Evening star., 1945-05-25
SideIiqhts on the Buduet

SideIig lights on
The tolloUing sidelights on the
:. District budget for the fiscal
year 1916 pere taken from the
testimony OF District Officials
during recent hearings before the
subcommittee on District dppro-
; priations OF the House Appro-
pridtions Committee:
, Some of the inmates of the Dis
,, trict Training School at Laurel, Md,
for feeble minded persons have gone
, AWOL and obtained positions that
pay more than some of the per-
sonnel receive at the institution, DR..
James Lewald, superintendent, told
. the committee.
When Poundmaster Frank Marks
was asked by Chairman Coffee if
he thought we really had rabies
in the city, he replied:
We'll, I think a dog is just like
anything else. We have people that
get mad and get mean and ugly"
4 Mr.. Marks estimated there were
10000 to $1,000 dogs untaxed and
unlicensed and was then asked by
Chairman Coffee If he could esti-
mate the number of cats in the
District.
That would be a tedious job,
think" replied Mr. Marks.
i Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
told the committee there were 2,1O6
!. municipal employees in the armed
services, including 1874 firemen, 80
policemen and 1872 from other de-
partments. He said Ill men have
left the service and returned to
their jobs.
Frank r. Jelleff, chairman of the
Parole Board, told the appropria-
tions group that about 400 prisoners
have been released for the Army, of
which only seven were dishonorably
discharged.
Many of the men, Mr.. Jelleff said
have been wounded or killed. and
number hold noncommissioned
ranks. One man was promoted to
first lieutenant in the Army Air
Forces and is the holder of the Air
Medal with IA Oak Leaf Clusters.
Col. Edward J. Kelly, superinten-
dent of police, informed the appro-
priations subcommittee that in the
early part of the war $50 to 800 po-
licemen were assigned to the White
House and other strategic locations
for the Federal Government, but
that now only seven men have
White House assignments. The
number of men at the White House
and embassies is now 10.
The Police Band came in for COM
pliments during the budget hear
ings from Chairman Coffee, Com
missioner John Russell Young and
Col. Kelly, who described it as "a
great morale builder" Chairman
Coffee said he saw no conflict be-
tween the band and the American
Federation of Labor, which has op-
posed support of the band from Dis
trict funds. The chairman said he
hoped legislation to support the
band, which died last year, would
be passed.
Fire Chief Stephen T. Porter was
so optimistic about his men in the
armed services returning shortly that
he asked the Appropriations SUBJ
committee to provide funds for the
full authorized strength of $40 men
He said there were 16l vacancies at
present, of which 123 are because of
military leaves.
The cost Of answering fire alarm
in the District is $3.50, Chief Porter
told the committee, although many
years ago it was only $50. The fire
loss in the District Is now SO cents
per capita, which compares favorably
with the $3.50 per capita loss which
the National Board Of Fire Under
writer's considers very low" Chief
Porter said.
Budget Officer Fowler, who is
chairman of the District agency,
told the committee that the District
had l ,355 men in pa draft classifica-
ton and 81 in 2-B. The largest
group of IA deferments were SO in
public schools, 678 in the Police De-
partment,, 321 in the Fire Depart
ment, 49 in District hospitals, ~ in
the refuse division. Almost half Of
the 2-B men, 23, were In the Police
Department.. ..,
Although the District has no vote
on Representatives in Congress,
Chairman Coffee assured District Of
ficials that the city had good repre-
sentation in Congress" and praised
the interest shown by Representative
McC Cormack, Democrat, of Massa-
chusetts, majority leader.
II think, and it should be made
known to the general public, that the
House of Representatives always has
the interest Of the District Of Colum-
bia at heart" he added.
Tax Assessor Edward A. Dent told
the appropriations group that real
estate tax collections from 1877
through 1914 was 9o.s per cent.
With collections still to be made
during the current fiscal year, % per
cent Of the taxes have been re-
ceived for 1945.
Testimony OF Col. Edward ]. Kelly
revealed before the committee that
the corporation counsel's ONCE Is
considering the possibility of draft
ing legislation to effect some con-
troll over clubs. Complaints con-
corning these clubs, where persons
bring their own liquor, have been
received from Army officials and the
provost marshal Of the District, who
claimed that a number of soldiers,
particularly officers, were frequent
ing the clubs.
The population Of the Home for
Aged and Infirm has gone down
: