Evening star., 1944-05-08
Increase in j. ).
Share in D. T..
Expenses Urged
Wender Cites Cost
To Capital Taxpayers
Of National Zoo
BY DON S. WARREN.

ny DON ,. WARREN.
Civic spokesmen today appeared
before the House District Appro.
priations Subcommittee to urge 6
variety of projects and services, with
particular attention to school, health
and recreation services.
Harry S. Wender president of tht
Federation of Citizens Associations
called attention to the dwindlirls
ratio of the 100000 Federal pay.
ment to the total budget borne b,
District taxpayers, and urged tia
the subcommittee make a survey Of
the benefits to the Nation from ia.
cilities provided by the District.
Chairman Coffee ond Represent.
ative Stefan, ranking minority
member of the group, said this pro.
posal appeared beyond the scope oi
the subcommittee work, but re.
vealed considerable data on the
fiscal relations question was GOV.
cred earlier in the hearings on the
l945 District budget.
Cites Park Zoo.
Mr.. Wender mentioned the Ma
tional Geological Park, which is
under control of the Smithsonian
Institution though the District pays
most of its bills and although more
than half of its visitors come from
the States.
The subcommittee was urged by
MIR. Wender and DR.. r. B. Kennard
chairman of the Federation's Edu-
cation Committee, to make another
fight to prevent the District tax
payers from bearing the costs of the
school Of nonresident pupils, now
giving free tuition. School officials
have estimated this runs into be-
tween 100000 and 100000 a year
Mr.. Coffee and Mr. Stefan i'm.
mediately recalled that the House
subcommittee, year after year, has
made such a proposal and won
House approval, but that the free
tuition is reinserted at the demand
of the Senate Mr.. Stefan insisted
this was the answer because school
officials have failed to show that
if nonresident pupils were excluded
from the schools, OR were charged
tuition, there would be a real lessen
ing OF school costs.
Nom Residents Scattered.
Mr.. Coffee said school authorities
had explained the nonresident
pupils were scattered among a long
list Of schools, which must continue
to be operated regardless of the nom
residents and that their exclusion or
tuition payments would have a con-
siderable effect only after a period
of years.
This, said Mr.. Stefan, gives the
Senate some reason to believe that
1t is not costing the District tax
payers anything by reason of having
to give free tuition to nonresident
pupils.
DR.. Kennard argued that the
presence Of non-residents makes
some classes overly large. Mr..
Stefan suggested that the group
compile more definite statistics if
they wish the subcommittee to con-
tinue the fight. Mr.. Wender and
others praised the House members
Tor their interest in the issue.
Ask Funds for Blind.
representative Voorhis, Demo-
crat, of California and former Sen
ator Gore of Oklahoma. pleaded
with the Coffee subcommittee for
inclusion of an item of $500 for
the National Library for the Blind.
Subcommittee members expressed
sympathy for the need, but oues-
toned whether the appropriation
should be charged to the District
government.
Mrs. Frederic w. Holt, who an
peared with the former Senator,
protested that blind workers at the
National Library for the Blind. who
are paid $65 month, have to spend
$50 a month for taxi fare to and
from their place of work.
Watson B. Miller, administrative
assistant to the Federal Security
Agency, urged provision in the Dis
trlct budget of S17,500 for operation
OF the temporary home for forme,
Soldlers and sailors at 923 PennsvI.
vallia avenue Sc. Again the cues.
tlon was raised as to why the Dis.
trlct should support nationa
project, as it has been doing since
1894
Failed to Get New Sponsor.
Mr. Miller said he had promisee
last year he would seek new
sponsor, but that he had been un.
able to get acceptance from thu
army, Navy or the Veterans Ad.
mlnistration-the latter because thu
standards of care at the home wert
lower than at Veterans Admins.
tratlon institutions.
Mrs. Walter S. Ufford, Miss Heller
Richards and Mrs. C. D. Lowe, speak.
ing for the District Legislative Coun.
Gil, urged funds for mental health
service under the Health Depart
ment, to be separate from funds for
continuation of the psychiatric
clinic at Juvenile Court. They also
urged action for provision of a new
building at Gallinger Hospital. tc
replace the old psychiatric ward
and a new ward for children. Mr.
Stefan said District officials already
were at work on plans, to be ready
for use after the war.
Mrs. Ufford also protested that
low salaries paid professional en-
ployes at Gallinger was one of the
reasons for shortages in staff, and
Chairman Coffee agreed.
Uurges Playground Fund.
Mrs. Leslie Wright, speaking fol
the Northwest Citizens Councils
and the Forest Hills Citizens Asso-
clation, urged an item of S2,5OO fo,
putting into usable condition a play.
ground site near Thirty second anc
Chesapeake streets NV, and thai
the District buy Villa Rosa, the
home OF the Children's Museum