxes cups, $1.25; % hogs and
SOW. $500; 1903 spools cotton, darning,
81. SO; books, non-f1ction. $50; So door
grillS, $33450; nurses hats and rubber
boots, 1913; hair clippers, 70 pair, $48;
hair clippers, SO pair, SGT; / ,915 pair rus
set shoes, $7.516; 5,375 pair russell shoes.
$20,124; 1920 pair russell shoes, So
999.70; $3.50 pair russell shoes, $10,-
324.50; GA pair russell shoes, 1891 IL;
263 pair russell shoes, $1,000: II pair
russell shoes. $52.36; alta pair russell
shoes, $8,543.92; rs microscopes, SCOTS;
90 microscopes, $7,452; Q cases bottles,
251 cubic centimeters, $40; spool cotton,
thread, $911.22; a. pounds mercerized
cotton carpet warp, Sits; 1872 pair
shoes. $35910; 4,245 pair shoes, $12,098.
One also finds that so revolvers were
turned over to the Zoo. Such facts lead
to the conclusion that the District is
well shod and that the Zoo is excel
lently prepared against general revolt
of the inmates. Representative Collins
offered the suggestion:
II notice, among other things in these
tables, you have transferred in excess
of 5000 blankets, and also liquors and
shoes and various other items, which
makes it appear that the departments
wished something of on you gentle
men,"
But at that point, unfortunately. the
conversation suddenly switched to other
matters,