Evening star., 1937-02-16
CHECK-UP SYSTEM
0ND|STR|CT NEEDS
E|NGCONS|DERED
House Appropriations Sub
committee May Name
Special Investigator.
NUMBER OF CHANGES
IN ITEMS INDICATED
Members Said to Feel That Aide
for Group Could Improve
Expenditure Plan.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.


A new plan Of budget procedure
involving q careful check by a special
investigator of all important items in
the Districts annual budget estimates
is under consideration by the House
Subcommittee on Appropriations in
charge of the 1898 District supply bill.
Some of the subcommittee members,
it was said, feel the budget estimates
come to Congress with justifications
that have not been properly weighed.
either by the Commissioners or the
Budget Bureau. It would be the duty
Of the proposed special investigator to
analyze thoroughly all of the major
items and report directly to the sub
committee before 1t begins hearings
on the appropriation bill.
Chairman Collins and several other
members Of the subcommittee made
an effort to investigate the need OF
some of the more important items In
the estimates for the coming fiscal
year in advance Of the hearings, but
did not have time to examine all Of
them. Personal visits were made to
the Jail. the children's receiving home.
and q number OF public schools. The
conditions Of certain streets and
bridges also was inspected.
Investigator Idea Evolved.
What Collins wanted to do was to
make a personal investigation of all
District institutions and observe con-
ditions the budget estimates are de-
signed to correct. Since that would
require too much time, it was re-
ported, he conceived the idea Of
having this work done by special
Investigator, employed by the subcom-
mittee, and having no connection
whatever with the District govern
ment or the Budget Bureau.
While the subcommittee has not
been critical of the present budget
procedure, several members, 1t was
said, feel too much weight is given
recommendations Of department heads
without proper investigation Of the
urgency of the needs. During the
inspection tour, it was pointed out,
conditions were found In some Of the
institutions that should be corrected
Immediately, but no provision had
been made for remedying them in
the 1898 budget. Conversely, the sub
committee is said to have found items
in the budget that could be deferred
for a year or two.
Money Changes Indicated.
The attitude of the subcommittee
indicates a number of changes are to
be made in the ALLEGATIONS Of funds in
the original budget. although 1t Is not
expected that $47,50O,000 total recon-
mended for the coming fiscal year is
to be altered materially.
The total to be carried in the ap-
preparation bill, however, will depend
to a large extent on the position the
subcommittee takes with respect to
the Jacobs three-point plan for settl-
ing the controversy over the fiscal re-
lationship between the Federal and
District governments.
The subcommittee is going into that
subject thoroughly and has arranged
to call before it two authorities on
taxation who have made exhaustive
fiscal relations studies-J. L. Jacobs,
Chicago efficiency engineer who direc-
ted the latest fiscal relations inquiry.
and George Lord, Detroit tax expert.
who aided the special Mapes commit
tee Of the House when 1t made SIM
liar investigation some years ago.
Lord Sees Plan as Unfair.
Both Jacobs and Lord are to be
called to give the subcommittee q COM
plete picture of the divergent views
of the tax experts. Lord Is known
to regard the Jacobs plan as unfair
to the District.
The Mapes committee in 1881 rec
commended Federal payment of $6.-
100000 toward District expenses.
Chairman Collins Of the Appropria-
tions Subcommittee was member OF
that committee and has indicated he
has not changed his views relative
to the recommendations in the COM
mittee's report to the House.
There were no hearings before the
subcommittee today, but instead the
members held an informal conference
with a group Of prominent Washing
ton business and professional men.
Their testimony was given "od the
record" and is being surrounded, with
the utmost secrecy.