Evening star., 1945-06-07
Senate Group
Acts Tomorrow
On DC. Budget
Major Changes Likely
In House-Approved
$65,0oo,0o0 Bill.

Members of the OMahoney sub
committee of the Senate are to NEE
tomorrow to draft their version o.
the 1946 District appropriation bill
with indications numerous change.
will be made in the $65, ,O00, 900 meas.
ure as 1t came from the House.
Some major increases have beer
recommended by the Commissioner.
In supplemental items submitted
since the House hearings and othel
proposals were urged yesterday BY
civic spokesmen as hearings were
concluded by the Senate Appropria.
tions Subcommittee, headed by Sen.
ator OMahoney, Democrat, of Wy.
oming.
The medieval" conditions o.
buildings housing child wards of the
District was denounced by severa
civic witnesses, who urgently re.
quested the addition of $4,000 tt
the supply bill for the employment
OF architects to draft an overall
plan for the proposed "children's
center" near Laurel, Md.
Federation Heads Testify.
This item was urged by Mrs. Leslie
Wright and Mrs. Ernest w. Howard
speaking for the Federation o.
Women's Clubs and other groups
and Ernest F. Henry of the Fedora.
ton of Citizens Associations.
1haV nra icaI fho uN,,en So
ing IN the bill $2S5 900 for construc-
ton of a new Receiving Home fol-
Children, voicing hope the Senate
would do likewise. and asked that
the rebuilding of the child welfare
agencies be pushed even farther
ahead by provision of funds for
planning the Laurel childrens CEN
ter, which would include a new
location for the Industrial Home
School for White Children.
In this connection, Mrs. Wright
criticized the Commissioners and
the Board of Public Welfare for de-
lays in agreeing on plans for the
receiving home. She also took 9
slap at Juvenile Court. Chairman
O'Mahoney agreed there had been a
delay, but said he was more inter-
ested in action than in fixing blame
Buck Passing" Protested.
This discussion also included pro-
tests against buck passing" between
the city heads and the Welfare
Board over welfare programs and
Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Howard called
for approval of the Commissioners
bill to strip the Welfare Board of its
powers and convert it into an ad-
visory agency. Chairman OMahoney
noted this subject was before legis-
lative committees Of the House and
Senate.
Chairman OMahoney said tht
"scandalous" condition of the pres.
ent Receiving Home and Industria
Home for Children was known K
the committee.
Mrs. Howard protested that 9Th,
snakes and animals at the ZOO ar.
better housed" and she added thai
unless there is prompt action by tn,
District government we shoule
transfer. the child wards of the Dis.
trict to the Zoo"
Fowler Submits Report.
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
yesterday submitted a report on thu
housekeeping aid program request.
ed a year ago by congressional
committees, and blamed the della,
on Health Off1cer George C. Rub.
land.
The quetion came up during re.
quests by Mrs. Hafold N. Marsh fol-
approval of $4,000 for the service
for the medically INDECENT. Mr.
Fowler said he had written a crit.
cal' report on some aspects of the
program and that the Commission
ers last September had sent this tt
DR.. Rutland for his comments
Subordinate officials of the Health
Department, he said. had submitted
memorandum" information be.
latedly on May 9.
1t seemed sure that the program
would be continued since it was tn,
Senate in the past two or thre.
years which wrote the necessar,
funds into the bill. This year, thu
House was first to add the sum
which had not been sought In tn,
Commissioners estimates.
Mrs. George Thorpe, of tn,
Women's Safety Committee of tn,
American Automobile Association
supported by the Rev. Francis Nc,
Peek Of the staff of the WASHINGTON
Federation of Churches, made al
extended plea for $l5,200 for staff
ing clinic for alcoholics under tn,
new mental hygiene service of tn,
health department.
1900 alcoholics" in d. C.
Mrs. Thorpe said there were TOO,
alcoholics" in the District as wei
as 81 900 persons given to excessiv,
drinking, who are very much in neet
of education" Mr.. McPeek sait
studies showed 28 per cent of adul
felonies in some classes were tracee
to alcoholism and that cities bea,
very heavy costs for institutiona
care of many types of prisoners ant
patients because of an inadequat.
treatment of the victims of alcohol.
ism.
Mr.. Fowler, who recalled he hat
prosecuted drunk cases in Polio.
Court during the prohibition era
said he was entirely sympathetic
but that I'VE ought to do a lot o1
thinking" about the corrective pro.
gram before we start appropriatins
funds" To show it is a big prob.
lem" he reported that 10000 .oO(
gallons Of beer, 1900, 900 gallons o.
whiskies and 100000 gallons of win,
were consumed in the District las
year.
Washington I. Cleveland, appear.
ing for the American Automobil.
Association, urged funds for install.
lation of more trafic lights ant
parking meters and hiring of thre,
more engineers for the traffic di.
rector's ofiice.
Mr.. Henry, as a federation spokes.
man, asked for $S2, 500 for prepare.
ton OF plans for development o.
play areas under the Recreation
Board.