Evening star., 1945-05-01
Action by Congress Needed
To Avoid New Child Care Delay
Needed Projects Discussed Five Years
Ago but Little or Nothing Resulted

School for Boys, at an estimated cost
of 100000.
These then are the plans.
Before any of them can be car
ried through-or even before the
money for the buildings can be ap-
propriated - architects must make
detailed plans and cost estimates
Present cost estimates may change
The plans themselves may change.
Would Hire Architect.
Welfare officials have asked re-
peatedly that they be allowed to hire
a private architect who will have
the time to devote to planning the
centers so carefully that the money
will be we'll spent. The requests have
been refused because such Jobs
usually are done by the District
architects Office.
1t would be fine to have the Dis
trict architects do the planning
officials say-but the architects
have the same problem as the re-
pair shop. Work is SO piled up and
other jobs have higher priorities so
that it will be months before they
can get around to the welfare plans
When they do, they still will be
rushed. Because the plans are not
a duplication of any building now
in the District there will be no gen.
eral plan to follow, and can hardly
be done hurriedly.
There seems to be no disagree
ment that new buildings are needed
AS long as they are to be built,
money spent in repairing the old
buildings, while a necessity, still is
waste. BY waiting until the Dis
strict architects can take care of
the plans, it may be necessary to
spend the money a private archi-
tect would demand in repairs for
the old buildings.
Repairs Essential.
Meanwhile, until plans can be
built, some stop-gap repair jobs are
essential SO that until the changes
are possible, the institutions can at
least be sanitary and safe.
To solve the immediate problems
and to begin the job of solving the
long-range problems, these are the
six things Congress might do in its
present session:
l. Approve use of funds now al
located for plans for the centers for
the hiring of private architect so
that the work can be done carefully,
thoughtfully-and so that by its
1916 session Congress can have the
exact estimates of construction, ap-
propriate the necessary funds and
seen the buildings erected.
2. Appropriate 100000 to buy land
near jolly Acres for the Industrial
Home School, so that there will be
no delay in beginning buildings
there as soon as the architects
plan is ready.
Must Get Priority.
g. Get an estimate from the Dis
trict Repair Shop-during the ap-
preparation hearings-as to Just
what amount would be necessary to
clean up the Receiving Home for
Children, and to put the National
Training School for Girls in good
condition before the Industrial Home
School moves there. Appropriate this
amount.
4. Instruct the District Repair
Shop to give all possible priority to
the jobs needed at this time In the
institutions.
S. Institute higher pay scale for
positions in the institutions, with
accompanying qualifications fol
competency. Institute higher pay
scale for the District Repair Shop
so that an adequate stan may be
hired to give attention to the press
ing jobs.
6. Write into the law governing
the institutions a phrase making Il
legal for them to use volunteer per-
sonnel.