Evening star., 1941-09-16
D. {. Economy
Pleas Forecast
7.Mi||ion Cut
City Heads Ready
To Trim Estimates
To Within Revenues

The Commissioners sharpened
their pruning knives today for the
task of slashing some $7,000,000
from the record-breaking total Of
nearly s65 100000 sought by de-
partmental heads in 1943 budget
estimates, and 1t is expected final
draft Of the estimates will be ready
for submission to the Budget Bureau
next week.
The city heads, who had already
committed themselves to a policy
of keeping the estimates within def
nitely anticipated revenues, tackled
the cutting job in the knowledge
that sentiment of the community is
solidly for balanced budget
This fact was evidenced yesterday
in the testimony of more than 80
civic and business leaders, who ap-
peared at public hearings on next
years estimates. Opinion was vir-
tuaily unanimous that the budget
should conform with expected reve-
nue. and that taxes should not be
increased.
Greater Federal Share Asked.
At the same time, the Commis-
sioners found a strong demand
among organized citizenry for the
Federal Government to bear a
greater share of the cost of meeting
new demands created by the ma
tional defense effort. This plea was
voiced at the outset of the hearings
by the Federation of Citizens ASso-
Citations, and, at the closing after
noon session, by the Board of Trade
and the Merchants and Manufac-
turers' Association.
Coupled with this was demand
for drastic curtailment of public
works, with every dollar being spent
for essentials and none for frills,
as the Board of Trade expressed it.
The trade board, through its presi-
dent, Fred A. Smith, urged that the
Commissioners establish a policy
holding that projects necessary for
defense activities here should be
paid for by the Federal Government.
Other cities follow this policy, he
said, adding that Washington Is
second to no other community in
its importance as a defense area.
Suggests Three Categories.
Mr.. Smith suggested CHASING
public improvements as those essen
tial to defense, those which may be
called immediate community needs,
and those which may be classified
as desirable but not vitality neces-
sary. Only those capital improve
ments which fall into the first class
and the most urgently needed Of
those in the second category should
be constructed now. Mr.. Smith de-
clared.
While urging that health and
sanitation service, police and fire
protection and other essential serv-
ices be expanded. Mr. Smith sug-
gested some services, such as parks
and Fairgrounds, relief and social
service programs, could be curtailed.
Unemployment has virtually dis.
appeared" he said, and it appears
to us as laymen that the cost of re-
lief and some social service not es-
sential to the aged and the handi-
capped may logically be expected to
be curtailed.
Our educational system is rap
idly expanding in certain sections
of the city, particularly in the
Northeast and Southeast. Our OBJ
ject should be to provide facilities
where they do not exist" He add
ed, however, that the program of
consolidating existing school build
ings in the older sections should
be postponed for the time.
Suggests Postwar Work.
Mr.. Smith said major construc-
tion work not vitally necessary now
could be used to provide employ
ment after the defense emergency
Is ended and employment decreases.
Also capital improvements now are
in direct competition with defense
requirements, he said.
Joining with the position taken BY
the trade board and the Federation
of Citizens Associations, the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Asso-
Continued on Page B-6, Column 81