Evening star., 1934-05-03
Babcock Also Includes GAL
Iinger Workers in Plea
Before Senate Body.
ASKS STABLE SALARIES
IN RELIEF DIVISION
Subcommittee Opens Hearings on
1885 District Supply
Bill.

Improved working conditions at the
District Jail and at Gallinger Hos
pital and the stabilizing of salaries
in the emergency relief division of the
District government were asked for by
E. Claude Babcock, president of the
American Federation of Government
Employees, as the Senate subcommit-
tee went on with hearings today on
the 1885 District supply bill.
The subcommittee also was sched-
uled to hear additional witnesses to-
day on school items. Fairgrounds and
on the need for more adequate facil-
tiles to treat and prevent tuberculosis.
Babcock declared the jail employees
are required to work seven days a
week. that nurses and attendants al
Gallinger are on a 12-hour day and
that there is chaos in the salary
condition in the emergency relief
division"
Asks $4,000 Increase.
He asked that the jail appropriation
be increased by $4,000 to put those
employees on a six-day week. For
1dl1llBCI IlC ISCO dll 4llSICdoG VA
S48,600 to establish an eight-hour day
by employing 10 additional nurses and
80 additional attendants. His state
ment regarding salary conditions in
the emergency relief division con-
tinued:
In the present law, there is a
proviso which makes salary payments
depend on the amount of relief eX-
pended. This provision is objection
able in that it makes additional
money available for salaries only
when relief expenditures are piled
up. 1t is similar to the cost plus
system used during the war"
He also argued that emergency re-
lief employees were hired at varying
amounts of money, and recommended
be fixed at not less than the min
imum salaries specified in the clas-
sification act.
Smith Offers Program.
Representative Smith of Virginia
went before the Senate subcommittee
to urge inclusion of $4,000 to
build sheds for the farmers at the
Southwest Market, $4,000 for the
engineering survey for a new Chain
Bridge, S360,00O for building a wall
and other improvements at the Lor-
ton Reformatory. He also recon-
mended restoration of reductions in
the allotments for employment of
guards and for the feeding of prison.
ers at the reformatory.
Mrs Ernest r. Grant of the Dis
trict tuberculosis Association is to
be heard later by the subcommittee
on the Importance of restoring items
eliminated in the House bill affect
ing the association. Mrs Grant will
ask the Senate to put back $4,000
of the maintenance fund for the
Children's tuberculosis Sanatorium
and $3744 in the personnel items for
the adult tuberculosis hospital She
also will stress the need for the S54,-
600 supplemental estimate for the
tuberculosis clinic.
Washington has the fourth highest
tuberculosis death rate, 100 per 100,-
600 population, and Mrs. Grant is
convinced this rate cannot be reduced
unless adequate facilities for treat
ment and prevention are made avail
able. These needs include a new
tuberculosis hospital, but that will be
provided for out of the S20,000000
public works program. Mrs Grant
has gathered statistics to show the
home cities of members of the Senate
subcommittee have lower death rates
from tuberculosis than the District.
Urge Playground Purchase.
The need for completing purchase
of the Northeast Playground, only
part of which has been acquired was
emphasized by the following delega-
ton: Hillary F. Winn, Evan H.
Tucker, A. H. Gregory, Mrs. H. w
Wager, Miss Helen Story, DR.. Alfred
E. Barrows and Miss Sibyl Baker,
superintendent of Fairgrounds. Mr..
Tucker also urged immediate action
on the enlargement of Eastern High
School and the Elliot Junior High
School.
Other witnesses heard today in
cluded Harry N Stull, on school and
community center needs, and John B.
Colpoys and E. j. Roach, who advo-
Gated a fund OF at least $40 600 to
establish a vocational class in elec-
trical welding in the public schools to
aid a large group of adults to learn
this trade. Mr.. Colpoys spoke for
local labor organizations and the
District Adult Educational Council
An amendment to provide funds to
meet the needs of the social hygiene
clinic was urged by a delegation from
the Social Hygiene Society, including
Mrs. r. Thomas West, Herbert S.
Wood and Ray H. Everett.
The subcommittee, which was pre-
sided over by Senator Copeland of
New York in the absence of Chairman
Thomas, adjourned early this after
noon until 10:30 am. tomorrow when
1t hopes to complete the hearings.