The Washington times., 1938-01-27
Above Average


TT is question whether the District appropriation
bill as reported to the House ought to be damned
with faint praise or praised with faint damns.
There is in it much that is good. few of its pro-
visions are perncous. Others do not make And
the whole thing is of course entangled with current
consideration Of taxes, with a prospective Dis
trict deficit and with the continued failure of Con-
gress to do the decent thing in making fair Federal
contribution toward the expenses of the municipality.
= That about sums it up. If graded like examina-
tion paper it would get better than passing grade
It is at least above the average the basis of past
performance.
From a review Of its provisions it is also evident
that members of the subcommittee who worked on it
went at their task earnestly and tried to produce
intelligent result And that in itself is gain, long
as Congress has to infct itself with matters of
nicipal administration.
Skipping the absurdty of requiring 531 Members
of Congress to sit board of aldermen in providing
appropriations to sweep the streets, and the poison
GUS unfairness of requiring the Federal Government
in the role of
UNCLE SHYLOCK
to bear only oneninth of the cost of running city of
it owns enormous areas of land withdrawn from tax
alton because dedicated to public use, the measure
has these specific merits
1t does something about the health problem in pro-
r vidng for the treatment of children at
Childrens Hospital and certain conva-
A"e Ou"'S lescent adults in the old Homeopathic
Hospital, thus releasing additional beds at Gallinger
for other types Of patients
1t keeps the subject of municipality owned power
plant alive by providing for survey Of Washington's
power needs by the Federal Power Commission. The
implication is that power rates ought to be lower and
with that no consumer will quarrel.
It restores the office of Peoples Counsel to repre-
sent the public interest in utility rate cases-and
need one.
It provides for larger public library, and we need
that.
It suggests solution for the messy problem of riot
ing and unrest in the National Training School for
Girls providing for the removal of occupants to o.
coquan where they would not disturb the neighbors.
It tackles the traffic problem by providing for
underpasses at Dupont and Thomas Circles, widen
ing several downtown streets and separating the
grades of Street and Rock Creek Parkway.
It sticks to budget estimates of relief needs, but
sensl0y cuts the percentage OF the appropriation
which may be used for administration, thus increas-
ing the amount available for those who need it most
BUT
and this is where the F's and D -Minuses come in
It only sneaks up the crime problem by increas-
ing the stool-pgeon fund instead Of providing more
Came of police to prevent holdups and house
breaking, and preposerously provides
'' "'' literally for police headquar-
ters building from which the higherups may issue
meaningless orders to inadequate force. And what
good is bigger Jail YOU can't catch the criminal?
Nor does it make to cut down school appro-
priatons when everyone knows that if there is any
for crime and racketeering it is education, and
that in any democracy public education is the best
guarantee Of its perpetuity.
These things should be corrected before the bill
becomes a law.