Evening star., 1933-02-12
OFFICIALS Of D. c.
LAUDED IN HOUSE
Holiday Reviews Accomplish.
ments of Commissioners
In 4 Years.
STRONG conmendation Of th. Con-

strong commendation OF the Com
missioners and other major admins
trative officers of the District govern
ment was paid in the House YESTERDAY.
where the District bill was under gen
eral debate. by Representative Holiday,
Republican, OF Illinois. who has been a
member OF the subcommittee six years.
He said
The terms Of the present Commis-
sloners are drawing to a close. They
Will have served the District for four
years. ! take this opportunity TO ex-
press my appreciation of their services,
and believe the District Of Columbia
has prohfd by their services. They
have not been hampered by any OUT
side influences. they have devoted their
entire time To their oficial duties, and
there mas been progressively, year by
year, during their terms, improvement
In the conduct Of District affairs.
Col. Donovan, the District auditor,
has served the District for AZ years. He
is intimately acquainted with the finan-
cial affairs Of the District and has
conducted them with the best methods
OF accounting, a model that might
profitably be followed by a great many
cities of the United States.
About q year ago there was a gen.
eral reorganization of certain divisions
of District affairs and four new depart
ments were created. The first of these
was the Division of Highways under
Capt. Whitehurst. Improvements that
he has effected have resulted in the
District receiving more bids than any
other city In the United States has
been able to receive for the same class
Of work.
Work Of Mai. Gordon.
"At the head of the Division Of Sani-
tary Engineering Is Maj. Gordon, who
has not only been carrying on that
work satisfactorily, bur in addition has
been planning for the future of WASH
ington. One Improvement of major i'm
portance will be Of considerable ex-
pense and yet necessary is the remodel
ing Of the sewer system Of the city,
We have mains that were installed be-
growth Of the city the time Is rapidly
approaching when there must be an
The third division created by the
reorganization plan was that Of inspec-
ticn. This grouped all inspection work
together under Capt Dram as q result
of which there has been increased effi-
ciency and Improvement IN that service.
The fourth division Is that OF con-
struction. A new man. Harold Baker,
was brought in about a year ago. He
was confronted with Q very difficult
situation. As long as ! have been a
member Of the District subcommittee
the Office of the municipal architect has
not flinctioned satisfactorily. 1t has
been the purpose Of Mr.. Baker to bring
about Improvement. believe he Is
succeeding, but there yet remains much
to be done.
About ten million dollars is annually
going into the public schools OF the
District. A great many useless teach
ers. in the opinion of the committee
at least, who were performing certain
special duties have been assigned to
the general teaching force. I believe
we are now having a more economical
administration OF school affairs.
District Bill Criticized.
In a colloquv with Representative
McClintic of Oklahoma, who intro
duced a bill giving the President au-
thority to stop all building programs
until the Treasury deficit is wiped out,
Mr. Holiday said that in the District
appropriation bill the building items
were cut $l,000,000 and at the same
time O proposal was included TO appro-
pirate more than 100000 to feed the
needy.
'It seems to me-" said Mr.. Holiday,
1t would be a better business PROPOSE
ton to spend a million dollars for con-
struction and give these men work than
to spend half that amount In the relief
Of the unemployed"
, Mr.. Holiday pointed out in reply to
Mr.. McClintic's question that the Dis
trict has made its third annual Install
ment repayment to the Federal Gov
eminent on the SIC, ,00o, 900 which 1t re-
ceived from the Government under the
Cramton law three years ago.
Mr.. Holiday in speaking OF the
Metropolitan Police Force said he be-
lieves 1t is in better shape than 1t has
been In a great many years" In my
opinion, he said, 'the future usefulness
II the police force will not depend so
much on an increase in personnel as
Oh the better training and the better
equipment of about the same sized
force" He expressed the same views
the Fire Department.