Evening star., 1948-04-16
Horan Charges
Bates Ignores
District Needs
Amazed at Lack
Of Understanding,
Budget Chief Says


The Horan- Bates battle OF words
over the size of the city budget and
proposals for a District sales tax
was resumed today.
Chairman Koran Of the House
Appropriations subcommittee han
ding the city's unbalanced and rec
ord 1949 budget accused Chairman
Bates of the House District Fiscal
Subcommittee Of lack Of under
standing Of District needs.
In a letter to Mr.. Bates, Mr..
Horan said, II am amazed at your
utter lack of understanding Of con-
ditions existing in the District"
Answers Bates Criticism.
This was in response to a declara-
ton Mr.. Bates made to reporters
yesterday that he could not go along
with the spending spree" proposals
of Mr.. Horan.
The House District budget chief
protested that Mr.. Bates was in
sisting on a 100000 cut from the
budget estimates without hearing
a word of testimony from RESPONSE
BILE individuals" who appeared be.
fore the budget subcommittee. Hac
he done so, Mr.. Horan added, he
also probably would be deeply dis
tressed and considerably disturbed
over the outlook.
He took another jab at the posi-
ton of Mr.. Bates by recalling that
a year ago the fiscal unit chairman
had been disturbed over the in
creased funds the budget subcom-
mittee added to the 1948 appropri-
ton bill for school construction.
"If your proposals then had been
adopted" Mr.. Horan wrote, there
would have been no hope for the
1000 or more children then on
part-time instruction"
Part Time Pupils Reduced.
Mr.. Horan recently reported that
the grant of increased school funds
for this fiscal year had resulted in
heavy reduction of the number OF
pupils on part-time schedules.
Mr.. Horan said his subcommittee
was inclined to provide an increase
in the Metropolitan police force and
that "even If this thinking. in your
book, constitutes spending spree
we are for it."
The letter also noted the problems
Of private hospitals, conditions at
the Home for Aged and other city
institutions and declared I'VE do not
want to arbitrarily cut the budget
Just to save us from the necessity
of advocating a sales tax" Mr.
Koran added that "the saving OF
human life is more important than
money"
Developments Cited.
The Appropriations Subcommittee.
the letter went on, was not reSpon-
sible for these developments:
The shifting of population which
makes new school facilities i'm
perative":: for the great increase
in Juvenile population; for the ter
rife" increase in costs of caring
for more than 5000 District patients
at ST. Elizabeth's Hospital, or for
the 40-hour work week for city en-
ploves which he said had added an
increase of about 25 per cent in the
cosC of institutional care.
The budget chairman also noted
that since 1910 Government salary
increases had raised city costs by
S19,OOO,O00 and that an additional
$1,000 900 cost had resulted from in
creases at St. EliZabeth's Hospital
the courts and Government retire
ment.
Hopes to End Hearings Soon.
Mr.. Horan indicated his hope that
the budget hearings could be con-
cluded next Tuesday
Needs of Gallinger Hospital were
scheduled to be explored later to-
day by the subcommittee as 1t con-
linued its hearings on the Sl02,'
100000 budget.
Health Department witnesses
were to appear for the hospital to
help justify the plea for part OF the
departments S9241 900 requests fol
the year beginning July /.
The Gallinger problem, Repre-
sentative Horan said today, will be
considered in the light of the en-
tire health needs of the city.
I'VE are making a study not only
of the tax needs of the Health De-
partment, but also of what is going
on in private institutions, he said
Points to Fund Appeals.
He pointed to public appeals fol
funds being made by private hos
pitfalls and to pending appropria-
tions for the new Washington Hos
pital Center, as evidence that the
health of the city is in need of fur
ther support.
Growth of the population in the
Metropolitan Area, the increase II
costs and raises in pay have con-
tributed to the load, he pointec
out.
Most Of yesterdays sessions, Mr.
Horan said. was devoted to consid
Grafton of the Health Department
Hospital Permit Bureau and its re.
lation to Gallinger Hospital. TIL,
bureau needs more personnel. h
indicated.
N1n,r1oe AxI.ox