Evening star., 1952-07-03
Bigger District
Budget Awaits
Truman Action
Federal Payment Put
Million; $50, ,00(
For Laurel Center
By Don S. Worren

By Don S. Worren
A compromised but more lib
eral District budget bill has
cleared its last Congressional
hurdle and now awaits only the
expected signature Of President
Truman.
It calls for outlays totaling
$133,695,875 for the fiscal year
that began on Tuesday. The
Commissioners had asked for
$136.5 million. Drastic slashes
were made originally by the House.
Most Of these were restored by
the Senate.
AS finally passed, the bill grants
a Federal payment of $11 mil
lion. This is 81 million short of
the $12 million authorized in Dis
trict tax statutes but still is $1.4
million above the original House
offer.
It is a big bill but not the big
gest. falling short of outlays made
for the past year. It is balanced
and leaves a soft cushion of sur
plus funds for emergencies that
may arise in the new year.
It corrects or eases most of the
faults of the District bill as passed
last March by the House, Capitol
Hill officials said, but leaves some
problems to be settled later.
Includes Children's Center Plans.
A new item written into the bill
by the Senate and now approved
by both the House and Senate pro-
vides $4,000 for plans for a new
Industrial Home School to be built
at the District-owned Children's
Center at Laurel, Md.
This small item has a big pur-
pose, for it would revive the build
ing program for outworn District
welfare institutions repeatedly de-
nounced as out Of date, dilapidated
and inadequate. Such conditions
were outlined in a comprehensive
survey made by The Star earlier
this year, which Sparked the new
congressional move for correction.
This new item won approval in
both the House and Senate and
was included in the final draft Of
the city budget bill. It provides
for plans for a new Industrial
Home School for Colored Girls in
a program for the Laurel tract,
which also would provide for re-
placement of the old National
Training School for Girls.
The compromise conference re-
port was piloted through the
House by Representative Yates,
Democrat, of Illinois, acting chair
man of the District Subcommittee
of the House Appropriations
Committee.
Quick Approval by Senate.
Two hours later last night Sen
ator Hill, Democrat, of Alabama,
won unanimous Senate approval
in less than three minutes.
Highlights of the bill as finally
passed by Congress include:
1. A grant of an additional
$286, 900 over the House figure for
operation of the public school sys-
tenn. School officials and the
Senate had contended an extra
100000 was needed, if 80 addi-
tional teachers for colored schools
were to be hired to reduce oyer
size classes.
2. Congress finally granted an
extra $500, 900 for the Metropoli-
tan Police Department, restoring
all but 100000 of a drastic cut
made by the House.
3. Restoration of 500, 900 Of the
$127, 900 originally cut from Fire
Department Funds by the House.
Virtually all of this extra money
was for within-grade legislated
promotions.
4. The House agreed with the
Senate for an increase Of $50, 900
for welfare agencies to meet in
creased costs for maintenance of
foster homes for child dependents
of the District. Originally the
Senate asked for an increase of
$55,000.
S. Because Of the dilapidated
condition of District welfare insti-
tutions, Congress granted an addi-
tional 100000 over the original
House figure for operating ex-
penses for protective institutions
and directed that they be made as
presentable as possible.
Extra Health Funds.
6. The final bill granted $685.
900 extra for the Health Depart
ment administration, including
$25,O00 for visiting nurses services
and raised the District payment
to private hospitals caring for in
digent city patients from $500, 900
to $676,875. This raised the hos
pital bed rate from SO to $40 a
day. The cost at Gallinger Mu-
nicipal Hospital is $17.50 a day.
7. The Senate won complete
agreement from the House on the
restoration of -$682.00 over the
original House figure for the Dis
trict Highway Department. This
would permit the city to push
ahead with work essential to COM
pletion of District connections
with the Neutrality-suspicious.
Parkway, including work on the
East Capitol Street Bridge and
vital approach roads.
8. Congress granted money Tor
next winters snow removal work
but it rejected all proposed Ian
guage that would have permitted
the District to ban use Of certain
highways during icy months by
motor vehicles not having chains
8. Congress gave the District a
problem as to how to carry on its
night schools and youth centers
with reduced funds.
10. For the Free Public Library
the final bill provides an outlay