Evening star., 1941-05-25

lde to the House. The hint was that
the bill reaches the other side of the
r usual opportunity to appear.
one civic quarter the statement that
as a rule the citizens received their
best treatment at the hands OF the
Senate unit.
In going before the House unit it
was indicated that while the testi-
mony is secret until released by the
report of the bill, representatives of
the citizen organizations did not
propose to confine themselves to the
projects approved by the Commits
sioners, but would state their
needs"
Both the Board of Trade and the
Federation of Citizens Associations
are standing for a pay-as-you-g
budget within available revenues
and without recourse to rise in the
real estate levy. At the same time
additional needs created by the pop
ulation influx for national defense
purposes is expected to heighten the
demand for larger Federal share
III tne expenses.
More Revenue Available.
At the Board of Trade offices, it
was pointed out that the increased
population is producing increased
revenue so that additional funds in
the amount Of perhaps $4,000 900
would be available for projects above
the original estimates and without
going into the red"
Trade Board committees have
been reporting on the estimates and
the Executive Committee is now
picking out the items of greatest
need for presentation to the SUBJ
committee, it was said.
The Public Schools Committee is
known to have recommended large
increases in the school budget to
take care of population pressure in
the Southeast, additional support
for the city refuse department has
been suggested by another COM
mittee. The Public Health Commit
tee has asked for more nurses on
the Health Department staff. Ad-
dition Of 100 more policemen to the
force is called for by the Public
Order Committee.
In one responsible quarter it was
predicted that Senator Overton,
having lost in the attempt to get
the Hunter counterpart of his
formula through the House and thus
increase the Federal payment by
some S3,00O.O00, would fight to the
end to get a more liberal payment
in the supply bill this year even at
the risk of delaying the bill beyond
the opening of the fiscal year.
Two years ago the deadlock be-
tween the House and Senate coll
ferees delayed the bills passing until
July Is. In the World War period,
however, a budget was delayed as
long as September l.
Among items expected TO be
pushed by various civic groups are
the new Abbot Vocational School on
the Brentwood Park tract; from 25
to 100 additional policemen; addi-
tional firemen to replace some Is
vacancies allowed to accumulate
under congressional order; new
colored senior high school at Twen-
ty-fourth street and Benning road
NE; completion of the highway
project at Fourteenth street and
Maine avenue S.W.; Inauguration of
the food stamp plan, and expan-
sion of the teaching for shut-in
children.
Maintenance Item Backed.
While the Northwest Health Gen.
ter item was deleted from the es-
Inmates by the Commissioners, they
have since indicated they would
support acquisition of a site pos
sibly in this budget, and other citi-
zen groups favor the project.
Parent-Teacher Association rep
resentatives and some civic groups
are thought likely to press for more
funds in the school maintenance
and repair item to permit more fire.
quent repairs to buildings and
grounds. School officials are now
planning conference with the Com
missionerS to see what arrange
ments can be made to take care Of
urgent school repairs which con-
stitute some 80 per cent of the
work Of the District Repair Shop.
Social workers are expected to
push the item for a new Receiv-
ing Home in the welfare budget.
Some debate is likely to develop
over the proposed District welfare
center in nearby Maryland or Vir-
ginia as well as over the 100000
relief item.
The fact that two school projects
sought for Southeast have been
transferred to deficiency bills will
doubtless result in some changes in
the school regular budget construc-
tion items. These items would pro-
vide elementary schools at Mime
sofa avenue and Ely place Sc. and
Pennsylvania and Alabama avenues
Sc.
Still another change may be made
If bill establishing a recreation
board for the District is passed.
Some effort to effect a beginning on
the S5,580,700 recreation develop
ment program at least through a
s500000 priority list which has been
established and sent to the Com
missioners.
Many of the groups will carry
their school requests from the Cap
ttol, if they are denied there, back
to School Board officials June l3,
when the school officials meet with
the citizens to begin work on the
1943 budget. The session will be
held at the Thomson School at 8
pm.