Evening star., 1934-10-28
Plea for Lump Sum Increase
To Cite City's Numerous Needs
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
call for the largest slice of the esti-
mates, more than Sl0,000000. But
they now suffer from an accumulation
of undercapacity that has been grow
ing acute for the last two years.
Portables Under Study.
Registration increased by 1000
pupils this year over last, and already
school officials are studying the prob
lem of bringing additional portableS
back into use. Throughout the city
the schools are reported congested
and this congestion Is expected to in
crease in February, especially in the
junior high schools, where the incom-
ing class easily exceeds the outgoing.
The Powell Junior High School was
overcrowded last year, and this year
an additional las pupils have been
accommodated. Double shifts are in
effect at Eastern and Western High
Schools. There are still Is portable
schools in use, and the number Is ex-
pected to increase.
Half a dozen elementary schools
have been forced to use the separate
shift system and to open new classes.
In october, 1882, the total school
enrolment was 84,660. In October,
1884, it is 90,636, an increase of 5,976.
In that two-year period, however, ac-
commodations for pupils have in
creased by only 1,720, leaving net
deficit of 4,256.
;r % rr-i1l "a yHortlU nfTCnt hU
construction now under way, to be-
come available by September, 1885,
to accommodate 2,470 pupils, leaving a
net deficit of accommodations OF
1,786 pupils, without giving any con-
sideration to the normal increase OF
900 in enrolment to be expected next
September.
Commission Understaffed.
Turning to one of the important
agencies of government. operated at
a much lower cost, the Public Utilities
Commission is found understaffed,
working its employees overtime, and
omitting some of the duties imposed
upon it by various acts of Congress
because it is not humanity possible to
nanQle more WOTk.
In the 1894 fiscal year the salary
appropriation for this agency was
sos 6,220. During the present year this
figure was cut 43 per cent. Justifying
its demands for a return to person.
mel strength even higher than the 1884
standard, the commission wrote:
THE personnel of the commission
in 1894 was not, in the opinion OF the
commission, sufficient. Failure to ask
for additional personnel was due to
prevailing economic conditions and
the policy of the Budget Bureau to
accept no estimates for increased ap-
preparations. 1t is apparent that the
appropriation for the fiscal year 1885,
which represents a reduction OF 43
per cent from 1884, cannot be utilized
as a criterion for the commissions
needs. This is illustrated by COM
parison between the number on the
commissions staff during the first
year of its existence and the number
permitted by the curtailed approprla-
Jion.
I'm 1918 there were 20 employees,
whereas, effective July l, 1884, there
were only II. In order to maintain
the nucleus of even IT employees, it
was necessary for the commission to
anticipate a furlough of 10 per cent
for each employe The drastic reduc-
ton has caused the commission, dur
ing the present fiscal year, to curtail
its activities. Much work has been
carried on through the cooperative
af This hos
tailed many hours of overtime work.
Limitation of personnel, due to lack
of adequate appropriation. has result
ed in an accumulation of work re-
uuired by law which must be taken
care of in the fiscal year 1886"
Library Fund Slashed.
The Public Library presents figures
to show that since 1929 the registra-
ton of borrowers has increased 64 per
cent, the circulation of books has in
creased 81 per cent and the staff has
increased but 20.7 per cent. Previous
to 1884 the book purchase fund was
$4,000. For 1894 and 1885 it was
$4,000.
Even the latter email sum was fur
ther reduced by transfer of about
So 900 to pay personnel, regarded by
Librarian George F. Bowerman as 1.-The
lesser of two evils" These low ap-
propriations, he said, 'impoverish the
system, and If continued will make it
impossible to meet in any adequate
way the requirements of the public.
This decrease of 26 per cent in the
book fund came at the same time
that there was SO per cent increase
in the use of the library, and pro-
gressive increase in the demand for
more non-fiction books (more expen-
sive than fiction).''
DR.. Bowerman also points out that
when the booksellers code goes into
effect prices will advance, reducing
the purchasing power of the book fund
and making increased appropriations
imperative if the library is not to
retrogress in the matter of furnishing
books to the public.
In regard to lack of branch libraries,
the trustees recently reported to the
Commissioners that there is now
available service that will reach only
80 per cent of the homes and offices
of the District, and with the compile
tioya ~ tho GaorCntnuy1 hra ,1ch In