Evening star., 1934-03-24
Press Barred,

Even the subcommittee had been
secretive about its deliberations over
the budget. Not until it had COM
pleted consideration of the estimates
with District officials, did it open the
doors to the citizens And what the
citizens said was supposed to have
been kept confidential. The press
was barred from the civic field day
ceremonies.
What the citizens asked for includ-
ed everything from branch libraries,
public school additions, new bridges
and the like to shorter working hours
for the guards at the District Jail
and the nurses at Gallinger Municipal
Hospital. An unofficial estimate of
the items they recommended, which
are not included in the budget would
add about s5,000,000 to the existing
$36, ,000, 900 total
The arrangements made by the sub
committee for hearing the civic rep
resentatives was probably the best
that could be had under the circum-
stances, but they were quite tiring
for the citizens. The delegations
were kept outside the subcommittee
room until a particular group was
wanted inside, and those forced to
wait had nothing else to do but pace
aimlessly up and down the Capitol
corridors, or study the art exhibits on
the corridor walls. There was no
waiting room. or chairs to sit on.
Corridor Crowded..
AT one time In the afternoon the
corridor was Jammed with the civic
representatives, augmented by dele
cation of Maryland and Virginia
farmers. who showed up Unexpectedly
to appeal to the subcommittee to i'm
prove conditions at the Southwest
Farmers Market. The citizens and
the farmers milled around with the
tourist parties that came by sporadic
ally, much to the apparent disgust
of the guides who were collecting Is
cents a head for their efforts.
Despite the discomforts and the
long wait, the civic delegations filed
no complaint They had been offered
a rare opportunity to tell the group
in Congress that shapes the District
fiscal policy what the city needed,
and made the best of it.
With hearings on the budget esti-
mates completed, the House subcom-
mittee on appropriations today be-
gan to mark up the 1885 District ap-
preparation bill. Indications are the
measure will be reported to the House
early next week.
Library Fund Asked.
An appeal for an appropriation of
s150,000 to erect the proposed George
town branch of the Public Library was
made yesterday by a delegation rep
resenting the Georgetown Public
Library Association.
Headed by Dorsey W. Hyde, jr.,
president, the delegation told the sub
committee that although Georgetown
has the largest concentration of edu-
cational institutions of any section of
of Washington, it seriously lacks ade-
quate library service. 1t was pointed
out that in this area there are 40 pub
lie schools and Georgetown University
and a population of $4,000 that must
depend for library service on the Cen
trail Public Library, about 2 miles
distant.
Supplemental estimates now before
the Budget Bureau provide S150,000
for construction of the Georgetown
branch library. These estimates, how
ever, have not yet been transmitted
to Congress.
$4,000 for Books Sought.
The delegation explained that aside
from the $150,000 for construction an
additional 5000 would be needed to
stock the library with books. The an
nual maintenance expenses were esti-
mated at $40, 900 a year.
Accompanying Hyde were ]. B.
Wyckof, Mrs. Robert Woolley. Henry
w. Draper, Ernest I. Lewis, Clarence
Charest, Frank P. Leetch, j, s. Cor
rell and Walter Davidson.
A protest against long working
hours for guards at the District Jail
and nurses at Gallinger Municipal
Hospital was made by E. Claude Bab-
cock, president of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Government Employees.
12-Hour Day Charged.
Babcock complained that guards at
the jail are required to work seven
days a week and that many nurses
and other employees at Gallinger have
a 12-hour work day.
Babcock also appealed for standard
iZation of the salaries of employees on
emergency relief rolls. who, he de-
clared, are paid at present without
any system at all. These employees,
he said, should receive salaries COM
mensurate with the work done and
that this could be accomplished by
requiring that the wage scale be fixed
in accordance with either the classif1-
cation act or the Presidents executive
order establishing salaries for emer-
gency Federal positions.
James G. Yaden, president of the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
requested increased appropriations for
the Community Center department
of the public schools to provide for a
larger recreational program.