Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1928, Page 18

PROGRESS MARKS HISTORY OF DISTRICT Streets, Lighting System, Public Schools and Projected Improvements Add Materially to HE year 1928 will be chronicled | in the history of the District government as one of continued progress. Crowded into this brief span of 12 months were numerous public improvements, which, considered separately, would have no gpecial significance, perhaps, but, taken eollectively, have meant much to the levelopment of the city. The condition of the street and highway surfaces was materially im- proved; the street lighting system made unprecedented strides toward modern- jzation, and long needed additions ‘were made to both the sewer and water And neglected as it was by | Ini financial assistance, the pub- o school system has much to rejoice over. The opening of new school buildings alone contributed much to the relief of the congestion that has| dogged the school system ever since | the World War. Aside from the public improvements, however, the year was one devoted Jargely to the preparation of plans for developments that are to come. The completion of the bill to author- e the establishment of a municipal €enter in the triangular area north & Pennsvlvania avenue between Third and Sixth streets was one of the note- worthy projects of the year. Another was the final solution of the refuse @isposal problem which contemplates the erection of two modern non-odor- ous high-pressure incinerators on the Potomac waterfront to burn the in- flammable materials. The residue from these plants will be carried to a dump hear Blue Plains, D. C. One Disturbing Event * The year, in so far as administrative officials of the District are concerned, was devoid of sensations of the charac- ter that marked several of the preced- ing years. To them there was only one distressing and disturbing event— the criticism of the Police Department fcr the conduct of some of its mem- bers, and the department’s failure to take satisfactory progress in its cam- aign to rid Washington of its gam- ling houses. The close of the year, however, found considerable improve- ment in these conditions. ‘The re- organization of the police trial board in the Summer and the tightening of discipline increased the effectiveness #nd efficiency as well as the morale in police ranks, while the department’s Tecent attack on gambling houses has driven these places to “cover,” tem- porarily, at least. Although the Gibson subcommittee of the House undertook, soon after the convening of Congress, an investiga- fon of the Police Department’s activi- ties in the enforcement of the prohibi- fion law, theé Commissioners appear to be satisfied that determined steps were taken during the year to drive out of ‘Washington the bootleggers as well as the gamblers. In their last annual feport, the Commissioners commented especially on the enforcement of liquor laws in the District, saying: « “It is most gratifying to the Com- missioners to note that the police de- partment has in no measure relaxed in GOVERNMENT Development. its efforts to bring about the fullest possible measure of enforcement of the various liquor laws.” In traffic control and regulation, the extension of the automatic system of signals was a major event. During the year 820 new signals were purchased | and nearly all of them have been in- stalled and are in operation, with the exception of the networks in the down- town congested zone. These lights are being rapidly installed. Those on Thir- teenth street between E street and Massachusetts avenue, the first in the downtown area, were lighted wi‘h the Christmas trees on Christmas morn- g. For District officials concerned with the housing of the municipal agencies forced out of the Pennsylvania avenue- Mall Triangle by the Federal Govern- ment’s gigantic building program, 1928 was a somewhat hectic year. Twice they were forced to look for new homes for the House of Detention and the children's receiving home of the Board of Public Welfare, and the year closed with a new search for a building for the House of Detention. ‘The building originally selected for the children’s receiving home at Sixth street and Massachusetts avenue north- east was given up when residents in the neighborhood instituted legal action to prevent the District from occupying it, ‘and after considerable search, an apartment house on Potomac avenue southeast was found for this institution. Similar action by residents in Southwest Washington against the location of the House of Detention in that section also has forced the officials to look for an- other home for that institution. The contention of the Southwest citizens that the Commissioners had violated the zoning regulations in establishing an institution in a residential area without the necessary property consents was the point on which the residents successfully conducted their campaign. Municipal Staff Changes Made, ‘There was considerable criticism dur- ing the year of the cutting of newly surfaced streets for utility conduits and other purposes, and as a result definite action was taken to co-ordinate activi- ties affecting the streets. Supervision of such work will be placed in a central czfixmmee of District government offi- clals. Outstanding among the changes in the personnel of the administrative staff of the municipal government was the selection of Maj. Donald A. Davison as successor to Maj. Willlam E. R. Covell as Assistant Engineer Commis- sioner. Maj. Covell left in Midsummer for a new detail at the gepera] staff and command school at Fort Leaven- worth Kansas, and about a month later Maj. Davison came to Washington to take over his duties. Another important change was in the legal organization of the District, the corporation counsel’s office. It marked the loss of Robert L. Williams, sistant Engineer Commissioner. tion counsel. ‘Watson, fire chief. Trade. assistant corporation counsel, who for 16 years had served the municipal gov- ernment in a legal capacity. He re- signed in June to join the legal staff of the Internal Revenue Bureau. D. C. VOTE MOVE GAINS URING the year 1928 the move- ment for national represent: tion for the District of Colum- bia made greater strides than . in any similar period in the past, especially in the scope of the movement and the interest which it has aroused not only in Washington itself, but throughout the Nation. ‘While the proposal, embodied in iden- tic resolutions for an amendment to the Constitution, rests quiescent for the present in the House and Senate judi- ciary committees, it is believed that a majority of the members of the House of the resolution, and the hearing, cov- ering 233 closely printed pages, has been published by the Government Printing Office and given wide national circulation under the auspices of the Citizens’ Joint Committee and other groups that are aiding in the movement. ial appeals to Congress in be- of the voteless people of the Na- tion's Capital have been made during the year by prominent persons in public addresses, radio talks, articles in the press and in the talking movies. The cheering news came from the executive committee of the National committee are favorable to it and it is hoped that favorable committee action upon it will be taken this Winter. - Meantime popular sentiment here and nethe States and congressional opinion 'm to give increasing attention to a project which seeks to make American titizens of the votless residents of the Capital City of the Nation. Denied to District. - Striking evidence of this was fur- nished on election day, November 6, 1928. While men and women of all the States were casting their ballots for | President, Vice President, Senators and embers of the House, neither they nor the people of Washington were allowed to forget that this right of all other Americans is denied to the citizens of | the District. While airplanes “bombarded” the ity with legend-bearing balloons, em- phasizing Washington's “Day of Hu- miliation,” there were other spectacular demonstrations. A street procession, a decorated float bearing the inscription, #500,000 Americans Voteless Today”; radio talks, movietones, news reels and Jocked ballot boxes, properly inscribed, were included in the demonstration. The locked ballot boxes were placed at several prominent points in the city by members of the Voteless League of Women Voters of the District of Co- bia, which is affiliated with the Na- ional League of Women Voters. Each box bore a large sign marked “Closed.” Many citizens wore mourning bands on their hats, while some private dwell- ings and business houses were draped in black in token of the “day of hu- miliation.” ‘The joint resolution to give the. peo- ple of Washington the right to vote for President and Vice President and representation in the House and Senate was introduced early last session by Representative Dyer of Missourl, mem- ber of the judiciary committee, and by Senator Jones of Washington. On a former occasion the Scnate District committee gave its formal approval to the resolution. Hearings On Bill. Hearings were keld on the resolution before the House judiclary committee in 1928 and it received the support of & larger number of organizations and prominent individuals than ever before. In the vanguard, sponsoring the move- ment, was and is the Joint Committee on National Representation, headed by Theodore W. Noyes, and made up of representative men and women from the various citizens’ and trade organi- zations of the city. A strong petition, signed by resi- @ents of the district, both in their private capacity and as representatives of various organizations, was presented to_the House committee. For the first time Congress heard directly from the people outside of Washington on this subject. By order of the executive committee of - the National Council of State Legislatures, J. Ronald Horsey of Baltimore, a law- yer and a member of the Maryland Legislature, appeared in person at the hem‘g and presented an argument in behall of the measure. Among the prominent individuals from other parts of the Nation who appeared in person before the House Jjudiciary committee and spoke in favor of the resolution was Mrs. Carrie Chap- man _Catt, president of the Interna- Council of State Legislatures, which is made up of members and in many cases the Speakers of most of the Legis- latures of the States, that once Con- gress has adopted the pending resolu- tion and submitted it to the States for ratification it will without doubt receive prompt and enthusiastic ratifi- cation. 1 Among those who have actively worked in behalf of the movement dur- ing the year were Ivan C. Weld, presi- dent of the Washington Chamber of Commerce; E. C. Graham, president of the Board of Trade; Gen. Anton Stephan, president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association; Ru- dolph Jose, president of the City Club; Theodore W. Noyes, E. C. Brandenburg, Paul Lesh, Jesse C. Suter and F. W. Wile, of the Citizens Joint Committee; Judge Mary O'Toole of the Municipal Court, Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey, chairman of the Women’s Committee on National Representation; Mrs, Frank Hiram Snell, chairman of the execu- tive committee of the Women’s Na- tional Democratic Club; Mrs. Bessie Turner Ricker, chairman of the District representation committee of the Kalo- rama Citizens’ Association; Mrs. Vir- ginia White Speel, president of the District Federation of Women's Clubs and Republican national committee- woman for the District, and a list of other prominent men and women which would fill columns. ‘The plight of the people of the Dis- trict was brought forcibly before the resolutions committees of both the Re- publican and Democratic national con- ventions during the Summer, and when neither platform contained an indorse- ment of the proposal, the plan received favorable publicity on such a scale that it is believed by many persons familiar with the inner workings of political conventions that it will not be ignored another time, 4,000 AUTO THEFTS PROBED BY D. C. POLICE 'lAbout 90 Per Cent of Stolen Cars Are Recovered by Special Squad. The Metropolitan police received and investigated reports of the thefts of 4,000 automobiles during 1928. About 90 per cent of the stolen cars were re- covered. Joseph A. Connors is chief of the au- tomobile theft squad. Other members are Frank M. Alligood, Henry M. Jett, Jacob Wolf and Eugene Davis, * Hundreds of the cars involved in the reports were taken by joy-riders, many others taken by thieves and taken from ‘lhe city. In numerous instances it be- came necessary for members of the squad to journey to distant parts of the country to recover stolen cars and get persons alleged to have stolen them. They also arrested a number of per- sons for police of other jurisdictions, Planes Sell Like Cars. Sales of planes at the Chicago Avia- tion Show were almost as numerous as sales ordinarily are at the national automobile shows. There was this dif- ference, however, that the planes were purchased largely by airway operators, Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent of police. 11, John W. Childress, chairman, Public Utilities Commission. 14, Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superintendent of schools. 15, John H. Harland, director of traffic. Dr. William F. Fowler, head of Health Department. 18, Daniel E. Garges, secretary to the Board of Commissioners. 19, W. W. Everett, president of Board of 20, Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan, president of Merchants’ and Manufacturers’ Association. T. Webster, president Real Estate Board. 23. Dr. George C. rector office public buildings and public parks. chairman Fine Arts Commission. 27, Charles W. Darr, first vice president Chamber of Commerce. 28, Dorsey W. Hyde, merce. 29, E. J. Murphy, first vice president Board of Trade. Board of Trade, 32, Frank R. Jelleff, first vice president Merchants and Manufacturers Association. and Manufacturers’ Association. 34, Edward D. Shaw, executive secretary of Merchants’ and Manufacturers’ Association. 35, Rudolph Jose, president City Club. 36, Edward S. Brashears, first vice president City Club. 30, George Plitt, second vice president Board of Trade. 37, 0. E. Singer, secretary City Club. 6, Maj. 25, Maj, Gen. Edgar Jadwin, chairman National Capital Park and Planning Commission. jr., evecutive secretary Chamber of Com- 31, Robert J. Cottrell, executive secretary 33. Mark Landsburgh, second vice president Merchants IMPORTANT GAINS MADE IN D. C. SCHOOL ONTENT formerly to meet their problems as they were pre- sented by the regular adminis- tration of school business and, consequently, to build their record upon the solutions they meted out, the District school authorities en- tered this year upon a program of initiative activity which established 1928 as outstanding in the annals of ‘Washington schools. Briefly, defense was dropped for of- fense, and out of the transition and its accompanying near-strife evolved proj- ects which culminated only three weeks ago in the second five-year school build- ing program. Nineteen hundred and twenty-eight was begun under a cloud of doubt, so far as the schools were concerned, for in January the report of the Bureau of Efficiency on its year's survey of the system was expected daily. Made pub- lic finally on January 31, the report for the most part was highly complimentary to the current administration and, giv- ing confirmation as it did to policies and programs already in force, it served as a powerful stimulus to the Board of Education and its co-working staff of officers. ‘The most important pleces of work re- corded in the school system's calendar during the year ending today were not comparatively small units of accom- plishments which could be described as completed “jobs,” but rather embraced the launching of broader tasks, which by their very proportions will occupy most of the new year and perhaps most of the years ahead of that to complete. Seck More Revenue. A declaration of purpose for the fun- damental improvement of the school system as a whole describes as well as any other expression, perhaps, the big- gest development of the year. It em- braces the determined efforts of the school board, under Dr. Charles F. Carusi, president, to obtain a higher percentage of the District of Columbia’s revenue for school purposes, so that the admittedly inadequate school facilities could be replaced with ample equip- ment as authorized by the first five-year school building program; its efforts to obtain better co-ordination between the school system and the various depart- wments of the District Government with which it deals in business and techni- cal matters; its attempts to obtain im- provement of the system's relations with the Bureau of the Budget and Congress on matters of appropriations, and its efforts to better its methods of securing school legislation by presenting pro- posed bills_direct to the District com- mittees of Congress rather than through the Commissioners. Completing this array of projects, the Board of Education has framed a sec- ond five-year school building program which, as the year ends, is in the hands of the Commissioners for presentation to the current session of Congress and by which the board hopes to provide the system with its sorely needed facilities. Besides these items, which by virtue of their scope and purpose cannot be confined to the past 12 months alone, 1928 gave the schools a program of more concrete, though perhaps less signifi- cant, accomplishments. Ask Cut of Million. Carried on at first in executive com- mittee sessions, the Board of Educa- tion’s campaign for more funds for school use reached its climax early in September when the board refused to trim its estimates for the 1930 budget, which then was in course of preparation. The total District estimates had been forwarded to the Bureau of the-Budget ners and the budget them with the edict that they be cut. In attempting to ap- portion the cut among the various Dis- trict departments, the Commissioners requested the Board of Education to prune approximately $1,000,000 from its estimates of $13,972,000. The school board, however, con- vinced that it had reduced its financial requirements to an absolute minimum, returned its original estimates to the tional Suffrage Alliance. Representatives of many organiza- tions, local and national, spoke in favor v corporations and flying schools. They were sold in batches of a dozen to 59, with & widespread distribution, -~ education and leader in Commissloners untouched. Dr. Charles F. Carus!, president of the board of the fight for higher appropriations, issued his first public statement on the campaign, which by that time had assumed the characteristics of an open fight, Sep- tember 5. Explaining the board's refusal to accede to the request of the Commis- sioners, Dr. Carusi said further paring was not made because, “as an indepen- dent vody, created by Congress for the protection of the public school system, no consideration would justify it in pre- senting anything other than an accu- rate picture of the school needs.” This “accurate picture,” Carusi insisted, was represented in the board’s estimates of $13,972,000. As it developed, the Commissioners, faced with the budgst bureau’s edict, caused District Auditor Daniel J. Donovan to cut about $1,000,000 worth of items from'the estimates and com: pile them as a “supplemental estimate. It was in that form that the school needs for next year were presented for the second time to the Bureau of the Budget, which finally allowed a total and final school estimate of $11,593,580 to be included in the District appropri- ations for 1930. Appeals to Citizens. ‘The higher appropriation drive was brought out in public again when, at a conference between school authorities and representatives of citizens and trade bodies, held in the Franklin Ad- ministration Building, December 13, Dr. Carusi appealed to the citizens for affirmation of the board’s contention that the schools should receive one- third of the total District revenue. Dr. Carusl cited the findings of Bureau of Education, which showed that most cities spend more than one-third of their income on their schools. He de- clared that an expenditure of $15,000,- 000 over a period of five years would be required to bring Washington's public schools up to date, and asked the citi- zens to say, through the medium of the citizens’ association, whether they ap- proved the expenditure of $3,000,000 a year for buildings and grounds pro- vided the total school expenditures, in- cluding regular operating expenses, did OIL MEN’S TRIALS The two trials and acquittals of Robert W. Stewart, chairman of the board of directors of the Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, stand out as the fea- ture of a review of the activities of the District Supreme Court for the year 1928. He was first charged with con- tempt of the United States Senate in refusing to answer questions pro- pounded by a Senate committee con- cerning disposition of Liberty bonds by the Continental Trading Co., and when acquitted of that charge was again in- dicted for alleged perjury in connec- tion with the statements made by him before the Senate committee. A jury acquitted him of the second charge. Harry F. Sinclair, oil magnate of New York, was acquitted last April when he stood trial alone on an in- dictment returned against him and { , . i former Secretary of the Interior Albert | B. Fall in 1924, for alleged conspiracy in connection with the leasing of Tea- pot Dome. He was, however, held guilty of contempt of court in connec- tion with an alleged attempt to influ- ence the jury serving in his first trial which resulted in the discharge of the jurors. Justice Siddons imposed a sentence of 6 months in jail on Sin- clair, 4 months on his associate, Henry Mason Day, and 15 days on William J. Burns, former head of the Burns Detective Agency, which was said to have shadowed tHe jurors. W. Sher- man Burns, present chief of the agency, was fined $1,000. All have ap- pealed. Sinclair also is under sen- tence of 3 months and a fine of $500 for, contempt of the United States Senate, but his appeal is pending in the United States Supreme Court. A grand jury was practically put out of commission last month when the in- 1 | not exceed one-third of the income. The citizens’ associations are consid- ering Dr. Carusi’s query now and their collective answer will go far in deter- mining the future of the board’s agita- tion for more money for schools. Dr. Carusi appealed to the citlzens for affirmation again at the conference when he asked them whether they would prefer the school estimates to be presented by the Commissioners to the Bureau of the Budget exactly as the Board of Education frames them. This procedure, it was pointed out, would permit the school board to seek ap- propriations for the items it believes the school system needs without being ut in the position of asking for less than the needs by presenting a previ- ously cut estimate. The question of managing the schools’ business affairs was broached with force last June, when Senator Phipps, chairman of the Senate sub- committee on appropriations of the Senate District committee; Representa- tive Simmons, chairman of the House subcommittee on District appropria- tions, and Representative Holaday, vice chairman of the latter body, suggested that the position of “business manager” be created in the school system. Such an officer, the three members of Con- gress told the school authorities with whom they were conferring, could co- ordinate the various technical and busi- ness operations for the schools. Run by District Officials. Members of the Board of Education, however, opposed the proposition, and revealed that in reality the school sys- tem “has no business to manage.” The second five-year building pro- gram, while not yet even presented to Congress, belongs to 1928's list of ac- complishments, for it was in this year that it was framed. In September, the school board asked the various citizens associations and trade bodies to present their ideas of the needs of the school system. When these expressions of opinions were compiled by the school officers and board members the items for the second program were selected. city’s ginta. One juror paid a fine of $18 on an intoxication charge and the other was placed under bond for grand jury action for driving recklessly. The jurors were returning from an inspection of District reformatories. The two jurors and a third member, who was in the same car, tendered their resignations, which were accepted, and the grand jurors were allowed to retire without making a final report on about 50 cases which had been heard by them. The cases will be submitted to the January grand jury. The District Commissioners were en- joined by Justice Bailey from continu- ing the operation of the House of De- tention at 908 B street southwest, which is_zoned as a residential area. Peyton Gordon, former United States attorney, was promoted by President Coolidge to be a justice of the court. The court named as his successor Leo A. Rover, who had been first assistant United States attorney. A total of 1,097 indictments, which would have reached nearly 1,150 but for the disqualification of the jurors, was reported by the grand jury during the past year. Pleas of guilty were re- celved in 554 cases, while 155 verdicts of guilty were given by petit jurors. The United States attorney nolle prossed 82 cases. Litigation continued to thrive in 1928. 'There were filed 1,966 new cases on the law side of the office of the clerk of the court and 1,413 cases on the equity side. District Court cases, in- cluding a number of condemnation cases brought for the triangle being sought by the Government, totaled 37, while 172 bankruptcy petitions were filed. The clerk also received 520 ap- plications for citizenship and 500 dec- larations of intention. New citizens to formation came out that two of mlche number of 503 were made during members had been arresied in Vir- the year, D. A. Davison, Assistant Engineer Commissioner. 9, R. B. Fleharty, people’s counsel. 10, W. W. Bride, corpora- 21, Ivan C. Weld, president Chamber of Commerce. Havenner, president Federation of Citizens’ Associations. 21. Lieut. Col. Ulysses S. Grant, 3d, di- 1, Commissioner Sidney F. Taliaferro. 2, Commissioner Proctor L. Dougherty. 3, Col. William B. Ladue, Engineer Commissioner. 4, Maj. L. E. Atkins, As- 5. Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, Assistant Engineer Commissioner. 8, Charles F. Carusi, president, Board of Education. 12, Col. Harrison Brand, jr., member Pul 16, Dr. George F. Bowerman, librarian. 7, Maj. Utilities Commission. 13, George S. 17, 22, Ben 26. Charles Moore, 38, H. J. Odenthal, executive secretary City Club. SYSTEM The total estimated cost of the pro- gram was $5,750,000, and the program was designed so that merged with the remaining items in the uncompleted first building schedule it forms vir- tually a $10,780,750 program. New Child Labor Law. ‘The new child labor law probably was the school system’s chief com- pleted contribution to the District dur- ing 1928. It was passed by Congress and approved by President Coolidge May 29, to become effective July 1. In brief, the law restricts the employment of all minors for certain hours. No boy between the ages of 18 and 21 yeals may be employed as a messenger be- tween midnight and 5 am. while no girl may perform such work between 7 pm. and 6 am. The youngest at which a child may work is 10 years, but then only in the distribution of newspapers on prescribed routes outside of school hours. There are special re- strictions and allowances for employed boys and girls between the two ex- treme agps too numerous and now t0o widely known to need repeating here. The most prominent new school building opening of 1928 was held in connection with the new McKinley High School at Second and T streets northeast. At the close of school last June the entire student body of the old Technical High School, at Seventh street and Rhode Island avenue, march- ed, band playing and banners waving, to take possession of the then uncom- pleted new building. A brief ceremony was held in the dark auditorium of the new school while workmen were pushing their operations to make the building ready for the opening of school. New Colored High School. The other senior high school which figured prominently in school news dur- ing the past 12 months was the Car- doza Business High School for colored pupils. A strictly business high school had not existed in divisions 10-13 prior to this year and the founding of such an institution in the old M street High School Building, vacated last Spring by the Shaw Junior High School, which then moved into the old Tech Build- ing, marked a new era in the education here of colored youth. The first student body of the new school was the business practice unit of the Dunbar High School, and as that student body in- creases a new building will be provided for the school. A site for the proposed structure is included in the second five- year building program. The Gordon Junior High School, at Thirty-fifth and T streets; the Garnet- Patterson Junior High Cchool, at Tenth and U streets, and the Frances Junior High School, at Twenty-fourth and N streets, also were opened as new build- ings during the past year. The first held its initial classes October 1, after its student body had been organized in neighboring elementary schools. The Garnet-Patterson opened October 15, when scarcely completed, while the Francis, opened the first of the present year when the second semester was begun, was dedicated March 20. Having decided late in 1927 that lec- tures on the ill effects of alcohol, given in the schools by speakers for the Women's Christian Temperance Union to augment the regular course of in- struction, would be prohibited in the future on the grounds that prohibition had become a political and controversial issue, the board was called upon early this year to reaffirm its stand. Later the W. C. T. U. sought to have a re- consideration of the board's decision and in June actually submitted leaflets which it planned to distribute in the schools, to the school authorities for ;heu‘-’ approval. The approval was re- used. Ninteen hundred and twenty-eight witnessed the appointment of two new members of the Board of Education. Mrs. Philip Sidney Smith was made a member to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mrs. Lilllan Y. Her- ron because of ill health. Mrs. Smith will serve until June 30, 1930. The second new member was Mrs. Gratton Doyle, who succeeded Howard L. Hodgkins, Henry Mrs. CONDITIONS ment of the National Capital received tremendous impetus during the year just closed, with progress made on many important projects which have been under consideration from twenty-five to a hundred years and which are now actually taking shape. In legislation for increasing the salaries and bettering the working con- ditions of Government employes the past year has been one of record achievement. “Through the extensive hearings con- ducted in a systematic way by the so- called Gibson subcommittee, in co- operation with the Bureau of Efficiency a comprehensive and co-ordinated pro- gram of legislation to promote economy and efficiency in the municipal admin- istration, which has already resulted in annual savings of more than a million dollars, was started. ‘The present session of Congress be- fore. the Christmas recess definitely added two new buildings to the per- manent building program. Both House and Senate passed the Elliott-Keyes bill creating a_commission to prepare pre- liminary plans and cost estimates for the Supreme Court Building, which is to occupy a site facing the Capitol and north of the Library of Congress. Con- gress has already appropriated $500,000 for the site and agreements have been reached for sale of the property. An additional $268,000 is to be carried in the deficiency appropriation bill to complete purchase of the site. Auxiliary Office Building. The House passed the Dallinger bill authorizing erection of an auxiliary House Office Building on a site directly south of the Capitol and west of the present House Office Building, between New Jersey and Delaware avenues, B and C streets. The bill authorizes ap- propriation of $8,400,000 for the site and building, and has been favorably reported by the Senate public buildings and grounds committee. Its enactment is expected to be completed early in the new year. One of the most stupendous city building projects ever attempted in any of the great capital cities was started during the year with the passage of legislation authorizing acquisition of all of the privately owned land in the triangle south of Pennsylvania avenue to the Mall at an estimated cost of $25,000,000, which means rebuilding the very heart of the Nation’s Capital. Already two of the great new Federal buildings have been started in this triangle for the Commerce Department and Internal Revenue Bureau, while four other of the Federal building pro- jects have been started outside of this area. The Treasury appropriation bill, which was the first of the four big supply bills to be passed before the Christmas holidays, carries & lump sum appropriation to continue work on the Federal building program, including a change in site and increased authoriza- tion for the Federal Archives Building. The Mount Vernon boulevard, advo- cated for more than 40 years, is to be started immediately and completed in time for the bicentennial celebration of ‘Washington’s birth in 1932, with an in- itial appropriation of $2,500,000. Work will start as soon as the George Wash- ington Bicentennial Commission ap- proves the route early in the new year. All of the Government agencies which have been interested in this highway from the City of Washington to Wash- ington’s home at Mount Vernon, which is intended to be the finest strip of highway in the world and a most im- pressive entrance to the National Cap- ital, are agreed that the river route is most desirable. Development of Plaza. Other important development projects around the Capitol which have been forwarded during the past year include the development of the plaza between the Capitol and Union Station, on which the Senate is expected to give its final approval after the Christmas recess, when the street railway com- panies have completed their surveys and been granted a hearing on reloca- tion of tracks. Appropriations are under consideration to start work on the relocated and enlarged Botanic Garden to make way for improvement of the west front of the Capitol with what is to be known as “Union Square,” where the Botanic Garden now is. Included in the plaza development is the new broad avenue from Union Sta- tion to Pennsylvania avenue at Second street, linking in with the extension and improvement of B street, as au- thorized in the Arlington Memorial Bridge act. Fitting in with this Federal develop- ment around the Capitol is the proposed new municipal center, between Third and Sixth streets north of Pennsylvania avenue to Judiclary Square, the bill to authorize which is now before the bud- get bureau for consideration prepar- atory to being transmitted to Congress. Large sums have been appropriated and work has progressed rapidly on the permanent building program for the District reformatory at Lorton, Va., and workhouse at Occoquan, Va., for a new wing at the District Jail, and, under the War Department housing program, for Bolling Field and the Army Med- ical Center at Walter Reed. Great Falls Project. A comprehensive and coordinated program of park development for the National Capital and the Maryland and Virginia vicinage, to be financed with immediate advances from the Federal Treasury so as to preserve the natural beauties of the region around Washing- ton, 1s proposed in a bill introduced by Representative Cramton of Michigan, which he discussed recently before the American Civic Association. This com- prehends the. preservation of the gorge of Great Falls with palisade drives on both sides of the Potomac River from Mount Vernon and Fort Washington to above Great Falls. This measure is to oe_pushed for early action in Congress. ‘When the present short session of Congress opened it received in the Fed- eral budget the largest District budget ever presented, on which hearings are to start January 3, following inspections already made by both the House and Senate subcommittees of District schools, playgrounds and other activities. Dur- ing the current fiscal year the District | has had the largest appropriation bill | ever passed for the Federal City, | amounting to $37,625,208. During the first session of the Sev- entieth Congress, early in 1928, the Senate subcommittee on District ap- propriations, under the leadership of Senator Phipps, Republican, of Col- orado, made a strong effort to restorel the 60-40 ratio of apportioning the cost | of maintaining the National Capital be- tween the United States and District governments, but finally had to yield to the House and to a continuation for another year of the $9,000,000 lump sum policy as the Federal share. ‘When the appropriation bill for the fiscal year 1928-29 was reported out by Senate Appropriations Committee last Spring it contained an amendment to; restore the 60-40 ratio, and the Senate | adopted the amendment after Senator Phipps had made a vigorous speech out- lining the equities involved in SVELOPMENT and embellish- | and other District and Federal agencies, | the req IMARK MADE IN BETTERING OF WORKERS Vast Building and De\‘relopment Projects Started in District to Add to Majestic Beauty of Cit question. After several weeks of de- liberation, however, the Senate and House conferees were unable to ag: The Senate conferces suggested some fixed ratio other than 60-40, but the House stood firm for continuation of the lump-sum basi ‘When the report of the conferees was made to the Sen- ate, near the close of the session, the Senate decided to recede from its amendment and agree to the House | provision in order to complete the bill before adjournment of the session. Shortly after the present short ses- sion of Congress began Senator Bing- ham_(Republican) of Connecticut was appointed chairman of the District ap- | propriations subcommittee in the Sen- ate, Senator Phipps having asked to be | relieved from the chairmanship after | more than seven years of service. The | Colorado Senator will continue, hx | ever, as a member of the subcommit Senator Bingham has been a member of the subcommittee for the past two years. The Bureau of Efficiency has com- pleted a study of the fiscal relations problem at the request of Senate and | House appropriations committees and of the Gibson subcommittee, which is cxpected to be transmitted to Congress early this monii. In the last session Congress passed the Welch salary increase bill, which gave substantial increases to many Government employes and lesser in- creases in many instances where sub- stantial increases were intended. This failure of the act to carry out the will of Congress is credited to administra- tive delioquency, and in a large part caused by a ruling of the Controller General. To correct this situation and to bring retroactive relief, especially to those in the lower salary ranges, a bill is now being drafted by Chairman Lehl: bach of the House civil service con mittee, following conferences with resentatives of the employes’ organiz: tions, with officials of the Budget Bu- reau, the Controller General's office, the Personnel Classification Board, Bu- reau of Efficiency and the Civil Service Commission. Chairman Lehlbach has promised to introduce this bill immediately after the holiday recess. On the Senate side Senator Brookhart (Republican) of Iowa also is drafting a measure de- signed to correct these inequalities In the present law, and Chairman Dale of the Senate civil service committee has declared in favor of some legislation to carry out the intent of Congress. Sena- tor &moot_(Republican) of Utah also is studying this problem. Retirement Law Changed. ‘To liberalize the civil service retire- ment law and grant equal justice be- tween various branches of Federal em- ployment the Senate in the last session passed a bill, fathered by Senator Dale, which raises the maximum annuity to $1,200 'a year, changes the divisor to be used in computing the annuity from 40 to 45 for the benefit of those in the lower grades, and gives employes the option to retire two years earlier than existing retirement age limits. Prac- tically every member of the House is on record as favoring these more lib- eral provisions and urging early pas- sage of the measure. In the closing days of the last ses- sion of the rules committee ordered a special rule giving this measure prefer- ential status, but it was never called up by the House leaders. Chairman Snell of the rules committee, Speaker Long- worth and House Leader Tilson have all promised that an early opportunity will be afforded House members to vote upon this measure. The Republican steering committee has agreed to con- sider this at its first meeting after the recess. One of the most important measures directly affecting the people of the District to come to the attention of Congress during 1928 was the plan for bringing about a street railway merger. The merger resolution was reported out by the House District committee to- ward the close of the last session, but still requires action in both House. and Senate. ‘The Senate District committee aj pointed a special subcommittee in May to study the merger proposal, and ob- tained from the Senate a fund of $10.- 000 to defray the expenses of a thorough study of the question. During the Sum- mer the merger agreement was analyzed for the subcommittee by the Bureau of Efficiency and by Dr. Milo R. Maltbie, a New York utilities expert. ‘The railway companies and Harley P. Wilson, of the Washington Rapid Transit Co., were asked to file a written reply to the findings of Dr. Maltbie and the Efficiency Bureau. Dr. Maltbie and the efficiency experts next will submit any comment they may care to ma on the view of the traction officiais, after which the Senate subcommittee will be prepared to reach a decision as to its report. The proposed $50,000,000 valuation for the merged company, to be in effect for 10 years, with a stiv- ulation that fares shall not be in- creased for one year, is one of the questions peing discussed most frequent- ly in the merger deliberations. Pass Compensation Law. One of the great humanitarian meas- ures put through during the past year is the workmen's compensation law, which was in bitter controversy betwzea rival factions in the House for several years. A compromise measure was en- acted permitting the compensation in- surance to be placed with private com- panies with administration of the law by the United States Employes Com- pensation Commission. ‘The House early in 1928 passed the Stalker bill to authorize establishment of the new Farmers' Market on the Southwest site, but the differences of opinion over whether the market should be in that area or north of Pennsyl- vania avenue has prevented a vote in the Senate thus far. The bill is still on the Senate calendar. Two measures reating to develop- ment of the upper Potomac region were put through during the last ses One was the bill authorizing the Grea! Falls Bridge Co. to build a private bridge across the Potomac just below the Falls, and the other was a'reso- lution restraining the Federal Power Commission fron Ing any permits for power projecis 3 the upper Po- tomac until it is definitely determined ihow the area should be developed both with respect to power - slbflllles.pc e P PR Dol Early action by both House and Sen- ate to provide Washington with an ade- quate airport has been promised fol- lowing extensive hearings and confer- ences on the subject. There is general agreement that the Gravelly Point sit should be designated. The airport bil is expected to-be taken up as sooa possible in the House under suspens| of the rules, the. House leader be sympathtic and the Speaker havir promised to recognize Chairman Zih' man for this purpose. Chairman Ca» per of the Senate committee recent! appointed a subcommittee -to prepar recommendations for Senate action o: the airport proposal. Both House and Senate have o the bill authorizing an additional justic for the District Supreme Court, at salary of $10,000, whose particular duty :\l;’ul be toms%‘ lnmcondexnation cases, us expediiing the Federal projects uiring purchase of land.. o