Evening star., 1953-06-26
Senators Hear
Taxpayers on
Budget Monday
Citizens Expected
To Air Views on
Controversial Items
By Don S. Worren

0y ION ,. WorIen
The Senate subcommittee in
charge of the 1854 District
budget will listen to citizens and
taxpayers on Monday. before
writing up it's version of the
city's record $3.50 million city
supply bill.
Advance indications are that a
long list of citizen spokesmen
will take the stand and present
arguments on numerous contro-
versial matters.
Action apparently will be
taken speedily thereafter. since
the new fiscal year begins
Wednesday. An emergency reso-
luton may have to be adopted
to enable the city to operate.
pending enactment of the de-
layed annual appropriation bill.
High-level conferences prob
ably will be held to settle one of
the outstanding controversies
how much should be spent for
District civil defense.
To Consult Peterson.
Senator Dirksen, Republican.
of Illinois, head of the funds
subcommittee, said he plans to
consult Federal Civil Defense
Administrator Val Peterson or
other Government officials.
Congress consistently has
slashed District civil defense
fund requests, while some other
big cities have provided much
larger amounts. This year the
District asked for an outlay of
$315,000, and the House chopped
it down to $23,339.
AS District officials yesterday
completed their justification of
budget requests, several new and
old issues were debated.
Shea Asks for Housing.
Welfare Director Gerard M.
Shea asked the Senate to restore
funds needed to build housing
for resident staff employees at
the new Children's Center being
developed at Laurel, Md. The
House diSallowed a request for
$470.000 for two dormitories. The
Commissioners are asking that
$235, 900 of this be put back.
This discussion brought out
that some city institutional
workers get housing at $25 or
less a month. Chairman Dirksen
said this appeared to be a "hid-
den subsidy" He suggested a
more direct approach-paying
the employees adequate salaries
and then charging them rents
comparable with commercial
rates.
He was told that comparable
rents near Laurel would be
around $50 a month, which most
Children's Center employees could
not afford.
IVN Item Brought Up.
Chairman Dirksen also brought
up the controversy over the ap-
plication of a Health Depart
ment item of $25, 900, earmarked
for the work of the Instructive
Visiting Nurses.
Budget officer Walter l..
Fowler interjected that there
should not have been any con-
troversy. He said Congress made
it clear this sum was for the
visiting nurses.
Health Officer Daniel L. Seek
niger. on the stand at the time.
said his department had worked
in harmony with the visiting
nurses but that it had become
necessary to take time to avoid
Implications of work.
This colloquy was wound up
after Mr.. Dirksen suggested DR..
Seckinger had been "a little
derelict" in not being able to
show the cost of his departments
nursing service. compared with
the $2.25 a day paid per case
for the visiting nurses service.
Bridge Issue Raised.
The subcommittee also devel-
oped basic testimony on the pro-
poSal to build new Potomac
River bridge crossing an edge
of the Theodore Roosevelt Me-
mortal Island.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss,
Engineer Commissioner, said
Corporation Counsel Vernon E.
West had been asked for an
opinion as to whether it would
be illegal for the proposed high
level E street bridge to rest a
pier or two on Roosevelt Island.
He indicated the location could
be shifted downstream a bit.
Mr.. West ruled the bridge could
not cross the island.
Chairman Dirksen voiced
quick approval of plans for i'm
proved lighting along Massachu-
setts avenue, between Ward
Circle and Rock Creek Bridge.
The section has become a speed
way. he said, and suggested that
motorcycle police be assigned to
the area to check speederS.
Welfare. officials warned that
unless the Senate restores a
House. cut in the budget for the
Home for the Aged and Inf1rm
it will not be able to open it's
new infirmary when it is COM
pleted at the end of this year.