Evening star., 1936-11-08
Fiscal
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of including a reorganization recon-
mendation in the report to be SUBJ
mitted to the President. The ques-
tioning of Donovan, however. coupled
with the reorganization discussions
injected into the first public hearing
of the committee two weeks ago by
Roberts himself, indicates the subject
is receiving serious consideration.
Defends d. C. Expenses.
Donovan opened the hearing with
strong defense Of the operating ex-
penses of the District, as compared
with those of other municipalities Of
comparable size, and then served as
master Of ceremonies" introducing
the department heads that followed
him on the witness stand.
Likewise he brought the hearing
| to close by denouncing the 'over-
lordship" of the Federal Government
in checking municipal expenses, since
so little of its funds are involved.
His reference to 'oyer-lordship" re-
ferred to the activities of the division
of bookkeeping and accounts of the
Treasury Department, and the gen.
eral accounting Office, which keeps
close check on all District expendi-
lures. These details, he declared,
should be centered in his own Office.
The overlordship would be all
right" Donovan said, IF the Fed
eral Government goes back to the
percentage basis of contributing to
District expenses, and makes a pay
ment of IS. 40 or so per cent Of
the total"
Donovan began his testimony by
emphasizing that the standards of
service in the District are fixed by
Congress and the Federal Govern
ment. He called particular atten-
ton to the budget-making procedure,
saying:
The Budget Bureau uses a little
stub pencil which it squeezes. and
one and one have got to make two"
A few minutes later, he picked up
an editorial in The Evening Star FRI
day, headed Local Government
Costs" and said he wanted to read
it because 1t was 80 splendidly to
the point"
Jacobs, George McAneny, chairman
of the committee, and Clarence A.
Dykstra, city manager of Cincinnati
another member, all admitted the/
had read it. And" added Dykstra
Il enjoyed it very much"
President Roosevelt Quoted.
Donovan then read an excerpt from
the Presidents remarks on his re-
turn to Washington Friday to find
its diSfranchised residents turned out
en- masse to greet him.
"I have seen Washington grow
during this half century and I am
very proud and happy as an Amer
lean in this wonderful Capital OF
ours, for it is not only the most
beautiful city in all the world, but
think it is one of the grandest cities
to live in, in all the world" Dono-
van quoted the President.
Then, Donovan explained, the rea-
son it Is the most beautiful city in
the world is because the Federal Gov
ernment, since 1878. participated Glib
orally" in its development. He de-
clared, however, that if the city is to
continue to develop and enjoy its
prestige as the most beautiful in the
world the Federal Government must
do more than it has in recent years
toward paying the expenses Of the
municipal government.
A mass of statistics was submitted
to the committee by Donovan. One
of the statements. based on Census
Bureau figures, compared per capita
operating and maintenance costs in
Washington with those in 10 other
cities-Cincinnati, Baltimore, Los An
geles, Detroit. Boston, Rochester, Min
neapolis, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and San
Francisco.
Although certain operating costs in
Washington appeared excessive in
comparison with those Of some of the
other cities listed, he explained that
this situation Is due to unique con-
ditions."
The influence of the Federal Gov
ernment on the District was men,
toned as one of these unique con-
ditions," but he placed particular
stress on another element-operatine
costS-which in many other city gov
ernments are treated as county and
State expenditures. In illustration, he
presented another statement showing
that of the $36,758, $40 charged up to
operating expenses in the 1897 appro.
priation act, $8,374,053 represent item.
which are treated in other jurisdic-
tions as county and State rather thar
city expenses.
| 80 Exceptional Items Listed.
Thirty items were listed by Dono-
van to make up the $8,374.053 which
he said should not be properly charged
to operating costs for comparison with
operating expenses of other cities
The larger items Included support o1
the insane. $685. 300: emergency re-
lief, $1,600,000: United States Court
for the District, $354,720: United
States Court Of Appeals, $12s,000; tu-
berculosis hospital and sanatorium
III TERMITESs