Evening star., 1940-05-08
Federation Asks
Arlington Jail
Investigation
To Seek Cooperation
ofCounty Board
Of Public Welfare

Of Public Welfare
The Arlington County (Va) Civic
Federation will seek the assistance
Of the County Board Of Public We'll
fare In a proposed investigation Of
Jail facilities, following action taken
by the civic body last night.
Horace Woodward, chairman Of
the Public Health Committee, re-
viewed q brief history Of the present
structure, which was started in 1915
as a six-room private dwelling. In
1925, he said, the Organized Women
Voters Of Arlington sought to have
the jail facilities modernized, but no
results were obtained at that time.
Mr.. woodward said that the pro-
posed study would consider such
problems as the desirability Of re-
tanning the jail at its present site
adjacent to the courthouse and also
the feasibility Of maintaining an in
stitution supported by two or more
adjacent jurisdictions.
School Finance Study Ordered.
The School Committee was in
structed to look into the present
methods of financing the school de-
partment, in another measure ap-
proved. Julian D. Simpson, author
Of the measure, pointed out that the
public does not have full knowledge
Of how new school projects are
financed.
A study should reveal the present
sources Of revenue used for school
construction programs, Mr.: Simpson
asserted, and determine whether
education officials are obtaining
funds at the lowest possible interest
rates.
Harrison Mann of the School Com
mittee asserted that Arlington's s
present school situation is de
plorable," and declared it is "ex-
tremely difficult" for members Of his
committee to obtain information
about the county school system.
Another measure, by william c.
Hull, calls upon Senators Byrd and
Glass, Democrats, of Virginia to con-
tinue their efforts to have stricken
from the District appropriation bill a
requirement that Virginia students
in Washington public schools pay
tuition fees. In the discussion that
ensued 1t was stated that many
Arlington parents prefer to have
their children educated in the Dis
trict school system in preference to
those in Arlington.
Express Service Cited.
Chairman Robert E. Plymale of
the Public Utilities Committee re-
ported success In obtaining free pick
up and delivery express service in the
county. He introduced 8. w. Hughes
Of the Railway Express Agency, who
declared his firm has applied to the
Interstate Commerce Commission to
extend the service tc Arlington on
June l.
Another resolution by Mr.. Wood
ward requests county officials to
study the feasibility of county,
operated garbage and trash collec-
ton service to replace the present
private-contract system The resolu-
tion does not recommend an immedi-
ate change over if 1t il found to re-
quire too large expenditures. The
federation suggested a. plan, how
ever, whereby the county could start
on small area and let contracts for
the remaining portion of the county
increasing the county served areas
IN future years.
Hull Opposes Resolution.
Mr.. Hull opposed the resolution
because he said the county could not
operate such service as economi-
cally as a private contractor. He
said that his observations of the
extra men hired for maintaining
streets convinced him that county
operation would be more expensive.
He also warned that the proposed
system would provide an excellent
place for the filling Of political ap-
pointments by elected county ON
cials.
Another resolution asks considera-
ton by county officials of plan to
limit free trash and garbage collec-
tions to private residences and to re-
quire' commercial enterprises and
larger apartments to pay fees for
this service.
Other action included approval of
resolutions by Bjorn Oddsson re-
questing raf1ic light at Lee boule-
ward and Garfield street, and
another light on Wilson boulevard
near Custis road or Rhodes street.
Mrs. Florence Cannon, first vice
president, presided in the absence of
President A. D. Adams