Evening star., 1951-10-22

ance and personnel estimates of
the Board of Public Welfare be
approved as submitted.
I'VE regard the s1,227,32s item
for public assistance grants as an
indispensable provision against
want and suffering of the poor"
he declared.
Clifford H. Newell, representing
the North Washington Council of
Citizens Associations. drew pro-
longed applause when he made
an earnest plea for the completion
of the Piney Branch sewer system.
He said it should have been COM
pleted long ago, and if the Com
missionerS do not have sufficient
money to finish it. they should
borrow the money from the Fed
eral Government and earmark it
SO it could not be diverted.
Piney Branch Relief Sewer.
He was followed by Arthur r.
Cochel. ST.. who spoke on behalf
of the Columbia Park Community
Club. He said lit is absolutely
imperative that the 1858 budget
contain an adequate and full ap-
preparation to complete an un-
finished Piney Branch relief
sewer"
He said the residents In that
area must have relief from the
continuing and damaging sewer
floods. He said damage to per-
sonal and real property in that
area during the last 20 years
amounted to more than So million
plus the loss from depreciation of
property values. He said all the
houses in that area are devaluated
for sale, for loans and also insur-
iance rates are raised for certain
coverages because of the constant
sewer flooding for about 25 years.
Ernest H. Pullman, secretary Of
the Manor Park Citizens Associa-
ton, said the Commissioners
Should make a survey of District
government operations to see if
they can save money and to find
out if all the workers employed
by the District are justified. He
fcai1 tho CoY,opoiccionorc chn,,1l
practice rigid economy and they
would do well to go out themselves
and look things over instead of
sitting in their Office signing pa
pers. He also asked for repeal of
the personal tax or larger deduc-
tlonS.
Lusk Offers Statistics.
/ Rufus S. Lusk, president of the
Washington Taxpayers AsSocia-
ton, told the Commissioners that
80 per cent of all income of the
people goes for taxeS-District and
Federal-and that a person works
13 hours out of the week to pay
these taxes. He said the names
of persons on relief should be pub
liShed so that the undeServing ones
could be cut off relief rolls. He
said when Indiana started pub
fishing the names a decline of
about 10 per cent resulted.
Philip Austin, representing the
District Bar Association, told the
Commissioners they should provide
for more clerical help in the Mu-
,nicipal Courts.
He said Washington is the most
,inexpensively run city in the coun-
try, which denotes its manage
Iment is worthy of the trust re-
posed in it and its request for
funds should be granted.
Charles Bauer, representing the
Building Managers & Owners AS
sociation, said Congress should
appropriate the money to be used
in entertaining officials of foreign
governments who visit here. He
also said the Zoo appropriation
should not be charged to the
District.
Jerome B. Mckee of the Fed
Grafton of Businessmen Associa-
tions told the Commissioners they
should engage the services of a
business manager. Economies
which would result from such en-
ployment would be 10 times
greater than the salary paid to
this business manager, he said.