Evening star., 1945-05-25
House Group S|ashes
District Supply Bill
To S65,OO0,O0O
Continued From First PageD

'COflt111ueO FGOI1 rlTSL HdRe.D
plus of S1,S72,00O at the end of this
fiscal year, June 30.
1T does not seem reasonable" the
committee added. that during this
time of prosperity the expenditures
should so closely approximate or, as
they have in certain years, exceed
the anticipated revenues. - There
is no question but that upon COM
plete cessa ton of hostilities and with
materials and manpower becoming
available, additional capital improve
ments will have to be initiated.
1t must be borne in mind that the
present rate of income. in all prob
ability, will not be maintained"
Inadequate Salaries" Hit.
3. A demand for action to raise
salaries for many District positions.
Finding a 10 per cent vacancy in po-
sitions for which funds have been
available for two or three years, the
committee said that, while the man.
power shortage accounted for much
of this, there still was a great portion
attributable to inadequate salaries ~
1T is inconceivable to the COM
mittee, for instance" the report con-
tinued, Ito expect the employment
OF graduate nurses; psychiatrists,
psychologists, doctors of medicine
and other personnel required to have
college training and extensive ex-
Of In vi, 11i
required" n
Insisting that something be done
about it." the committee added
Either the District officials should
take action or the Civil Service Com
mission should review the standards
with respect to many positions, espe-
ciallv those in the welfare and health
institutions.
The committee is of the opinion
that fewer but better-paid personnel
would result not only in better
service but in more efficient and
economical operation"
4. A requested s2.478,000 outlay
for school construction, plans and
sites for next year was cut down to
s1,882,5OO, or nearly 100000. For
construction projects the committee
approved S1,608,000, a reduction
from the estimates of s528,575. For
purchase of school sites, s250,0O0
was recommended, or $4,000 less
than requested in the budget. And
in cutting personnel items and other
expenses. the committee Topped
S153,000 off school operating funds
Dropping of funds for vacant teacher
positions was largely the reason.
Population Shifts Seen.
AS to the curtailed school ex-
pansion program, the committee
said that with the foreseeable end
of the war, doubt arises as to the
advisability of embarking on con-
struction program to the extent
suggested in the budget estimates" !"
It pointed not only to a possible
postwar decrease in District popu-
lation, but to "diSlocations" of
population within the District. 1t
noted, for instance, that certain
schools now are overcrowded while
others are only partially filled be-
cause Of shifts in population since
those buildings were erected.
Dsapproval was registered to an
item of s28,56O for plans for aban-
doning old eight-room schools and
consolida ting their pupils in modern
24-room buildings. The committee
said any plan which would tend un-
duly to centralize elementary school
children is undesirable. 1t sug-
gested more profitable instruction
for elementary pupils could be given
In smaller schools while also reduc-
ing the walking distance to the
schools. This halts to some degree
the planned replacement of a num-
ber of WORKOUT old elementary
buildings.
5. For the library system the COM
mittee recommended s679,000 for
operating expenses and $4,000 for
capital improvements, but the total
was S55,700 below the budget. "It is
the feeling of the committee" the
report said. that library facilities
should be kept at the absolute mini
mum at the present time and that
all construction be deferred until
such time after the cessation of hos
tilities as will permit a more ade-
quate determination of library
needs"
Expansion Plans Upset.
While taking this position, which
partially upset the proposed begin
ming of six-year $4,000, 900 ex-
pansion program planned by library
officials, the committee granted $40,-
900 for acquisition of branch library
sites in Woodbridge and in the vi
cinity of Georgia avenue and Ken
nedy streets NV. A 1945 appro-
priation for the purchase of sites
for branches in Brookland, Tenley
Benning and Cleveland Park was
continued available.
Also, the committee approved
100000 to complete the equipment
and structural arrangements of the
first unit of the new Central Lii
brary Building, now being used by
war agencies.
Rejected were items totaling $685.
700 for preparation of plans for
branch libraries in Anacostia
Brookland, Benning. Pleasant Plains
and for the remodeling of the exist
Ing Takoma Park and Southeastern
branches.
6.-As promised earlier, the COM
mittee included among welfare
l1inde an ifax,a af Aaos 0o0 L.. -