Evening star., 1947-02-25
Horan Warns
OF SIashes in
District Budget
House Unit Chairman
Says D. c. Must Be
Given Fiscal Sanity
By Don S. Worren

CHAIRMAN Koran OF In6 HOUSE
subcommittee in charge Of the Dis
trict's record $95 5,000, 900
budget today warned that his group
probably would make slashes in
proposed outlays in a determined
move to put the District on basis
Of fiscal sanity"
Z, His warning came in a statement
before the Public Service Subcom-
mitRe of the House District Com
mittee, which was considering a
bill by Representative Beall of
Maryland to merge the United
States park police, as far as Wash
tngton is concerned, with the met
ropolitan police.
Mr.. Horan took the occasion to
announce he would recommend that
the now independent recorder of
deeds Office be put under the con-
troll of responsible District officials.
Seeks "Real Auditing System"
His Appropriations Subcommittee
is investigating loose fiscal prac-
tices" said to have occurred in the
office.
At the same time, Mr.. Horan de-
clared he would seek the establish
ment of a real auditing system"
for the District. BY this he meant
one IN which the District would
have auditing controls not now pos
sible under existing Governmental
setups and District government
personnel.
He said he had been advised GER
tain District funds had not been
audited since 1884.
District Commissioner John Rus
sell Young gave a personal indorse-
ment of the Beall bill for the police
consolidation, but added he did not
believe such a change would effect
monetary savings.
Police Cooperation Cited.
He and Inspector Walter H.
Thomas, acting metropolitan police
chief, both declared there had been
excellent cooperation between the
park and metropolitan police forces
Conrad Worth, assistant director
of the National Park Service, and
Edward j. Kelly, assistant superin-
tendeit of the National Capital
parks office, indorsed Mr.. Horans
declaration of the need of budget
savings, but added the merger as
proposed would not achieve this.
There were indications from Mr.
Koran and Chairman Beal that the
present Beall bill was only vehicle
for study of proposed streamlining
of District agencies. Mr.. Horan
specified he was not welded to the
Beall measure, that he had no desire
to single out" the park police.
Lists Many Police Forces.
But Mr.. Horan put into the record
figures showing that Washington
has a long list of governmental
policing agencies now having an
authorized total strength of more
than 4,500 men.
In addition to the metropolitan
and park police, he listed the White
House police, Government building
guards, the Capitol police, Washing
ton agents of the FBI and Treasury
special assignment men, and those
assigned to the armored cars of the
Bureau of Engraving.
He said there were 19 private de-
tective agencies, the agents OF the
Bureau of Narcotics, merchant po-
lice, railroad special agents and
others.
Mr.. Horan stressed that District
department heads originally asked
s137,00o,O00 for the year beginning
July /. The Commissioners and
Budget Bureau Topped some $40, ,00O.-
900 from this, but Mr.. Horan added:
"If Washington wants all the
things proposed, we must remember
we are going to have to pay for
them"
He said his funds subcommittee
was determined to see that the
Washington taxpayer got 100 cents
on each tax dollar spent.
Representative Youngblood, Re
publican, of Michigan broke in to
say he was in favor of consolidation
of governmental agencies wherever