Evening star., 1934-01-07
OLD AGE PENSION
!. BILL IS |NDORSED
Federation Of Citizens Asso.
Citations Backs Measure
With Minor Changes.

The Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, by vote of So to l, last night
Endorsed, with minor amendments, the
Copeland-B bill to provide old age
pensions In the District. The action
was recommended by the Committee on
Law and Legislation, through Chairman
George E. Sullivan.
With the exception Of John A. Saul
of Brightwood, the entire membership
favored the bill in principal, although
there were two amendments offered
from the floor, one to cut the residence
required for eligibility from 10 to 5
years and the other to cut the age
limit from 68 to 60 years. Both were
lost.
Mr. Saul objected to the bill on prin-
ciple, as an encouragement to idle and
thriftless persons.
School Matters Discussed.
Much Of the evening was devoted to
school matters. The federation voted
to urge the District subcommittee Of
the Appropriation Committees of the
House and Senate to compel the Com
nlissio1ers promptly to enter into a con-
tract for construction Of the Anacostia
Junior High School. 1t was decided not
to make any request for funds for the
Woodrow Wilson High School, as En-
gineer Commissioner John G. GotWals
had assured a delegation which called
on him that bids for this building would
be advertised about February Is.
Reported on the conversation between
the delegation and the Commissioners,
Harry N Stull. chairman of the Educa-
ton Committee, said there is differ
ence of opinion among the Commission
ers as to whether, under existing con-
ditions, a contract should or should
not be let for this school. Congress, he
said, had appropriated S250,OOO as a
first installment for construction of the
school and had inserted language in
the appropriation act to the effect the
Commissioners are authorized to enter
into a contract for erection of the build
ing at a cost not to exceed s405, 900.
Budget Bureaus Action Cited.
The Budget Bureau, he said. though
not notifying the Commissioners ofhci-
ally, is understood to have refused to
recommend the second installment for
this school. 1t has been reported, he
said, that the bureaus refusal was based
on the fact there had been too much
delay in letting the contract.
The Commissioners, he added, had
given no assurance that the contract
would be let, and it was the impression
of the delegation that one would not
be let.
At the request of A. H. Gregory of
Stanton Park the federation sent a
letter to the Board Of Education inquir-
ing what plans had been made for re-
lieving congestion at Eastern High
School. The letter stated that the ca
pacity Of the school is 1000 and the
present enrolment about 1880.
Membership Drive Authorized.
The federation authorized President
James G. Yaden to inaugurate a drive
for members in neighborhood citizens
associations. He announced that A. j..
Driscoll, president of the Mid-City Cit
liens Association, would head the
drive,
A resolution approving establishment
of appropriate facilities tor treatment Of
inebriates and drug addicts, with power
in public authorities to compel those
suffering to take treatment, was adopted.
A resolution for construction of a
bridge to replace Chain Bridge was re-
ferred to the Committee on Highways.
Another motion to ask for an increase
of appropriations for community center
activities was also adopted.
The federation adopted resolution
OF coincidence on the death Of Martin
A. Leese, president of the Chamber OF
Commerce.
The meeting was held in Joppa
Temple, 4209 Ninth street, because the
federation's customary meeting place,
the board room of the District Building,
was being remodeled to accommodate
c. w. A. office staff.