Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-30
Hearing Slated
.ForMondayon
Highway Items
Report to House
On District Budget
Possible June II
By WILL p. KENNEDY.

Representative Mahon expects to
close testimony by the Commits
sioners and District officials on the
$53,000000 District appropriation
bill Monday in taking up the So
S729.919 recommended by the Budg-
ct Bureau for the highway and
water departments. This will leave
only the spokesman for the District
citizenry on Tuesday, with the pros
pect that the bill will be reported
to the House on Wednesday,
June IL.
The District subcommittee heard
officials in support of the s10,782.-
TIT requested for the welfare agen-
cies (S8035, 628), the National Guard
81 ,062, 627, Anacostia River and
fats (s65,00O), improvement of the
Washington Channel 1864. 000), Ma
tional Capital Parks 1926 ,002), Ma
tional Capital Parks and Planning
Commission (s341 200 and the Ma
tional Geological Park 1929, 26O).
Features of the hearing yesterday
was the plea of Welfare Director
Robert E. Bondy ca his final off,
cial appearance for creation of a
new welfare center, either in Mary
land or Virginia, comprising some
1000 acres on which will be To-
Gated four welfare establishments,
IN the interests of better moral,
greater economy in administration
and increased efficiency of service.
Charity Rackets Brought Up.
Proposed investigation of Charity
rackets" was again briefly discussed
by Republican member of the SUBJ
committee. 1t was emphasized that
this does not refer to any of the
organizations which share in the
Community Chest, all Of which are
doing a good job" and now make
an audit report on their receipts
and expenditures. The Commits
sioners had previously been asked,
it was explained. for an investiga-
ton of certain charity" organiza-
tons And individuals who DO not
The Commissioners said they had
no authority to do this and that
direction by Congress was neces-
sary. 1t was explained that this
statement was placed in the record
for the purpose of showing the need
for such investigation, with the
suggestion that there would be
greater abuse unless something is
done"
The hearing yesterday also COW
cred the recommended appropria-
ton of another $1,000. 600 for con-
tinuing work on the new National
Guard Armory. the authorized cost
of which is s2,750000 leaving $780,
900 to be appropriated in 1943.
Defense" Items Added.
The original budget asked a grand
total of $500, 347 for the highway
fund, gasoline tax and motor vehicle
fee disbursement To this is now
added four other items in the de
Tense budget" recently submitted,
which calls for $4,000 to provide
postage for mailing motor vehicle
tags, funds for 80 additional police
in traffic control and allowance for
10 additional motorcycles, $500 to
place watchmen on the draw span Of
the Highway Bridge and 5000, 900 to
permit improvement of streets in
| newly developed areas of the District
where there is an extraordinary in
crease in building construction. The
original budget included s4,130,00O
for street improvements. In the
i hI1HOnf Nf
S577 ,802 under the gas tax and mo-
tor vehicle fees fund, s38,410 for the
Department of Vehicles and Traffic,
S8,469 for traffic police, S448, 300 for
highways, SIS, 180 for trees and park
ings, S25 900 for park roads and S24,-
443 for administrative expenses.
Spokesman who are expected to
testify at the hearings are William
A. Van Duzer, traffic director, and
Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, director of
highways, for their respective de-
partments.
S3,004,0s0 for Water.
The total budgetary figure for the
water service in the District is So
004,080. The total for the Washing
ton Aqueduct is Sl,257,780, including
100000 for an underground reser-
voir of 100000 gallons under Nc
MILAN Park, north and west from
First and Bryant streets NV. The
water account reflects increases of
1854, 430 in the Washington Aqueduct
estimates, due largely to additional
cost of operation and construction of
the new reservoir. The Water De-
partment shows net decrease in the
original budget of S206 965 even after
allowing S215,0 900 for main extern
sions, SAL 900 for new pumping units
and $15700 for fencing.
The Washington Aqueduct items
will be explained to the subcommit-
tee by Col. William j. Barden,
United States District Engineer, and
E. A. Schmitt, his administrative
assistant. Acting Superintendent
Hurphrey Beckett will discuss the
other Water Department items.