Evening star., 1936-08-02

n Ing tIlc past Wcch'
The Commissioners announced o
number Of long expected promo
tions in the Police Department. in
Guiding the raising to the rank OF
captain of Lieut.. Lloyd E. Kelly
and Lieut.. Rhoda ]. Milliken. The
raising of the head of the Police
Woman's Bureau to the rank of
captain marks the most substantial
recognition of that branch Of the
Police Department since its crea-
ton.
The Commissioners have ap-
proved plans for the erection Of
three new buildings at the Ma
tional Training School for Girls
and for another building at the
work house at Occoquan.
While finding many of the condi-
tions at the District Jail precisely
as represented by the Council of
Social Agencies. the Commissioners
do not favor the proposal to erect
new Jail. They find the present
building substantial and susceptible
to a reasonable modernization at
much lower cost than would be
required for a new building. The
great need for other urgent capital
expenditures is responsible for this
attitude of the Commissioners.
The Commissioners are at pres
ent particularly interested in the
drive against gambling and are
prepared to urge the enactment Of
more stringent anti-gambling law.
Such bill passed the Senate dur
ing the last session of Congress
but failed to receive committee
action in the House.
The Commissioners have recently
amended the police regulations re-
garding the blowing of automobile
horns. This appears to be the first
definite action since the appoint
ment some months ago by Commiss
sioner Hazen Of the Noise Abate-
ment Committee. The appointment
of this committee followed the ap-
pearance of the secretary to Mayor
La Guardia of New York in meet
ing in the board room of the Dis
trict Building. He told of the
success of the noise abatement
campaign in that city.
The Public Utility Commissions
contribution to civic news during
the week consisted Of the issuance
of an amended bus ventilation
order. This order requires buSses
now in operation to be equipped
with a suitable ventilation system
not later than october 81; and
further requires that any new
buses put into service from the
date of the order must be equipped
with such system.
Officials Of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
and the District Commissioners
have recently made survey of the
Rock Creek Park and the Zoo Park
for the purpose of planning a con-
Meeting road which will permit
continuous traffic, open "a hours,
between Rock Creek Park and the
connecting parkway to Potomac
Park.
Channel Deepening
And Washington Airport.
THERE may be no actual rela-
ton between the solution of the
Washington Airport problem and
the deepening of the channel Of
the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers.
1t Is, however, Of interest to note
that in the present dredging oper-
ations in deepening the Potomac
channel there will be added 500,-
600 cubic yards of fill to Gravelly
Point. It is estimated that before
next Spring areas will be added
above water of from 40 to rs acres.
Deepening the channel of the
Anacostia River will also add ma
terially to Gravelly Point, which
has for a long while been consfd-
cred by many as suitable site
for the Washington Airport.
1t is expected that the additional
dredging operations will add over
100000 more cubic yards of fill.
The Washington Airport Com
mission, of which Senator Will
liam H. King of Utah is chairman,
closed the first business meeting Of
the full commission on July "a.
The commission has reached no
decision, but authorized three
man subcommittee to undertake
the preliminary work of determin-
ing the type Of airport needed for
the Capital and the selection Of
possible sites.
Chairman King indicates that
members of the commission are
pledged to make no announcement
of the plans in advance OF the
formal report to Congress.
The Problem-Fiscal Equity
Not New Taxation.
CIVIC leaders show no enthusi.
asm whatever for the revival
by the District Commissioners Of
their Committee on Taxation. This
committee, in anticipation Of the
continuance of the reduced Fed
eral lump-sum or its further re-
duction, is expected to discover 3,
new sources of taxation so as to
make up for the Federal Govern
ment's failure to carry its just
share.
Organized civic Washington is
on record in emphatic opposition
to any. increase of the existing
taxes or the levying of new taxes;
unless the increased revenue may
be shown to be absolutely needed
after the United States Govern
ment has paid its equitable share.
Some civic leaders are very pro-
nounced in their disapproval Of
the idea of the Taxation Commit
tee. They believe that the Com
missionerS would occupy a far
more logical position and would
be more in accord with the wishes
of the taxpayers If they appointed
a committee to gather evidence
showing the many sound reasons
for the Government bearing its
proper proportion Of the burden of
the National Capital upbuilding