Evening star., 1936-02-17
COMMITTEE GAGS
CITIZENS PLEADING
FOR MORE FUNDS
BIanton Warns Witnesses
Seeking Needed Public
Improvements.
RETIRED TEACHER ASKS
REPEAL OF RED RIDER
Gammell Urges School Addition,
Larger Police Staff and
Hospital Merger.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.


Civic representatives continued to-
day to lombard the House Subcom-
mittee on Appropriations with pleas
for needed public improvements not
provided in the 1887 budget estimates.
Behind closed doors the subcommit-
tee, headed by Representative Blanton,
Democrat, of Texas, listened to the
requests of a dozen or more civic
leaders and warned each of them as
they left that their testimony should
be regarded as confidential.
The vanguard of witnesses was led
by Representative Jenckes, Democrat,
Of Indiana, member Of the House
District Committee. She left the
committee room accompanied by Lieut..
Horace Lneberg, head Of the Crime
Prevention Bureau of the Police De-
partment.
Adheres to Gag" Rule.
Mrs. Jenckes adhered to the SUBJ
committees gag rule" and declined
to discuss her testimony with news
paper men. There was strong sus-
picion, however, that it concerned
communism--a subject which has
dominated the hearings on the 1897
appropriation bill. For several months
Mrs. Jenckes has been making a pri-
vste investigation of alleged COM
munistic inroadS in the public schools.
S. Il. Miller, retired school teach.
er, told the subcommittee, it was
learned, that the anti-communism
rider in the 1886 District appropria-
ton act should be repealed. This So
called red rider" he is reported to
have declared, would result in teach-
ers failing to give pupils proper in.
struction in all subjects.
j. L. Gammell of the Southeast
Council OF Citizens Associations urged
construction of four-room addition
to Buchanan School, an increase in
the personnel of the Police Depart
ment and merger of Gallinger and
Columbia Hospitals. A three.page
letter outlining the advantages of the
proposed merger was read by Gam.
nell. 1t pointed out that Gallinger
could operate Columbia at relatively
small additional cost, and that pa.
tients now in Columbia could be &C.
commodated in other private insti-
tutions.
Larger Health Fund Asked.
Mrs. Walter Ofutt of the League of
Women Voters requested increased
appropriations for the Health Depart
ment, StreSsing particularly the need
for more money for the activities of
the child hygiene centers.
An increase of $25, 900 in an item
for purchase of traffic lights and an
additional $4,000 for reflector-but-
ton stop signs were among the recom-
mendations of Thomas J. Llewellyn
of the Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations.
1t also was learned that Llewellyn
in his appearance before the subcom-
mittee Saturday criticized representa-
tives of the Washington Board of
Trade for supporting a request for
funds to replace Chain Bridge. Rep.
resentative Smith, Democrat, of Vir-
ginia testified in favor Of the new
bridge. Llewellyn declared the fed
Grafton would not indorse the project
until the District Virginia boundary
dispute is settled.
John Proctor, vice president Of the
International Union of Elevator Con-
structors, and Harold S. Wender of the
Southwest Citizens Association both
| asked the subcommittee to provide
funds for employment of two addi-
tional elevator inspectors. Wender ex-
planned the Commissioners provided
for the two inspectors in their original
estimates, but the Budget Bureau
eliminated the item.
I'VE know there is need for more
than two additional inspectors" Wen
der declared, but two more at this
time will help the situation. The ele-
vator INSPECTION staff is now far be-
hind in its work"
Survey Fund Endorsed.
Adelbert w. Lee, president Of the
Randall Highlands Citizens ASsocia-
ton, and Louis Frick of the Southeast
Business Mems Association both in
dorsed an item in the estimates pro-
yiding S25,000 for an engineering sur.
vey for replacement Of the Pennsyl-
vania Avenue Bridge.
A reduction in the appropriation for
emergency relief was urged by Rufus
S. Lusk, secretary Of the Washington
TAXPAYERS Association. He also
recommended an appropriation Of
$4,000 for a study to determine
whether the police and firemens PEN
sion systems should be placed on an
actuarial basis. Under the present
plan, he said, the pensions are costing
taxpayers $S5o,00o year, whereas the
cost could be reduced to about $780,
600 on an actuarial basis.
Marvin M. Mclean Of the Boorkland
Citizens Association pleaded for re-
placement Of Brookland School with
a 16-room building having q gymna.
stun. He explained the present struc-
ture was erected in three sections, one
Of which Is so years old.
A $4,000 item in the budget for q
new branch library at Petworth was
indorsed by Horace J. Phelps, chair.
man Of the Library Committee Of the
| petworth Citizens Association.