Evening star., 1938-02-14
MOTORISTS FIGHT
DIVERSION Of ROAD
FUNDS T0L|GHT|NG
Cleveland Also Pleads for In
crease in Size of Police
Force.
SEES $5O8,O10 AVAILABLE
FOR Meeting PAY ROLL
Joins With Civic Leaders in Ask
ing $65o,0O0 for Pennsyl.
vania Bridge Restoration.
By ], A. O'LEARY.


A determined drive against charging
the $765,O00 cost of street lighting to
the highway fund on the ground it
would constitute diversion of that
fund was begun by motorists associa-
tions today as the Senate subcommit-
tee handling the 1899 District supply
bill began hearing citizens
The House defeated move by its
committee to transfer the lightning
item to the highway fund. but there
have been some indications the Senate
group might put it back under that
fund instead of the city's general
revenue account.
George E. Keneipp, manager Of the
Keystone Automobile Club; Washing
ton I. Cleveland. manager of the Dis
trtct Motor Club Of the American
Automobile Association. and Thomas
j. Keefe of the American Motorists
Association are taking the lead in
fighting the street lighting transfer.
Mr.. Cleveland, in a statement pre-
pared for presentation to the COM
mittee tomorrow, also made plea for
an increase in the size of the police
force, pointing out that under the
revenue act of last year part of the
highway fund is now used to meet
Is per cent of the police pay roll
under the cost of traffic control. This
means, he said, that the city is now
able to apply this year s508,010 of the
highway fund to meet the police pay
roll. He argued this should make
Congress willing to provide for some
additional law officers out OF the
general revenue fund.
Want Bridge Fund Restored.
The motor club spokesmen also
Joined with civic leaders in asking that
the $3.50, 900 to start the new Pennsyl-
vania Avenue Bridge be restored to the
bill under the highway fund. They
pointed out that if s765,o00 is not
diverted to street lighting, the highway
fund not only could take care of the
Pennsylvania avenue structure, but
more than 100000 of additional street
spaving work also.
n Mr.. Keneipp told the Senators proof
Mas submitted in the House that the
street lighting transfer would constf-
sAlte a diversion of the type Congress
has opposed in Federal-aid highway
legislation, and for which it penalties
States in the allotment of highway
grants. He said if diversion occurs in
the local supply bill it will jeopardize
inclusion of the District in the new
Federal-aid highway authorization
measure pending at this session.
e. j. Read, president Of the Con-
Uress Heights Citizens Association,
and spokesman for the Southeast
Council, urged restoration Of the Penn
sylvania Avenue Bridge project. and
recommended the following school
stems for that section:
Retention of 100000 in the bill
for the new Lenox School; retention
Of item for purchase of site for new
Junior high school in Anacostia; e
seven-room addition to complete the
inew Anacostia Senior-Junior High
School; purchase of a site for grade
school in Bradbury Heights, and a
four-room addition to Buchanan
School.
Stress Bridges Importance.
Mrs. F. B. Monar attended the hear
ing in support Of the Bradbury Heights
item.
Evan H. Tucker, president of the
Northeast Washington Citizens ASso-
citation. was prepared to stress i'm
portance OF building the Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge, and to oppose use of
highway funds for street lighting.
DR.. Charles B. Campbell of the Fed
eration of Citizens Associations and
the Mount Pleasant Association, rec
commended an additional building for
Gallinger Hospital and reallocation of
funds for that purpose.
The. suggestion that automobile
parking meters be given a tryout on
washington streets was revived by Mr..
Keneipp. The Senate, on previous oc-
casions, has adopted an amendment to
the annual appropriation bill to au-
thorize the Commissioners to give the
1neters trial, but in the past it has
Been rejected in conference. Admit
ting there is some opposition to the
meters, the Keystone official told the
subcommittee much Of it is ill-founded.