Evening star., 1953-03-31
The $3,5-MiIIion Question

The Senate District COMMITTEES todaE "a
confronted with the perplexing $3.5-million
question Of what to do about proposed pay
raises for District policemen and fremen. Chair
man Case of the committee has flashed eau
ton signal in the path of the pay-increase bill
recently passed by the House. He is sympa-
thetic toward any legislation that will strength
en- the Police Department But he believes it to
be the duty Of Congress to consider carefully all
aspects OF such legislation including the effect
on the local budget. He Is right in holding that
we must do these things In some sound and
orderly way"
The House did not follow sound and
orderly procedure when 1t approved police
nremens pay bill different from one prepared
BY the District Commissioners. The House
measure did not even follow the recommends
ton Of Police Chief Murray The bill originally
requested by Chief Murray and indorsed by the
Commissioners called for 10 per cent raise
Tor all policemen except the chief and deputy
chief. Including flremen'S pay raises, 1t would
cost $2.2 million year. That bill is still under
study at the Budget Bureau. without waiting
Tor the bureaus action on this BILL the House.
under pressure from policemen's and fremen'S
organizations, adopted more liberal raise plan
entailng cost to the District Of $35 million
It Is easier to authorize ostensibly desirable
appropriations than it Is to find ways of raising
the money. Deputy Budget Of1cer Wilding told
Senate District subcommittee that on the basis
OF the 1854 spending program, the District faces
q shortage Of about $3.2 million. And retiring
Commissioner Donohue warns that, at the pres.
ent rate Of spending, Washington will be bank
rupt by 1855 unless Congress meets it's own
obligations to the city. Yet the tendency of
Congress in the past too often has been to
authorize
the Federal share of the cost of running
the city. Such a blind course inevitably
will, indeed, lead to bankruptcy-a matter that
Senator Johnston of South Carolina undoubt-
edly had in mind in introducing his bill yes
terday to increase the Federal payment to Is
per cent Of the citys costs.
Pay legislation should not be exempt from
the prudent rule Of weighing costs against pros-3
pective revenues. Raises and other BENEFITS
since 1946 have added more than $S5 mil
lion to the Districts annual budget total, now
In excess Of $3.50 million. The District payroll
today Of more than $40 million is double that
OF seven years ago.
Congress has right to be concerned over
the heavy turnover in police strength, resulting
from the lure Of more attractive employment
outside Of the department. In considering re-
mediak measures however, Congress should be
concerned also over the Districts increasingly
serious financial plight The Police Department
is one of many local municipal agencies devot-
ing great deal of its energies to serving the
Federal Government. Last year it assigned an
average Of II men every day to special details
related to other than regular local duties II
the Federal Government were to assume more
realistic share Of the cost Of municipal services,
the needs Of the police IRE and other depart
ments could be more readily met.