Evening star., 1933-04-18
S1,00Q,0DO BALANCE
in DISTRICT FUNDS
ASKED BY SCHOOLS
Money on Hand Was Unspent
in Municipal Center
Development.
SENATE GROUP ENDS
HEARINGS LATE TODAY
Amendment Also Offered to Allow
Transfer of Appropriations
Within Departments.

Nearly 81 900 900 which remains un-
spent from prior appropriations for the
Municipal Center development would
be made available for the school build
ing program in the 1884 District bill if
the Senate subcommittee approves a
suggestion along this line advanced by
District officials before the hearings on
the bill closed this afternoon.
As the supply bill came from the
House it did not contain single school
construction item, the building pro-
gram being one CT the essential sections
that fell by the wayside when the orig
inal bill was pared down from more
than $4,000, 900 to something less than
s32 000,O 900
Use Of the municipal center balances
for school buildings would not increase
the total Of the bill, since this money
was appropriated in prior years, but
would merely divert it to school pur-
poses, since the municipal project Is
not being gone ahead with under pres
ent conditions
Two amendments affecting the teach
ing personnel in the public schools are
included in the list of suggested changes
submitted to the subcommittee for con-
One provides that teacher vacancies
may be filled by transferring special
teachers to class room work and the
other provides that school authorities
may appoint qualified temporary teach
ers notwithstanding the existence Of an
eligible list established by an examin-
alton.
Would Transfer Funds.
The subcommittee also had before it
as the hearings closed the text of the
amendment recommended by the Com
misSioners for the purpose Of permitting
transfer Of funds from one activity to
another within departments in order
limited amounts allowed under the re-
duced budget The amendment sug-
gested follows:
When specifically recommended by
the budget officer of the District Of
Columbia and approved by Commission
ers of said District, transfers may be
made between subheads of appropria-
tions provided in this act for the free
Public Library, public Fairgrounds, pub
lie schools except buildings and
grounds, Health Department and Pub
lie Welfare, respectively: Provided that
such transfers under this section shall
the several municipal services named,
and all transfers, whether approved or
contemplated, shall be reported to Con-
gress in the estimates of the District Of
Columbia for the fiscal year 1885"
Another interesting development to-
day was the action Of Chairman Thomas
of the subcommittee in requesting Dis
trict Auditor Donovan to prepare a
statement showing how much has been
spent under the Capper-Cramton park
development law, how much the Dis
trict has repaid and the present status
of the refunding.
Payment Suspended.
In the original 1884 bill a. the last
session the Senate voted to relieve the
District from making another annual
reimbursement of S1,O00,00o to the
Federal Treasury in 1884 under the
Cramton law, but in the conference
report which failed on March 4 this
action was reversed.
District officials pointed out today
that the theory of the park development
law was that s16,000000 would be ap-
propriated by the Federal Government
in order to expedite purchase OF park
lands before desirable areas are built
upon, the United States to be reim-
bursed by the District at the rate OF
ST ,000, 900 year. Up to this time, how
ever, only s5.000000 has been appro-
priated by the United States for ex-
penditure within the District: The Dis
trict Government repaid 81 100000 last
June. will be required to pay similar
amount this June, and the pending bill
calls for payment of third installment
next June.
Meanwhile, there have been no new
appropriations toward continuing the
park development program in the cur
rent fiscal year, and no such apprcpria-
ton was provided for in the independ-
ent Offices bill, which also failed on
March and remains to be further con-
sidered. 1t has been argued, therefore,
that the District is being required to
repay the park development money
more rapidly than was contemplated in
view of the amount spent so far.
Ask Bridge Funds.
A new suggestion advanced today was
that S250O00 for the new street
bridge be authorized, in addition to an
earlier suggestion for S575,000 to make
a start on the new Calvert Street Bridge.
Neither of these projects would increase
the total in the House bill, since 1t is
proposed to finance them out Of the
lump sum of ST ,040 900 Of gas tax money
approved by the House. The House bill
merely states that this lump sum could
be spent for such projects as the Presi-
dent might approve. Another amend
ment being considered would take $45-
TAI more from this gas tax lump sum
to widen and repave Constitution
avenue from North Capitol street to
Second street.
Still another amendment suggested
by the Commissioners would make i'm
mediately available the House item Of
$1,250,000 for emergency relief, so that
some of it could be utilized between the
passage of the bill and July l. The
suggested amendment further provides
that this fund could be expended by
the Commissioners as conditions make
necessary, without regard to monthly
or other appointments.
In connection with the Public Lii
brary system the Commissioners sub
mitted a proposed amendment as fol-
lows:
Provided, that during the fiscal year
1884 existing branch and Subbranch
libraries shall be continued in normal
operation" This proviso would be at
tached to the item of $260,000 for per-
sonal services in the library system.
The library system is one OF the
agencies in which funds could be trans
ferred from one subhead to another
under the general amendment for
transfer of funds suggested by the
Commissioners.
Meet Again Friday.
None Of these proposed amendments
has been acted on by the Senate sub
committee. They will come up for con-
sideration when Chairman Thomas
convenes the subcommittee at 10 o'clock