Evening star., 1961-01-01

and its residents perhaps more
gress this session . record
$2e7.5 million spending pro-
gram for the fiscal year .begin-
ming next July /. Repeatedly.
the proposed revenue program
will include another attempt at
increasing the sales tax as well
as possible increases in the Gig
arctic tax and the wholesale
liquor levy and a doubling Of
the tax on wholesale beer per
barrel.
City officials are also expect
ed to request an increase in
the Federal payment from the
authorized $32 million to as
much as $38 million. Congress
appropriated $25 million at its
last session.
The year saw the city's lead.
ership change hands. A familiar
figure, David Karrick, died
shortly after he had resigned
as q Commissioner to become
an Ambassador. He was re-
placed by Republican Commis-
sioner Mark Sullivan, jr., whose
future in the job was placed in
question with the election Of Q
Democratic President.
Leaving the city for o new
post was Brig. Gen. Alvin c.
Yelling. Arriving was o new
Engineer Commissioner. Brig.
Gen. Frederick ]. Clarke.
McLaughlin's Plans
The President Of the Board
Of Commissioners. Robert e.
Mclaughlin, also q Republican,
announced he hoped to stay on
the job until June, when he can
receive retirement benefits.
Prominent among prospective
choices for the next Commits
sioner was Walter N. Tobriner,
president Of the District Board
c: Education.
Whatever the makeup Of the
Board Of Commissioners, the
city took firm stands in a vari-
ETY. Of fields.
A policy was adopted to per-
init birth control devices and
information to be given at Dis
trict health department ma.
ternal and child welfare clinics.
Reportedly, funds win be re-
quested in the coming budget.
An extensive program to
clean up the Potomac contin-
ued. aimed primarily. at elm
nation Of raw sewage from
the Districts all-purpose sew
ers, Which spill into the river
after heavy rains.
The Redevelopment Land
Agency Endorsed q final plan
to transform the waterfront
along the Washington Channel
into a marketing, cultural and
recreational area.
In the welfare field, city ON
cials began trying out Q phi
losophy justified by some five
years Of past study: That re-
habilitation must begin In
homes and neighborhoodS be-
fore the seeds Of crime are
planted. Financially pressed
mothers were invited to live to-
gether in q YWCA annex and
train together for various occu-
pations.
But there were still the prob
lens. -.
'e Crime Rate High
The city is still plagued by
. relatively high crime rate.
The police department, asking
for q force Of 5000 men, found
the Commissioners shelving the
request until lit vacancies can
be filled. Recruiting teams were
sent into depressed areas Of the
country.
In Congress, q compromise
over Juvenile Court organiza.
ton might have developed as
the year ended. Through 1860.
the Senate insisted two more
judges should be added to the
court to help with . heavy
backlog Of cases. But q House
District subcommittee stub
bornly refused to approve the
idea, recommending instead
the transfer Of court functions
to Municipal Court along with
the possible appointment Of an
additional Municipal Court
judge
School officials. meanwhile.
continued to press for the elu-
sive ratio Of one teacher to 80
pupils in elementary class
rooms. At the same time. they
began to experience the crush
of enrollments in junior high
buildings.
Highway construction CEN
tered In Southwest. A bridge
across the Washington channel
to link both Fourteenth street
bridges with Capitol Hill along
q Southwest freeway took
shape on the skyline.
The new Theodore Roosevelt
Bridge was started, along with
q second Fourteenth street
bridge and still another, the
Cabin John Bridge, built to link
Fairfax and Montgomery Coun-
ties across the upper reaches
of the Potomac. The Woodrow
Wilson Bridge. downstream be-
tween Alexandria and Prince
Georges County, neared COM
pletion.