Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-16
Lawmaker Hits
j. :. School Aid
In Arlington
Busbey Cites Rising
Expense Here and
In Other Sections

An upward trend in Federal
for school facilities in
Arlington may spark congress
Sional action to decrease such
OUTLAWS to war fnpacted" CEN
tiers in the Washington area and
elsewhere.
The Arlington situation was
cited in supplemental supply bill
testimony made public today by
the House Appropriations Com
mittee.
Office Of Education spokesman
estimated that, under the Fed
eral program of financing school
services in areas of heavy Gov
eminent defense projects. the
Arlington districts allotment for
the current fiscal year will slight
ly exceed the $685., 900 it got last
year. It received $307 900 during
the 1851 fiscal period.
This prompted Representative
Busbey. Republican of Illinois,
to ask at the closed session 10
days ago: why should the Fed
eral Government give any area
like that a dime"
Comparatively Small Sum.
B. Alden Lillywhite. Office Of
Education director of Federally
Affected Areas. explained that
much of the school population
growth of Arlington has resulted
from increased numbers of work.
ers in defense projects and agen-
cieS. He reported that Arlington
school enrolment increased from
5000 in 1880 to 10000 now.
Assume that Washington and
this entire area community is
going to continue to grow, even
when the police action in Korea
is over" Mr.. Busbey persisted.
Are we going to continue this
subsidy program just because
the Federal Government con-
tinues to grow in this area?"
WELL" Mr.. Lillywhite said.
"they are getting a very small
amount on a comparative basis"
II do not care if it is only q
dime" retorted Mr.. Busbey, who
was chairman of the subcommit.
tee examining an overall re.
quest for an additional $24
million for payments to school
districts during the fiscal year
ending June 30.
A Matter of Principle.
II am not interested Just in
amounts" he continued, II am
interested in principles and I
cannot agree with this principle.
We might as well be honest and
frank with you"
From the standpoint of the
law they are entitled to a GER
tain amount" Mr.. Lillywhite
noted. There are four or
five hundred children at Fort
Myer-"
I'VE have in the Congress-"
Mr.. Busbey broke in, IAN APP
preparations committee for the
very purpose of determining how
much Of amounts authorized to
be appropriated should actually
be appropriated. Just because
aOlaw authorizes a certain maxi
mum amount does not mean the
Congress has to appropriate that
amount"
The "impacted area" problem
has been of particular interest
in nearby Virginia and Mary
land. One type Of that kind Is
a district which is considered to
be unable to finance all school
services. mainly school building
construction, because of in
creased population resulting
from Federal defense project
developments.
Another type is a district where
normal local tax income for
school purposes has greatly fallen
off because the Federal Govern
ment has acquired substantial
land and property.
It is believed unlikely that the
new Congress will end such Fed
eral payments. Chairman Nc
Connell. Republican of Pennsyl-
vania, of the House Education
and Labor Committee. said sew
eral weeks ago that some Fed.
eral aid to war impacted" areas
was of vital Importance"
Arlington an Example.
Questions raised by Mr.. Busbey
and several others at the recent
House appropriations subcom-
mittee sessions indicated. how
ever, that Congress may look
closely into the general situation.
as we'll as specific districts. to
determine whether Federal pay
ments can be substantially re.
duced.
Il am just using Arlington al
an example because we all know
a little about the conditions in
this immediate area" Mr.. El1sbey
told the Office of Education re-
representatives.. What am try.
ing to find out is why a COM
like Arlington should be
receiving payments under this
act when we all know that their
taxable property values have
been increasing year after year.
With enormously increased tax
potential why can't they take
care of these expenses? I am
going to do everything possible
to cut out Federal subsidy, not
only in connection with this pro-
gram but every other program
where local facilities could do
the job"