Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-08
Money Carried in Pending
Bills Will Be in Hands of
D. c. Heads March 4.
PLAN TO BECOME FIXED
IN FUTURE, SAYS SIMMONS
Decision Will Permit Land Pur-
Chases and Speed Up Build
ing Program.

Funds carried in the 1882 appropria-
ton bill for homecoming "betterments"
will become available to District heads
Immediately upon the signing Of the
bill by the President, Representative
Robert ]. Simmons of Nebraska, chair
man of the subcommittee on District
appropriations of the House Appropria-
tons Committee, declared today.
This means that money carried in the
pending bill for school sites, library and
police and fire station sites, and such
construction work as constitutes i'm
provement in the City of Washington,
but which will not be repeated in subse-
quent appropriation bills, will be in the
hands of the District Commissioners by
March f.
Mr.. Simmons announced further that
the plan Of making the funds available
prior to July /. the beginning Of the
fiscal year. will become q fixed policy
which will govern the availability Of
funds not only this year, but IN subee-
quent years.
GOtwals Urged Action.
Mr.. Simmons decision to recommend
the earlier availability of "betterment"
funds followed recommendation made
to him Tuesday by Maj. John G. Cot
walls, U. s. A., District Engineer Com
missioner, that all funds for public
school sites be made available prior to
the beginning of the fiscal year In
which they were to be spent. Readily
asserting to this recommendation, Mr..
Simmons went further by agreeing TO
speed up the availability not only Of
public school land funds, but Of all
other sums coming under the head of
"betterment''
In making his recommendation 10
Representative Simmons, Maj. Gotwsls
explained that in his opinion, the max
ing available of these monies prior 10
July ! would enable the Engineer Com
miSsioner'S office to get an advanced
start on site purchases and thus be able
to speed up, at least in that particular,
the process by which new schools are
constructed.
Would Aid Land Purchases.
The new policy would make q large
part of appropriations for the District
Of Columbia available by March every
other year. In the intervening years,
1t would mean that the District Conn
missioners could negotiate with the
funds anywhere from two weeks to two
months earlier than they can under the
current policy So far as public school
business Is concerned, the new policy
would enable the Engineer Commits
Sioner, who purchases sites for public
schools, to launch his negotiations for
land purchases at a date which would,
In many cases, enable the completion of
the construction of the building itself
earlier In school vacation period which
would in turn permit occupation of the
buildings oftentin1es whole term ahead
OF the present schedule. Too often, new
school houses become available for oc-
cupancy in the middle of term, it was
pointed out today and the completed
structure may lie unused for one or
two months, awaiting the beginning of
the next semester. With the earlier
acquisition of sites, however, the chance
OF avoiding this situation is increased.
Asks Data on Schools.
DeSloeS Scnool sites, In the interpre-
tatlon OF the new policy in District
circles today, lands needed for the
widening of streets also could be pur-
chased earlier. Similarly, construc-
ton on new building projects could be
undertaken earlier, resulting, in short,
IN general acceleration of all improve
ment projects in the District.
In announcing his determination to
introduce the new policy beginning this
year, Mr.. Simmons said that hearings
on the school system estimates for
1882 Will begin next week. However,
ne called upon school authorities today
for VoluminouS statistical data on the
school needs. which, apparently, he
plans to study before sitting with the
school heads in executive session. In
order to get this material in Mr. Sim
mons hands by tomorrow morning the
personnel of the Franklin Administra-
ton Building Is preparing to work to-
night.