Evening Star Newspaper, July 17, 1921, Page 1

WEATHER. Iair today and probably tomorrow; Warmer (OmMOrrow. Temperature for twenty-two hours Member of the Associated Press The Assoclated Press is exclusively entitied te the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not ntherwire credited u this paper and also the local news published aersin, ‘ ended at 10 p.m. last ni 83: lowest, 68. Full repert on page " ght: Highe: No. ~ 851—No. LEAGUE T0 TAKE UP EXHAUSTIVE: PROBE INTO DISARMAMENT Will Proceed Prudently Be- cause Russia and Germany Are Not Members. 28,203. PROPOSAL OF U.S. PRAISED AS A ROUTE TO SOLUTION | H. A. L. Fisher Says Any Agree- ment Here Would Conform With Leacue Covenant. By the Associated Press. PARIS. July 16—The league of nations is going ahead with its work in connectipn with disarmament on the theory that It will in nowise in- terfere with the proposed conference on limitation of armaments in Wash- ington and that it may develop In- formation which would be of use to such a conference. That was the decision unnounced at the opening session today of the temporary mixed commission for the reduction of armaments. appointed by the league. which was presided over by Rene Viviani of France, chairman of the commission. M. Viviani, H. A. L Fisher. the British representative: Senator Carlo Schanzer of Italy and the delegates of the leading nations represented on the commission were agreed on this and also were in accord In praise of President Harding's initiative in pro- posing a conference on armaments. They declared the league could not but welcome joyfully all deliberations havigg in view a Solution of the delicate and cogiplex general ques- tion which the'league was studying abjectively. ‘Will Proaceed Prudentiy. Brief exchanges of views this morn- ing showed the delegates were im- pressed with the necessity of pro- ceeding prudently with the question of easy stages. since it is impossible not to take into account the special situation of certain countrics and the absence of Russia and Germany | from'the league. The commission will first make a general survey of the Entered as second-class matter post_officc Washington, D. C. Qualified Japarese Reply Creates Bad London Impression By Cable le i | to The Star orld. Copyriz! July 26~=While Presldent Harding’s invitation to 1 Pacifie conference, has creatcd a bad qualified reply to tmpression here. Hur attitude 1s interpreted ax meaniog that he clatms to have a special standing in (he Pacltic that en- ables her fo met Mmits to the power of n conference to deal with the Pacific problem as o ‘whole. The British emplre, Wwhose | | Pacific ama far enxtern - iu- terests are vaster than Japan's, nccepted President Hardluz's invitation without any reseryva- tlon, and It waw expected her ally would have followed suit. One cffect of Japan's cetion is that Canada's objections to the rezewnl of the Angio-Japanese agrecment xecms to N ¢ been Justl . even In quarters where not hitherto fally under- 10,000,000 STARVING IN RUSSIAN FAVINE | y i { Appeal | Reported Made Through | Senator France There. By the Associated Pres: | RIGA, Letvia, July 16.—~The Isves- {tia of Moscow says that an official ap. | peal to all citizens of Russia to aid in alleviating the suffering caused by famine signed by all the members of the government, places the number of starving at not less than 10,000,000 in Astrakhan, Tsaritsyn, Saratov, Samara, Simbrisk, Ufa and Viatka |sovernments and along the Volga, in the Tartar Republic and the Chuvash territory. ‘These, the appeal says, cannot ex!st until the next harvest without gid. The famine is charac- |terized as a national calamity. According to an _American - relief expert in Riga. the cost of completely irelieving thismumber from outside of situation as set forth by datz gath- |Russta would exceed 340,000,000 ered by the lemgugis.consultativeqmonthly. 2 military and naval ‘commission and| Chitcherin, the Ruilah soviet for- appoint subcommiftees to take up #pecial branches of ¥he subject. .~ The tendency in’ Freach cirejfs-to consider the league’s djssFmament commission useless, in. view of the proposed Washington €onference, was depreciated by the argument that the éommission’s work In no way prejudices what any other deliberative body may do, and the suggestion was made that M. Viviani's work on the com- misston would make him a likely rep- res~ntative of France in Washington in case Premier Briand should be un- able to go. Praises Presiden: 's Initiative. .M. Viviani, 1a his address opening the sessions, after reviewing the hi: tory of the creation of the commis- sion. said: = sign minister denien that a’difect ap- peal has been made for American aid to alleviate the widespread famine. Reports appearing in Baltic states newspapers were that an appeal had been mado through Senator Joseph I. France of Maryland, who now is in Russia. Ne Direct Appeal to L. M. Chitcherin’s message read: “We have not appealed to America, except through the widespread radio appeals of Maxim Gorky apd the Most Rev. Dr. Tikhon, patriarch of all Russia. We have no connection with the American government and, there- fore, have no intention to appeal to the Americans for help, having in mind that we cannot ask for Amer- jcan relief representatives when we “After indicating my conception of [have no existing relations.’ hew we should fulfill our mission I feel no hesitation in commenting of the great and noble initiative taken by President Harding a few days ago. We have not been surprised that the head of the great American nation, #0 powerful and so generous, and which has so often discussed the question of disarmament. should have saken the l2ad in assembling the vari- out governments for the purpgse of reaching agreements. We should be the first to congratulate such action and we are happy to greet this step. We are glad to be associated in it, certain that the work we are going to prepare cannot but be taken into conslderation by the governments when we ourselves shall be gathered next September, having before us some solutions of the problems. I do not say they will be definite, but they will be precise. “I may add that the question ofdis- armament is so difficult, comptex and delicate that those who' discuss it must meet with preconceived notions, ignorance and prejudices, and must overcome tradftions and economic diffic@ities. There cannot be too many of us who wish to concern ourselves with this problem, to appeal to pub- lic opinion and to prepare the world for this question, that should be solved and definitely solved. ‘Would Conform to League. “Such Is the spirit in which we must work, for truly it would not have been worth while to have suffered the attrocious war if we could not draw fruitful lessons from the sacri- fices of our sons.” Mr. Fisher, in an address approv- ing M. Viviani's statement said: “If the Washington conference should, as must be hoped, reach an' sgreement, that agreement certainly | would be in conformity with article twenty-one of the covenant of the league. This commission also should express great satisfaction with the action taken by President Harding, which, far from being in opposition | to the general idea of the league, s, on the contrary, in full conformity with its spirit.” He suggested that naval disarma- ment might be considered separately from reduction of the land forces. He sald he felt “the commission willing- 1y welcomed the hope expressed ap) ‘Washington that a solution of the naval disarmament problem might be reached. “As to land disarmament.”, Mi —_—_ e T (Continued on Page 11, Columa 1.)_ n|leged appeal The newspaper reports of the al- to America said the United States had replied it could only consider giving help if a consu- tutional government should be estab- lished .in Russia, and the reports men- tioned Nikolai- Lenin, the soviet premier, as favoring this. “No ‘one has proposed the forming of a constitutional government in Russia on the principle of a con- stituent assembly,” M. Clitcherin as- serts in his message. “This also is a ridiculous rumo 13,500 CHOLERA CASES. More Than 11,000 Reported During Jane Alone. By~ Cable ‘to The Star 3 News. Copyrig) RIGA, Letvia, July 16.—From In- formation just given out by the com- missar of public health it appears that there were 13,500 cases of cholera in Russia from January 1 to July 6 this year and more than 11,000 in June alone. The greatest number of cases were in the districts of Astrakhan, Saratov and Samara. There have been 156 cases in Moscow and five in Petrograd. It is difficult to fight.the epldemic on account of the lack of medicine. “Conditions are gertical. The proportions of have become clear in- the last few days and the soviet newspapers are devoting _ article after article to CHOLERA SPREADS, for American Aid| d_ Chicago Daily’ 1021 the disaster | he Sundiy Star WASHINGTON, D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 17, 192L 12,000,000 ASKED IN'SCHOOL BUDGET :Schedule to Be Given Com- | missioners Tomorrow With | $2,500,000 Building Plan. TECH AND BUSINESS WIN FIGHT FOR MORE SPACE Requests for New Homes Admitted. Additions to Armstrong and ‘Western Included. The public school budget for the nest fiscal 3. carrying a $2,500,000 | building program designed to relieve j congested conditions in the high schoo's, and a substantial increase in pay for teachers and clerks in the school system, will be submitted to the Commissioners tomorrow by school authorities. The estimates in the budget, it is understood, total approximately $12,000,000, about $2,- 000,000 more than last zea\;‘u. Fihishing touches were put on the budget last night by Supt. Balloy and other officials. The superin® tendent. after the budget is pre- sented to the District heads tomor- row. will leave for his camp in Maine on an indefinite vacation. * FORCOVING YEAR E THE E A brpiaeT EST CHRONIC PESSIMIST. AMERICA PAYS DEBT The building program. it was learned. will provide for the needed addition to Western High School be- sides an athletic field for the institu- tlon; an addition to Armstrong Man- ual Training School, and sites for the Pproposed new Tech and Business high schools. It also will carry an appro- priation of $900,000 to complete the work on the new Eastern High School, now under construction. Vietory for Alumni. Inserting of the provisions in the budget for the sites for the new build- ings to Tech and Business high | schools, scores a victory for the alumni associations of these institu- tions, which have waged a long and| concerted campaign for larger quar- ters for their respective schools, both of which are seriously congested. School authorities, 1t is said, have not uitimately agreed on the location of the sites for the new structures. How- ever, it is believed that the Patterson tract on Florida avenue northgpat near Kendall Green will be the oné selected for Business, while a site for Tech: probably will be chosen in Bloomingdale or Petworth. The size of the additions to Western and Armstrong, requested in the bud- get, was not disclosed. It was pointed out that they will be large enough to provide adequate accommodations for the present student bodies. Most Serfous Armstrong is the most seriousty congested of the senior Institutions, and school authorities are doubly anxious that the needs of this school be met. The school was erected in 1902 to accommodate 300 students. The eurollment.at the close of school last month was about 650, five porta- bles being used to accommodate the excess students. The registration at the beginning of the new term in September is expected to reach 700, | and another portable will be pressed into use. Authorities of Western and civic or- ganizations in Georgetown have been engaged in a campaign for over a year in the interest of an addition to this school and an athletic field. The ddition is badly needed, the school being so crowded last year that a two-shift system was put into opera- tion to provide accommodations for the overflow. Increase for Teachers. The rate of increase for the teachers and clerks was not revealed. It s un- derstood that the salary schedule in the budget provides a minimum basic pay of $1,500 for the teachers in the graded schools with a longevity in- crease annually for a number of years. The minimum basic pay for graded teachers is now $1,200, plus the fed- eral war-time bonus of $240. The pay of the high school teachers also is raised proportionately, it is said. The minimum pay of the high school teacher now is $1.680. A number of desirable needs of the | school system, 1t was indicated, have been left out of the budget, due. to} the fact that school authorities deem it advisable not to stagger Congress with an unusually’ large “budget. Among them is.the st&dium for Dun- | bar High School, it was said. , Although_the budget is larger than | (Continued on Page 7, Column 2.) TO USHER IN BERLIN, July 16.—The bolshe- vik government is now hoplng, for 2 new world war to help in stag- ing ‘the long-predicted world revolution. As an initial step toward the new world conflict the soviet officials are banking on a war between the United States and Japan. . According to.the Mos- cow Izvestia, officlal organ of the red government, the success of the plans for @ world revolution are now closely bound up with an Amerrican-Japanese conflict, which the newspaper regards as inevita- ble. It eays: ~ “While .s8salling this new war and _ protesting against it, the préletariat will utilize it for pur- poses of its own rndpluon. REDS HOPE FOR U. S.-JAPAN WAR (Continued on Page 2, Cowumn 6.) ! WORLD REVOLT | and -we hope it will do this better than it did in the recent war. In the long run ‘this coming war, which is being coolly prepared by the imperialists of both countries,e will redound to the benefit of in- ternational socialism. ““If the recent war undermined the foundations of world imperial- ism and dealt it a severe blow, the coming war between Americg and Japan will definitely hurry it ° toward its grave.” ° \- According to Izvestia, the war between Japan and the United States will draw in Great Britain and possibly other countries. Then, the newspaper Jsays, the time will be ripe for a revolution- ary world conflagration, WHILE BRITISH OWE U. S. Gives England $32,- 688,352 for War Trans- portation Services. LAT';ER’S DEBT BILLIONS PR o Mr. Daugherty Rules This Country Cannot Withhold Payment Under Old Act. Despite Great Buitain's debt -af $4,500,000,000 to this country, pay- ment of $32,688,352 has been made by the American government to the British ministry of shipping in set- tlement of a claim against the War Department, Treasury officials sald yesterday. The payment was made, officials added. pursuant to an opin- fon by Attorney General Daugherty. The British claim was for trans- portation services arising out of the war with Germany and the payment. it was explained, constitutes a finat scttlement between the War Depart- ment and the British ministry of shipping of all claims of either party against the other for transportation services. Mr. Daugherty's Opinion. Secretary Mellon asked Mr. Daugh- erty for a ruling as to whether the act of March 3, 1875, which requires the Secretary to withhold payment of any judgment against the United States where the claimant is indebt- ed to this country in any manner, applied to such a claim. Mr. Daugherty held the act did not apply. as it was not the practice .of sovereign nations to prosecute their claims against one another in the courts and obtain judgment. but ad- Just such matters through diplomatic channels. “If it should be construed to apply to a case such as is now presented.” the Attorney General sald, “ther whenever a claim is allowed by the United States in favor of a foreign nation it will be the duty of the Szc- retary of the Treasury in, making payment to withhold the amount of any claim which the United States may have agailst such nation. As is well ‘&nown, this governmeni exer- cises a broad discretion in determin- ing what claims it wil pres:t against other nations, and the opara- tions of the statute in such matters would seriously interfere with the government in the conduct of its for- eign relations.” i The British transportation claim, it was explained, was for what was ve- garded during the war as curront expenees: Among the allles, it .was said, there was a general under- standing that all current experses would be paid one another withuut awaiting the settlement of interna- tional debts. In conclusion with the claim = Mr. Mellon also inquired whether $12.- 275,711 should be withheld, pending adjustment of a claim of the Ship- ping Board ‘against the ininistry of shipping for- shipments ofs vil. The Attorney_General suggested that such a step might be suggested to Great Britain through the usual idiplomatic channels, but the Treasury decidsd, officials said, that the amopnt of the Shipping Board's bill was yet in be adjusted finally, and that the Brit- I jsh transportation claim, - therefore, should be paid in full. —_— WOMAN KILLED BY BOLT. Lightning .Strikes by “Way of Chimney in Spotsylvania. Special Dispatch to The Star. ¢ FREDERICKSBURG, Va., July 16. ~—Mrs. W. F. Hedges, thirty-six years old, was killed by lightening at her home in' Spotsylvania last night. Thd bolt came down the chimney and knocked her through -the door and down tne steps into the yard. Her husband and six young daughters come." | senators’ ouTBURSTS | ON BONUS EXPUNGED BY OWN CENSORSHIP A blue-penciled Congressional Record appeared yesterday, with its account of the personal clash Friddy in the Scnate over recom- mital of the soldiers’ bonus bill heavily censored. Comparative peace and calm, in the Record as well as the Capitol atmosphere, succecded the storm which then raged within and without the chamber. Expunged from official history were most of the tempestuous exchanges between Senators Me- Cumber, republican, North Dakota, and Reed, democrat, Missouri. The Rocord was silent on Mr. McCum- ber's invitation to settle differ- ences “outside” Also lost to history were Scnator Reed's re- marks_about “blackguards” it belng undcrstood that the stenog- rapher's ringside report had been blue penciled by the principals themselves in the Interest of Sonate decorum. LEVIATHAN'S FATE SOON T0 BE KNOWN, Ship Board to Sell, Salvage or Recondition Giant Liner and Save $45,000 Month. By the Asociated Precs. NEW YORK. July 16.—The giant liner Leviathan, which has been idie at her pier in Hoboken for two years, costing the taxpayers $45,000 a month for upkeep, will be ordered (o recon- ditioned, salvaged or sold within the next month. This was announced to- day by Chairman Lasker of the Ship-: ping Board after he had spent several hours inspecting the former German liner Vaterland, which was seized dur- ing the war and converted into an American troopship. If it is decided to refit the' 54,000-; ton steamer and put her on the seas again as a first-class passenger liner, the cost probably would be $12.000,000, experts told Mr. Lasker. She would be converted into an oil burmer and made ready for service by February, 1923. The cost of building and refit- ting a ship of the same size today would be in the neighborhood of $30.- 000,000, it was estimated. Steamer In Good Co: ition. Mr. Lasker. who was accompanied on his trip of inspection by a number of Shipping Board and steamship ofi- clals, said the steamer was in good condition and moored in deep water. The machinery was In perfect order and if necessary, she could put to sea in twenty-four hours. Mr. Lasker said the expense of more than a half million dollars a year for a _crew of 100 and upkéep was neces- sary to keep the liner in good condi- tion. It ‘costs $100,000 annually for fifty-seven fire guards to patrol the ship,_every hour of the day and night. Sixty draughtsmen are employed mak- ing plans for refitting In order that time may be saved if it is decided to recondition the steamer. ‘P. A. S. Franklin, president of ‘the International Merchant Marine, who was a member of the inspecting party, said his corporation had an agreement with the Shipping Board to operate the Leviathan for five years, if the government decided upon recondi- tioning her. Wiil Fly U. S. Flag. Asked if -this meant that the steamer would fly the British flag, Mr. Franklin said: “It most emphatically does not. It means she will be under the American flag and the nucleus of a fast American mall service.” Mr. Lasker, when asked if the Ship- ping Board had a complete title to the vessel, said: “While we have not yet settled: with Germany for her, I believe that is & matter easily over- OZENPLANS LIVEN CAR FARE HEARINGS Sessions End and Decision Is Not Expected Much Before August 1. |CITIZENS OFFER VIEWS Utilities Commission Faces Puzzle of Giving Both Companies Fair Profit With Equal Rate. The Public Utilities Commission probably will not be able to render a decision on street car rates much be- fore”. August 1, judging from the volume of work facing the city heads durigs the next ten days. Hearings on the street car situation were brought to a close yesterday afterncon, when a score of citizens | representing rious organizations {12iQ their views before the commis- sion. ! Neither the Washington Railway and Electric Company nor the Capital Traction Company made any closing appeal to the commission. Both com- panies rested the case on the evidence they had submitted. A dozen difterent solutions to the street car problem were suggested, however, by the individuals and rep- Bk jresentatives of organizations who ! apoke. Problem Is Difficult. The problem before the commission {is admittedly one of the most difficult lany public utilities commission has |faced. The evidence showed that during the twelve months ended May 31 the Washington Railway and Elec- tric Company earned only 553 per cent on its valuation, which is Itss jthan the 6 per cent return regarded as rcasonable by the commission. On the other hand, the testimony {disclosed that the Capital Traction Company, for the twelve months end- €d April 30 earned a return of 10.69 per cent on its valuacion, which is more than the amount regarded as | reasonable. ! The puzzle for the commission to i solve is how to give the Washington Railway and Electric a rate that will yield it 6 per cent si s valuation and at the same time bring the Cap- ital Traction fare down to a rate that will give that road a fair return. Urges Zome System. The W. R. and E. contends that a zone system would solve ‘the prob- lem. Commissioner Oyster believes the | fairest solution is to reduce the car jfare to 7 cents or possibly four tokens for 26 cents and make up the loss which this would entail to the W. R. and E. by restoring the 10-cent rate for electricity. In his closing argument for the Federation of /Citizens' Associations, William McK. Clayton told the com- mission it cannot avold reducing the fare op the lines of the Capital Trac- tion Company to four tokens for 25 “(Continued on Page 2, Column Z.) PRINCE OF WALES, i | dispatches All rights of publieation of special herein are also reserved. FIVE CENTS. Thief Makes Easy Haul [ From Policewomen As Eyes Are Full of Hair Misx Adelaide Makens and Miss Dorothy James, policewomen of the women's bureau, metropoli- tan police department, were on the rear porch of their home, at 1905 Z1st street, yesterday wft- ernoon engaged in the woman- 1y art of shampooing thelr hair. A sneak thief entered the front door of their apartment, walked into the rooms and began rum- maging the bureau drawers. An occupant of another apart- ment, Mrs. Mary DuMez, saw the thiet emerge from the apart- ment and asked him t he was doing there. He xaid he was hunting for the janitor, and left immediately for parts unkanwn. He took with him a ring valued at $75, the property of Mins James, and $2 belonging to Miss Makens. ASKS T0 CONTINUE ELECTRICITY RATE P. E. P. Co. Files Petition for 8 1-2-Cent Rate, Though 10-Cent Rate Still Exists. OYSTER PLAN TO COME UP Higher Kilowatt Cost and Lower Carfare to Be Discussed at Hearing. Continuation of the present rate of 81 cents per kilowatt hour for elec- tricity after September 1 is asked by the Potomac Electric Power Company in a petition filed with the Public| Ttilities Commission yesterday after- noon. The commission had previously an- nounced that it would hold a public hearing on electric light rates in the boardroom of the District building at 10:30 o'clock tomorrow morning. Commissioner Oyster’s plan to solve the street railway situation by restor- ing the electric light rate to 10 cents per kilowatt hour and reducing the street car fare to 7 cents, or possibly lower, probably will be the outstand- ing feature of the electric light hear- ing tomorrow. The users of current have never stopped paying 10 cents per killowatt hour, but the company is required to set aside 1% cents pending settle- ment of its valuation by the courts. The only effect of carrying out the Oyster plan would be to allow the company to keep the full 10 cents the public now pays and at the same time reduce the carfare. Ham Approves Oyster Plan. Although the power company does not ask in fts petition for the Oyster plan, President Ham has made it known that he regards it as a feasible solution to the street railway prob- lem and probably will so testify if the opportunity presents itself tomorrow. In the petition for continuation of existing electric rates, the power com- pany states that operating conditions have not materially changed. With the exception of unskilled la- bor, other wages remain unchanged, and the company states that it does not anticipate an early reduction in the pay schedule. “While there has been some change in prices of materiais in the case of a few . commodities. such reductions have not been sufficient in amount or extent to reduce materially operating expenses,” the petition states. Small Saving in Coal. “Although the petitioner has been able to effect a small saving in the item of coal in the present contract price for delivery at the Benning plant, as com- pared with the average price of the pre- ceding year, the total reduction in oper- ating costs therefrom amounts only to approximately $38,000, or a reduction in the cost of production of one-fortieth of 1 per cent per killowatt hour gener- ated.” The company presented a financial statement showing that for the year ended May 31, 1921, it earned 7.54 per cent on the fair value of its property. ‘The company emphasizes the necessity for continuing also the present whole- sale rate at which current is sold to large business and industrial establishments under schedule E. In conclusion, the company expresses the belief that with the exception of street and park lighting, all other classes of users bear their proper proportion of the item of coal and other operating costs. The present schedule of rates, the company contends, is fair and reason- able. BORED BY DUTIES, | ABSOLUTELY FORCED TO TAKE REST Special Dispatch to The Star and New York World. - Copyright, 192 - LONDON, July 16.—Lord Derby's demand that the Prince of Wales be given a holiday, even can- celing his projected winter tour in Indla, is said to be the common- est humanity. Why he has not broken dowp beforo this by his ceaseless réund of exacting and bpring public duties is declared marvelous. His_ only relaxation during ths summer has been occasionsl polo, vigorous walking _exercise und early morning or late afternoon tennis at the Queens Club. All the rest of his waking hours have been devoted to public ceremonial 'bt involving long railroad jour- neys, exhausting experiences among dense crowds of admirers, opening charity enterprises and generally displaying genialty and gcod humor under conditions cal- culated to try the patiensd of a saint. The boredom of the work, more than its actual physical strain, must be what tells, and it is not surprising that his last festal trip through Lancashire has left him 80 that the rest is absolutely es- ser.tial. Of late he has look:d tired cut, he has lost color and his un- {alling smile has become 1rtificial. He is a distinct asset to royait this country, and he, it is suid, should be given every chance of developing. i FCONOMY ORDERED BY DISTRICT HEADS AS NEW ERA OPENS Highest Efficiency Demanded as Basis for Business Administration. COMMISSIONERS CONFER WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS Deficiencies to Be Pruned and Requisitions Watched, According to Announced Policy. A new era of efliciency anc omy in the running of the District Bovernment was ushered in yeste day when the Commissioners called before them all heads of depart- ments for a “plain talk” on munici- pal affairs. Three subjects were discusseq the Commissioners: Ly First, the ques- tion of deficiencies in appropriations; second, the possibility of effecting £avinge in the appropriations for the fiscal vear just beginning, and, third, the survey of the trict building now being made by the United States bureau of efficiency. Speaking of deficiencies, Commis- sioner Rudolph served notice on the department heads that if an avoida- ble deficiency occurs in the appro- priation of any department it ,will be regarded as a serious reflection upon the administrative ability the head of that department. Unavoldable Deficiencies. *The Commissioners realized,” Mr. Rudolph, “that there are cer deficiencies which cannot be avoidpd, those which may be termed legally Justifiable deficiencies ,and which the Commissioners and heads of depart- ments are powerless to control. And it is but reasonable to believe that deficiencies of this nature will prob- ably continue to occur' from year to year. “But for the artificial or preventable deficiency there can be no excuse, and the Commissioners avail themselves of this opportunity to say that a de- ficiency of this kind will not be toler- ated in any District appropriation. To say the least, when a head of de- partment permits an avoidable de- ficiency to occu# in an appropriasion for his service, it very seriously re- flects on his administrative capacity and efficiency.” Department Heads Warned. The Commissioner warned the de- partment chiefs to see to it that econ- omy is brought about by not employ -~ ing persons whose services are not absolutely required, and by not pur- chasing unnecessary supplies. On the second subject, that of saving on appropriations already madec, Commissioner Rudolph said the Com- missioners intend to join in and sup- port the movement now under way in the federal government to economize in every way possible. Commissioner Rudolph revealed the fact that several days ago the budget officer for the District government called upon all department heads for information as to how much of their current appropriations could be saved and allowed to revert to the Treas- ury. His report shows that out of total aeppropriations Pf $18,546,063 for the ensuing fiscal year, only $104,483.32 is said to be not necessary, and may re- vert to the Treasury. Of that amount $60,000 was reported by Maj. Brown under certain appropriations for school buildings. The Commissioners have not had time to study carefully the reports of the heads of depart- ments, and, therefore. are not gre- pared to say that $104,000 is all that can be saved in the District service this year. Will Watch Requisitions. Commissioner Rudolph made a spe- cial appeal to Auditor Donovan and to the purchasing officer to scrutinize every requisition with the greatest care and to refuse to pass any requi- sition for whatever purpose that may appear to be non-essential, or ex- cessive in amount. In such instances, however, the department head turned down shall have the right to submit the matter to the Commissioners for review. Commissioner Rudolph directed all department heads to co-operate to the fullest extent with the experts of the bureau of efficiency who are about to begin a survey of the District gov- ernment. The first aim of the survey will be to establish grades of positions, ap- praise the value of each job in terms of salary and allocate each position to the several grades decided upon. Mr. Rudolph said the Commissioners also have asked the bureau of efli- clency to include in its report any rec- ommendations which they believe would improve the public service of the District government. The bureau of efficiency also will report to the Commissioners what of- fices have too many employes and what offices should have more help. If such a situation is found to exist the Commissioners will consider the transter of employes where they are most needed. Business Administration. In closing his remarks Mr. Rudolph sald: I desire to say that the board of Commissioners intends to give the people of the District of Columbia as good a business administration of the municipal government as lies in their power to do. To accomplish this we must have the utmost efficiency on the (Continued on Page 2, Columa 4.) ,i