Evening star., 1936-04-15

Puzzled DlStrlcC 0mclaS To-Day
scratched their heads, figuratively, Of
course, and vainly tried to figure out
Just what is meant by a more vigor-
GUS policy" in connection with the
presentation of the needs of the mu-
nicipal government to the Budget Bu-
reau.
The history of the Budget Bureau
hearings on the 1887 District esti-
mates, although they occurred last
Fall. is still fresh in their memory.
They remember how the stentorian
voice of Maj. Daniel j. Donovan, audi
tor and budget officer, blasted through
the Budget Bureaus quarters into the
corridors of the Treasury Department
Building. They recall how DR.. Frank
w. Ballou, superintendent of schools.
pounded table and pleaded for funds
to build an addition to Eastern High
School. And how Capt. H. C. White
hurst, director of highways, graph
ically pictured the need for a new
bridge across the Potomac to replace
Chain Bridge. Indelibly impressed on
their minds, too, is the earnest and
sincere appeal made by DR.. George C.
Ruhland, health officer, for adequate
funds to fight tuberculosis, and for
public health protection in general.
Budget Bureau Frowns.
But what happened? The budget
went to Congress without an item
for the Eastern High School addition.
or an item for replacement Of Chain
Bridge. or items adequately covering
public health needs.
But the House, despite its treatment
of the District budget as a whole,
recognized the urgent need Of some Of
these items. 1t provided for the
Eastern addition, and allowed funds
for replacing the superstructure of
Chain Bridge. And it acted on the
same information given the Budget
Bureau.
And yet the Budget Bureau appar-
emily doesn't believe the Commission
ers sufficiently stressed their needs.
Anyhow, let's follow the 1897 Dis
trict budget from its inception through
the various steps it took before reach
ing Congress.
Calls for List of Needs.
Early last Summer Maj. Donovan
called on every department head to
submit estimates of their needs for
1887. In the meantime he figured the
amount of revenue that would be
available from taxation and other
sources in the coming fiscal year to
support the new budget.
The total of the departmental esti-
mates exceeded by ss.000,000 the
amount of estimated revenue avail
ability. Cuts were inevitable-the
suit had to be made to fit the cloth.
But first the department heads-each
one-were called before the Commits
sioners to aid them in determining how
the estimated available funds could
best be distributed.
When the ALLEGATIONS were finally
determined. the department heads
were required to submit written justi-
fcation for each item the Commis-
sioners had approved. Collectively they
made up three large volumes totaling
LAOS pages.
These three volumes constituted a
descriptive picture of the Districts
needs in the 1887 fiscal year-a care
fully balanced budget. Each item was
outlined in detail, together with its
justification. Every written argument
was just as convincing as the de-
partment head could make it.
Every Item Explained.
Then when the Budget Bureau be-
gan hearings on the estimates, the
Commissioners as well as the depart
ment heads we're called in to amplify
the written arguments for the various
items. Every detail was discussed
thoroughly. The Budget Bureau at
taches, in addition, asked hundreds of
questions.
District officials who went before
the Budget Bureau insist there was
no timidity on their part in making
the oral arguments; that it was not
necessary. Each department head, 1t
was pointed out, argued vociferously
for every item in his estimates.
When the hearings were concluded,
the District officials were kept COM
pletely in the dark as to develop
ments at the Budget Bureau. The
bureau attaches went over the esti-
mates in executive session and re-
duced some items and eliminated
others. No representative of the
District was present to advise them
of the seriousness of some of the
actions. In fact, the Commission
ers did not know what had hap
pened behind the closed doors Of the
Budget Bureau until the estimates
were transmitted to Congress by Presi-