Evening Star Newspaper, March 17, 1930, Page 6

SKS REQUREMENT OF HGHTH CRADE Simmons Proposes Evening Course for Men Seeking Jobs on Force. A riew provision designed to raise the educational qualifications of members of the Metropolitan Police Force is car- ried in the District appropriation bill for 1931, reported to the House today. The provision requires that any ap- plicant for the position of a private on the force after July 1 shall possess an eighth-grade common school education, It was written into the bill by the Houss commitlee on appropriations on the theory that higher educational qualifications would attract men of & higher caliber. The ultimate aim, the committee dis- elosed. is to raise the mental standard of appointees to an equivalent of a high achool education. The committee found that the present qualifications are much below those of an average graded schoot education. Training Is Discsussed. The mental qualifications and trai ing of policemen were rtwo sub which the subcommittee of the House appropriations committes discussed in detail during the hearings on the ap- propriation bill. A request by Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of police for increassd appropiiations o permit the appointment of recruits in groups of 25, so that they could be sent to school for three months before assigning them to duty, precipitated the diseus- sion. Chairman Simmons said he did not believe the taxpavers should be required to send a man to school after he is given a job. He proposed the establishment of ‘a police training school. where men who wanted to become policemen could Attend in the evening and qualify be- fore being put on the pay roil. “My thought is." declared Mr. Sim- mons, “it would be a good idea if you could set up within the department & place where there would be absolutely no obligation, even moral, to give every man a job, where nobody would be able to bring pressure to give a man a chance and let those men who want to become policemen be given an opportunity to take training. And you (Maj. Pratt), will be given an opportunity to check up on them, study their characteristics and qualifications. and check up on them before they are put on anybody’s pay roll. &o far as the school is con- cerned. it would be maintained by the District, but the student would be get- ting no pay." Pratt Approves ldea. Maj. Pratt said he thought the idea & good one and is willing to try it, but expressed the belief that it was doubt- ful if many candidates would take the course, because the men who are seek- ing police work usually are out of work and need money immediately. However. Maj. Pratt said he was will- ing to give such a school a trial. “Thal i8 the best way,” he declared, “of pre ing whether we can get men or no Maj. Pratt explained during the dis- euzsion on the mental qualifications of # policeman that at one time a third- grage education was required, but the standards had been raised to a sixth- grade education. “If you are going to take a man with & third-grade common school education nd send him out to rule the people of the District, or even a sixth-grade edu- cation.” said Mr. Simmons, “what basis is there for giving that man the en- trance pay when he goes into the police force? That is more than the Govern- ment pays a college graduate when he *s into other departments.” ““That is all true.” replied Maj. Pratt. Declares “Tickets” Need Deciphering. “I have been told,” Mr. Simmons eontinued. “that sometimes they have to send for the man to find out what he has written on those traffic tickets: that it is impossible to read what they have written.” “I have seen the handwriiing of some eollege that was pretty hard to decipher.” Maj. Pratt responded. “Handwriting is not always an indie: tion of the extent of the individu education.” “But that was not what was the matter with it,” Mr. Simmons added. “The man did not have sufficient basic training to be able to write out an ordinazv pink slip. TRACTION CO. TO PAY PART OF BRIDGE COST One-Fourth of Expense of Recon- structing Klingle Span Would Be Assessed Against Line. ‘The Capital Traction Co. will be re- quired to bear one-fourth of the cost of fhe reconstruction of the Conneeticut Avenue Bridge over Klingle Valley under a lrg.tln"w provision written into the 1931 District appropriation bill re- ported today in the House. Hearings on the bill before the House subcommittee on appropriations diselose that the provision vigorously was op- poszed by Ma). Gen. Mason M. Patrick, | ehajirman of the Public Utilities Com-~ mission, primarily because it would con- flict with the merger legislation pend- | ing in Congress which provides that the cAT companies shall merely bear the excess eost of construction and main- tonance of public bridges due to the exietence or installation of tracks on such bridges en. Patrick also pointed out that the bridge over Klingle Valley is ample for the street car traffic. and that it was to be replaced to meet the needs of vehicular traffic, “The new bridge” he said, “is not intended to provide essentially for street railway traffic, but for traffic of an en- tirely different character. Purthermore, the bridge probably will be in keeping with our structures in Washington something of a monumental character, nd it seems to the Public Utilities Commission rather illogical and some- | what unfair to tax street car riders, be- | cause they have to pay evervthing that comes into the coffers of the street rail- way companies—io tax them as a class, really. to pay for one-fourth of the cost of this bridge.” “The Klingle Bridge is merely a starter,” Gen. Patrick said later. “There i= no question but that the Calvert Street Bridge will have ito be recon- structed. It will be much more costly than this one, and if this precedent is rstablished and the street rallway com- panies were required to do that with the new Calvert Street Bridge,” 1 think it would put them out of business.” Since the new bridge is estimated to cost $500.000, the car company would be required to contribute $125,000. This_led Representative Simmons to Atk Gen. Patrick if such a sum would put the Capital Traction Co. out of business, “No."” replied Gen. Patrick, “I say, if the company was required to put up a new Calvert Street Bridge. it would cost around $2.000,000 and probably put it out of business. “Would not that be a thing?” lm"erm Representative lins. “I think it would be good for them,” temarked Mr, Collins. “I know of rafl- poads that have gotten very well opcating under a recelvers@ip.” TOTALS OF APPROPRIATION BILL How the Disfrict funds are allocated, showing comparison with cur- rent. sppropriations and with recommendations of the budget: Amount recom: m bill Contingent and miscellaneous Munieipal Center .. Street and road im) and repair . Sewers Collection refuse Public plavgrounds ... Electrical department. . Public schools Metropolitan pol Pire department Health department Courts and prisons . Public welfare Miscellaneous . Public _buildings e National Capital Par Planning Commission. ... National Zoological Park 1. rvice ice . provement and disposal of Total, exclusive of water Total service including water . $3,315.194.00 293 066,00 3.065,000.00 4,078,000.00 1,472,500.00 1.672,260.00 228,061 3! ..$43.593,377.00 $1.690,940.00 5284317 Increase (+) or Iner e () red with 193 wir aDPropriation hudget estimates 4469951500 —$73,271.00 +15,100.00 5 -65,000,00 mended for 1931 00 00 - 58,360.00 239,600, —15,500. 0.00 0. 383.900.00 1.269,285.00 ~—$260,791.00 + $43,080.00 $3.706,702.00 —$217.711.00 Permanent and indefinite ap- propriations: Refunding taxes Extension of e Escheated estates relief fund Teachers' retirement fund. . Miscellaneous trust fune de- sits .. 5 Washington redemption fund Permit fund . Policemen and fr lief fund streats and annual Appro- Total, permanent and indefinite priations, D. C ~=325.000.00 —$570,000 00 Grand total, regular an- nual and permanent and indefinite & ppr o pria- .$47.766.817.00 +4$3,226,702.00 —$217,711.00 $45,284.317 ASKED FOR D. C. (Continued From Piist Page) the District of Columbia any person which he now receives, up to $7,500, or from the maximum of grade 13 up to the maximum of grade 14. In the event SIMMONS 0PPOSES | SALARY INCREASES Declares There Is Little Justi-; fication for Boosts for ‘y District Employes. | | vigorous opposition to salary M- creases recommended for District em- ployes in the 1931 fiscal year was reg- istered by Representative Simmons of Nebraska_during the hearings by the House suocommittee on_ appropriations on the District appropriation bill. | Mr. Simmons declared that “very | frankly it seems to me that with the salary increases the District employes have” had the last two years there is ver stification for ask- ing for incrense of salaries at this time.” Maj. Daniel J. Donovan, District auditor and budget officer, pointed out that the increases proposed were in ac- cordance with the Welch act which provides step-ups for efficiency. and | that he believed there was “every jus- tification becaise the law gives an em- ploye the right to an increase if he has & proper efficlency rating.” $346,256 Increase Asked. The bucget carried an item of $346.256 for salary increases. of which, Donovan explained. only §100.683 to provide step-ups under the Welch act, the re- mainder having been recommended for increases for administrative officers in the public schools, who come under an entirely separate salary law. “When is this step-up process going io stop, or may we expect always to have an increase in the salary roll?” Mr. Simmons ssked. “This bill carries step-ups to §: 329 In toto. Last year. as I remember, the bill carried three quarters of a million dollars for in- creases under the Welch act.” 3 creases.” Donovan interposed, “amounted (o $572,000. and | the other increases for 1931, which you | mension, due to promotion in the police and fire departments and in the schools. would run the total up to that amount.” Says Comparison Is Fair. Shortly after this discussion Mr. Simmons referred to & salary schedule printed in the hearings on the 1930 appropriation bill comparing the wage | scale of the District workers with the | | Wwho has not completed an eighth-grade that this position is reallocated. New | pederal workers under reclassification, positions proyided for in the estimates| ointing out that out of a total of 40 common school education.” A proviso was written into the bill that “no money appropriated for the purchase of furniture and equipment for the public schools shall be expended unless the r:quisitions of the Board of Bducation therefor shall be approved by the Commissioners. Klingle Valley Bridge. Authorization for the District Com- missioners to enter into contract for a $500,000 bridge on Comnecticut avenue over Klingle Valley with an initial ap- propriation of $250.000 and a proviso that ary street railway company using this bridge must deposit with the col- lector of taxes one-fourth the cost of the structure is written into the bill. Approprizion is al: included for reconstruction of & viaduct on Monroe street northeast over the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at a cost of $135,000. one- half to be paid by the railroad company, and with a proviso that no street rali- way company shall use the viaduct un- til a deposit of one-fourth the cost of the structure has been deposited with the collector of taxes. Three important new positions in the public school system = are provide through salary appropriations—a prin- cipal for the new Eliot Junfor High School, which is to be ready early next vear. and two presidents for the two | teachers’ colleges at $5,000 each. | For new school buildings $3.240,000 is carried, which is an increase of $150,- 000 over current appropriations. The committee has adopted the policy of eliminating ali combination gymnasiums and sssembly halls. in the elementary schools. that were proposed. using this money for the building of additional school rooms. For the much discussed Farmers’ Pro- duce Market, the bill includes $250.000 with a limitation that the price paid for property must not exced 25 per cent | above assessed value. For installing additional traffic equip- ment, $103,000 which $38,000 is for traffic signals. | New Utilities Positions. Six new positions have been allowed the Public Utilities Commission on ac- count of the importance and the in- creased volume of work coming before the commission for decision. An item of $150,000, recommended by the budget, for building & branch library in the Northeast section was ap- proved by the committee. The most important individual ftem in street improvements is $103.600 for widening H street from Seventh to Thirteenth, with a proviso that 40 per cent, of the entire cost. be callected from abutting property owners, Chairman Simmons of the subcom- mittee which drafted the District ap- propriation bill. explained its provisions to the House, as follows: “This committee, in reporting District appropriation bik in 1929, in- cluded an amount of $163,041 for sal- ary increases, and last year (1930) an amount of $572,000. due to the Welch act increases. was included in the bill. making a total altogether for the past two rs of $735.000. On the basis of this large amount. which has been de- voted exclusively to salary increases in thut period. the committee refused to recommend an additional $100,000 for the next year. This, of course, does not mean that no salary increase can be made during that time, because money in eappropriations is usually available, due to resignations, lapses in fes turnover, etc., and where an_especi case is presented it can he taken care of. After making a comparison with the employes in the executive departments the committee was of the opinion that fhe municipal employes of the District of lcolumhhl stood on a very favorable basis. Basis of Estimates, “The estimates presented to the com- mittee for the building inspection divi- sion were based upon the addition of 18 ne positions. at a total salary obliga- tion of $42640. These embraced 1 first_deputy inspector of buildings. at $4,600; 1 zoning engineer in the engi- neers' section, at §3.200: 1 chief con- crete and steel inspector and 1 senior inspector of concrete, at $3.200 and $2,600, respectivel spectors’ section vator inspectol assistant chief ele- t $2800, and 2 field inspectors, 000 each, in the ele- vator inspectors’ section: 1 inspector. at $2,000, in the fire-escape section; 5 in- spectors, at $2.300 each, in the general inspectors’ section, and 1 clerk and 1 messenger. The committee has recom- mended all of these positions, with the cxception of the deputy inspector of buildings and the messenger, both of which it was felt were unnecessary. Sal ary increases to the extent of $2,000 also were not recommended. “Under the figures in the bill for the plumbing inspection division _there is recommended $43,100. which figures differ from the present year by includ- ing the recommendation of an sssistant rlnmhml inspector, at $2,600, needed to | be n: spect the refrigerators. “There is recommended for the office of the District assessor $223,070 for next | year, an increase of $15,560 over this year. In the amount proposed in the | bill salary increases for the eight as- installation of automatic not,” answered Gen. Patrick, | sistant assessors from $4,600 to $4,800 the work of E have been approved. An amount of $1,100 also has heen included, with the recommendations to bring the salary of the assessor from $6,400, the amount has been approved, of ' in the engineer in- | and approved by the committee provide for one deputy assessor and four addi tional clerks and the transfer of two positions heretofore on the per diem roll of the Engineers Department to the assessor’s voll. The salary d for the deputy a: essor in the was $4.600. License Bureau Amount Same. “For personal services, License Bu- reau, the bill carries the same amount as for the present year, a small item covering $120 for a salary increase hav- g been eliminated. “An amount of $10,000, not considered in_the budget. but added by the com- mittee, in the form of & legislative para- graph, is contairied in the bill, authoriz- ing the employment of & special assis ant to the corporation counsel to inves- tigate the title of the Chesapeake & estimates Ohilo Canal Co. to certain lands, proper- | ties, and rights appurtenant thereto, and the said company's authority to oc- cupy such lands. The lands in question are those through which the old Chesa- peake & Ohio C: “An estimate of A proved providing suitable sheds and f: cilities for the use of farmers retailing farm produce at the Eastern and West- erns Markets. $300,000 for Market. “The act of Congress, approved March 2, 1929, entitled ‘An act authorizing the acquisition of a site for the farmers’ pro- | duce market. and for other purposes. | approved the purchase or condemnation of all of squares 35¢ and 355 as a site for the said market, and also required that within the amount of the limit of cost of $320,000, all necessary work shall be per- formed, including the clearing and levei- ing of the ground and the erection thereon of protecting sheds and suitable stalls and stands. Under the estimate submitted of $300.000, it was proposed to expend about $225000 for the purchase of the site, and $75,000 for excavating grading, improvements, etc, For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the above act the committee has recommended a total amount of $300,- 000 to be available at once. “Salarie ase of $7,960 brings the total fa ries under the Highways Department up to $223,650. Under the act of Congress approved February 28, 1929, entitled “An act to provide for the establishment of a municipal center in the District of Co- lumbla,” the Commissioners of the Distriet of Columbia are suthorized and directed to acquire by purchase or condemnation all of squares 480, 491 | and 533, and reservation 10, as a site for a municipal center. and to con- struct thereon necessary buildings to house municipal activities. Under the s of a joint resolution, approved June 15. 1929. $3,000.000 was appro- priated toward starting the purchase of land. About $2500,000 has been obligated up to the present time. It is cst'mated that about $6,500,000 will be necessary to complete the purchase of the four squares. There is recommend- ed in the bill a second $3000,000 to carry the project forward. which will leave a balance to be provided at a later date of $500.000. “Including supplemental _estimates amounting to $380,000, received after the estimates had been submitted in the annual budget, the amount the com- mittee had under consideration for the conduct of the ?ubllc school system In the District of Columbia for 1931 amounted to $13,648,810. The amount | the committee has recommended is $13,651,530, an increase over the pres- ent year of $1,666.930, and an increase | over the budget of $2,720. | “Salaries.—For personal services of administrative and supervisory officers a total of $669.500 was submitted, an in- crease of $12760. ‘This increase pro- posed three new positions, the salary of a principal of the new Eliot Junior | High School, to be ready sometime the | early part of 1931. and the salaries of | | two presidents for the two teachers’ col- leges at $5,000 per annum each. “For the payment of salaries of the teachers, librarian and annual sub- stitutes in the public school system of | the District of Columbia for the cur- rent year there was appropriated last year a total of $5982,600. This amount provided a force of 2,730 teachers, 10/ librarians and 24 snnual substitutes. Sum for Longevity Increases. “The committee the sum of $206,240 for longevity in- creases, which increases are fixed in ac- cordance with the provisions of the act of June 4, 1924, | “As has been stated, the estimates proposed 30 new elementary, junior high, and high school teachers, and the committee, in_recommending the total sum of $6.188,840, propose 11 teachers as follows: “The committee has recommended all | teachers where fhey are o be used for | ew class yooms, and has disallowed all requested teachers where they were to sed for relieving heavy classes. | _ “Vacation schools and playgrounds: | For the Instruction and supervision of children in the vacation schools and | playgrounds the cum of $36,000 has | been recommended, which is an addi- | | tion_of $3,000 over this year, | _“Community Center Depar e Community fer De partment the committee made a redue- tlon in the estimate of $3.000, bringing this appropriation back to $42.000. “Care of bulldings angd grounds: nt: For For has recommended | positions listed, the District average as above the Federal average in 22 | " he sald, “I don't think there is | much basis for complaint that we are not_being fair in the salary schedule.” “I am not making any complaint that | the committee has not been fair,” Don- {ovan replied. “My contention is that | Congress has itself by legislation pro | vided that these employes shall be en. titled to increases if they have proper | efficiency ratings, and that Congress | therefore should carry out its own law | by appropriating the necessary funds to pay the increases.” the payment of salaries of the custodial staff of the public school system the amount presented in the estimates was $806.910, an increase of $44.910. “The committee has reduced the es- timate for furnityre estimated for new school needs by $10100, believing the amount originally presented excessive. Under the paragraph for contingent ex- penses, etc., the committee has reduced | the amount of $50,000 for equipment and repalr of equipment at Central and Dunbar High Schools by $5000, and | eliminated the item of $62.000 for stage equipment at the same schools. | “Text books: A supplemental estimate | of $240,000 was presented for considera- | tion for purchasing (ext books for high | school pupils in accordance with the recent act of Congress. “School buildings: Including supple- mental estimates for additional school building needs, the amount presented in the budget this year for new school butldings, additions, etc. amounted to $3.090,000. The committee has increased this amount, and there is recommended in the bill for the same purposes $3.240,000. The building projects are as follows: Completion of construction of the Alice Deal Junior High School, $300,000 For continuing the construction of a new school building for the Business High School, $600,000. For the construction of two gymna- slums at the Gordon Junior High School there was an estimate of $75,- 000. ‘The committee approved this amount and added an additional $180,- 006 for the construction of a 12-room addition. For the construction of an automobile instruction shop on the grounds of the Columbia Junior High School, $15,000 For the construction of a third story of eight rooms at the Powell Junior High School, including & gymnasium, $225.000. It is understood when this completed it will relieve the Monroe School, which school will be used for colored pupils. For the construction of a four-room addition to the Congress Heights School, $90,000. The original estimate for this project’ was $130,000, which included a combination gymnasium and assembly hall, which for reasons heretofore stated + the committce has not recommended. For the erection of a new platoon school building for colored puplls in Northeast Washinglon, $200,000. The committee added authority to permit the Cominissioners to enter into con- tracts for this building up to $300,000. For the erection of & junior high school building in Northeast Washing- | ton, $200,000, with a limit of cost of $500,000. For the construction of the Western High School athletic field, $55.000, with | a prior appropriation of '$45,000 made available for the same purpose. | For the construction of a four-room addition to the Deanwood School, $50,000. This estimate originally was for & gymnasium and assembly hall, which the committee changed | 'For the construction of an eight-room addition to the Whittier School, $150,- | 000. This project was added by the committee. For the construction of an sddition to the Stuart Junior High School, in- cluding 10 classrooms and 2 gymna- stums, $240,000. For the erection of an eight-room extensible bullding at Northampton street and Broad Branch road, $140,000. The estimate was for $200,000, which included & gymnasium and assembly hall. For the erection of an_eight-room extensible building in Wesley Heights, $140,000. The estimate for this con- templated only four rooms at $80,000, which the committee increased. For the erection of & four-room ex- | tensible building at Tenth and Frank- | lin_streets northeast, $80,000. For the construction of a 12-room | addition to the Anthony Bowen School at First and M streets southwest, $200,000, > | | ARCHITECT IS DEAD | SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 17 (#).—George Washington Smith, a yesterday following a year of ill health. | Smith was a member of the Ameri- can Institute of Architects and the | American Art Alliance, He was born in East Liberty. Pa., February 22. 1879, and was graduated | from Harvard and studied in Paris, | rance. He came here from Philadel- | phia in 1914, and is survived by his| | widow, Mrs. Mary Greenough Smith. | and a’sister, Mrs. Harmon Brown Bell, | Ruxton, Me. Funeral services will be held here tomorrow, | | RICH PRISON DIFT BRINGS CRITISM Tender Chicken, Choice Cuts of Meat and Fresh Fish on “Menu.” | (Continued From First Page.) were being addressed, agreed that the items were expensive. Exeerpts From Record. Excerpts from the record of the hear- ing follow: | Mr. Simmons—Fifty pounds of | oranges; the rest of that is caulifiower. parsley, spinach, etc.; 25 pounds of grapefruit, 25 pounds of Niagara grapes, u"byé variety, bunches to be compactly flled. Mr. Holaday—If you have the date on that it would shiow whether or not that food was out of season at that time. 'g‘r. Simmons—That is dated January. 1930 Pratt—The director prides her- self on giving them a diversified menu. Mr. Simmons—Here is one dated De- cember 30—25 pounds of grapes, 40 pounds of bananas, 5 pounds of cran- berries, 25 pounds of lettuce, Mr. Luckeet (chief clerk of the Police Department)—That is in season, is it not? Mr. Simmons—I do not think it necessary to buy that stuff for prison- ers in any event. Maj. Pratt—Of course, her desire has been to give the prisoners a better meal than they would be in the habit of getting at home. Mr. Simmons—Here is a line-up of food that the average person has some difficulty buying for his family when he is paying his own bills: Fifteen pounds fresh ham, 20 pounds veal cut- lets, a gallon of fresh oysters. Maj. Pratt—Of course, all of that is on contract. They get it at a lower the average purchaser would r. Simmons—I do not care where they get it. Here is an item: Thirty pounds strictly fresh chickens for roast- m R Maj. Pratt—The other side of that story is that the male prisoner who is unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of the police get a cup of coffee and a sandwich. (Police prisoners held at the precincts are fed by contract. meal.) Mr. Simmons—They are not only buy- ing chickens but buying them dressed, and doing that with a bunch of women down there: and the item is underlined in the typewriting on the specifications: “Old roosters will not be accepted.” Maj. Pratt—Well, that is & women's bureau Mr. Simmons—Here is a list for the 30th of November: Twenty-five pounds of grapes, 40 pounds bananas, 25 pounds grapefruit, 25 pounds celery. That seems to be just a permanent order for supplies. Mr. Holaday—I still hold to my sertion that we can put them up less expense at the Willard. Items In October. Mr. Simmons—This is your proof that you can do it. Here is another in Octo- ber: Seventy-five pounds of green corn on the ear, standard sweet varieties That is out of season in October. If there were some attempt down there to curtail expenses in the operation of that place. there might not be this feeling of the committee toward the situation down there. Here, again in October, we have the following: Twenty-five pounds of eggplant, 25 pounds of Niagara grapes, 50 pounds of watermelon, 15 pounds of lemons, 50 pounds of bananas, 25 pounds of grapefruit and 50 pounds of pears. Maj. Pratt—I think you will find that they get some fruit every morning for breakfast. They try to give them fruit every morning for break: That is the reason for the fruit. They usually have chicken on Sundays. They are fed well. Mr. Simmons—In Sepiember we have t [this list: Ten pounds of fish, croakers; 10 pounds of sea trout, 10 pounds of butterfish, 10 pounds of haddock, a gal- lon of shucked oysters, shucked clams, Mr. Holaday—Every first-class hotel when offering fish offers a variety of fish. Perhaps some of the prisoners do not like haddock, so they give them croakers. Mr. Simmons—Here again in August, 51, getting toward the Summer, they are (o itect and artist, died at his home |still using eggplant, watermelon, green Hou: peas in the pod. Maj. Pratt—Those things are all in season at that time, and cheaj the canned stuff would be. Mr. Simmons—Also 50 pounds of | pears. What obligation is there on the | part of the Eeopln to feed prisoners a menu like this? I think I know, and I would just as soon state it for the rec~ ord. They are buying this stuff be- cause they are eating there, Maj. Pratt—No;, them an |nj||l'k‘!$ think you are doing | ere. s e | of these prisoners. Mr. Simmons—I am glad to have ou_tell me so, Ma). Pratt—Mrs. Van Winkle, when she had that moving program we were established in B street, and the courts made us move again: she did not live in_the house at that time. Mr. Simmons—A number of the em- ployes are there now, are they not? Maj. Pratt—I think the matrons and people who are actually on duty there eat there; they may eat there. Mr. Simmons—That is what T mean They are serving themselves pretty well. . Maj. Pratt—Yes, sir.. Mr. Simmons—Here we are again in August, 10 pounds of croakers, 10 pounds spot fish, 10 sea trout, 10 pounds pollock, a gallon of fresh oysters, a gallon of fresh ciams. Maj. Pratt—Mr. Luckett just ealls my attention to the fact that there are five of those employes who have $300 a year deducted from their salaries be- cause they do get their meals at the place. Various Requisitions. Mr. Simmons—I would like to buy food for myself and my family with this kind of set-up at $25 a month. That was August 13. On the same day, after | they had had all that, they bought 30 pounds. of strictly fresh chicken, again with the notation, “old roosters would not be accepted.” Here is a requisition for meat in August—15 pounds frank- furters, 20 pounds sausage in links, 45 pounds breakfast bacon, 40 pounds leg of lamb, 4 pounds lamb chops, 30 pounds pork chops, 15 pounds roast loin, 4 pounds calves’ liver—the highest priced meat that they can buy, that is not used ordinarily except for anemics— 45 pounds ham. smoked and sugar- cured; 360 quarts of milk. Mr. Luckett—What period does that cover? We are required to put in & requisition covering a definite quantity of meats and food for the fi\lrfhl.\lng office by the month, and that is the reason they show up in those quantities there, Mr. Simmons—I understand that. 1 understand that they are buying for more than one day. The thing that I am pointing out is that you are main- taining a place, here where you are sup- posed to be caring for prisoners, and you are making it so popular that I doubt if the woman prisoners would want to leave ft. Maj. Pratt—That is what we're try- Ing to do, to reform (hem, start them Qut on & better scale of living, make them more ambitions o have this kind of fpod all the time. Makes Distinetion, Mr. Simmons continued reading from a list_of' requisitioned supplies and said: That sort of expenditure, in our judgment, cannot be justified at all. Of course, the prisoner is entitled to food and entitled to good food and in | The rate averages about 25 cents a Sufficient quantity, but I do not believe it is necessary to 'buy the type of food that the average man on a good v takes into his home, to feed prisoners Mr. Holaday—Does the chief clerk have the right to cut out things tha he does not approve? Maj. Pratt—Things not in season he is supposed to invite their attention to and those are stricken out. If they are out of season, all those thin, e Ing on contract, ihey would be higher than if they were in season. Mr. Holaday—As (o things that are in season, would the chief olerk have the right to regulate the purchases of supplies if. in his opinion, they are not warranted? Mr. Luckett—I have cut down the quantity on requisitions submitted by the Women's Bureau on numerous oc- casions, Mr. Holaday. I have also re- turned lots of requisitions because the articles were out of season. Mr. Simmons—That set of purchases looks as if it were made up by some- body who has an utter disregard for the matter of expense involved. The other home is operated on some sort of sensible basis of cost. Old Offenders. Mr. Cannon—Is the class of prison- S you have here a class that is ac- tomed to just about that sort of er: 2 diet? Maj. Pratt—No, sir; I would say no The prisoners we have there, a large percentage of them, are what we would term repeaters or old offenders, al- though she does get a number of first offenders, and frequently we get girls from refined homes, girls of good fami- lies who are temporarily stranded. something of that kind picked up around Union tion, walting for transportation. They are kept as lodgers until their families can be com- municated with, or their family can be | & gallon of notified and funds forwarded for them. down there, but, on top of that. they here is no discrimination in the type | T of food that is served. served the same food. They do not serve one kind of food to one group of persons and another to the others, * ¢ Mr. Holaday—You have the authority regulate “the food items of the se of Detention, have you not? Maj. Pratt—I have the authority, but I have not any desire or have not | ‘They all are per than' had any desire to tear down the diet Station while they let other passengers | ms are | essential to the welfare and well bein; We have left that | matter largely to her. { Mr, Simmons—If we should reduce the appropriation for maintenance. that would give you an incentive and a desire to do it? hMI.I. Pratt—We would have to do it. then. Lisls Upper lefi: An interior of the model housekeeping apartment in the McKin- ley High School, the appointments in which, Representative Simmons de- clares, “not ene child in a hundred in Washifigton” will have. Upper right: The electric refrigerator which Mr. Simmons says is “big enough to run a hotel” which is used in con- nection with the housekeeping apart ment and the high school's entire domestic science department. Lower: The famous “gold-lined sil- verware” used in the model apartment for demonstration and instruction pur- poses, which Mr. Simmons cites as an example of “wild expenditures.” TI silver, all plated ware, cost considerably less than $100 altogejher, and, scheol officlals declare, can be used indefinitely. —Star Staff Photos. PRATT REVEALS * ROVER DRY SQUAD Declares 2 Police and 2 U. S Agents Are Working Under U. S. Attorney. A special liquor squad composed of Iwo members of the Metropolitan Police Force and two prohibition enforcement officers is ‘working under the direction of United States Attorney Leo A. Rover, Maj. Henry C. Pratt, superintendent of police, revealed at the hearings beforc the House subcommittee on appropria- tions on the District appropriation bill for the 1931 fiscal year. Maj. Pratt told the commiitee that the squad conducts investigations on which the United States attorney's office bases padlock proceedings. Its work is chiefly in the nature of a check-up, he said, and it has made few if any arrests. Only 38 Have Authority. Maj. Pratt disclosed the existence of the squad while discussing prohibition enforcement. in (‘he District, during which he recounfed the problems of the police because of the lack of au- thority of the regular police officer to make arrests because there the District lacks a prohibition enforcement act. Only 38 members of the department, he saild, have been clothed with the au thority of prohibition enforcement offi- | cers, “While the police have had to bear | the brunt of criticism for non-enforce- ment of the law,” Maj. Pratt declared. “in law we are not charged with any | responsibility for its enforcement: but, in order to cope with the various crimes that have sprung up as an offshoot of the prohibition law, we have had to do something and for a long time we have not had any authority and it was de- termined to have these men sworn in as special deputy enforcement agents, which places them in a dual capacity. They are theoretically under the com- mand of the prohibition people. which BULDING SERVICE CHANGES PROVIDED 13 of 24 Additional Men Sought by Davison Are Granted in Bill. Reorganization of the building in- pection service of the District by the employment of 13 of the 24 additional | men originally sought by Maj. Donald | A. Davison, Assistant Engineer Com- | missioner in charge of those depart- | ments, ie provided in the District ap- | propriation bill reported to the House | toda y. | _Of the original requests the Budge: Bureau lopped off six of the new posi- | tions, and five others were left out by action of the House District subcom- | mittee on appropriations. The new positions approved will require an in- crease of $33,480 for the building in- spector's division as compared with current appropriations. In urging the proposed reorganiza- l!lon plan both Maj. Davison and Col. {John W. Oehmann, bullding inspector, ptmck vigorously at the present system, |under which the District, because of | lack of sufficient inspectors, is forced to permit private builders to pay extra inspectors on their own operations. | Salary Raises Cut. | The House subcommittee on appro- priations cut from the bill provision or $2,000 in salary advances based on efficiency ratings, in accordance with the classification act of 1923; for a first deputy inspectors of buildings at $4ww per year, and for a chauffeur chief fleld building inspector at $1,300 P ADproval of the additional inspectors Approval of 2 followed hearings, at which Maj. Davi- |son declared: “We are radically, des- | perately, in need of the increases; we ask for here. Declaring the nt force to be “totally inadequate,” he told the committee he knew of no ex- penditure of around $50,000 in the bud- get that would bring as great returns to the city as the increase in inspectors. | _The additional personnel approved in committee included a zoning engi- | neer, at $3,200 per year, to serve with { the District Zoning Commission, this | employe formerly being but one of the | buflding inspection service engineers as- | signed to this work: a chief concrete |and steel work inspector at $3.200; one | senior inspector of concrete work, | $2.800; one assistant chiet elevator in- spector $2,800: two field elevator in- spectors at $2.000; one fire escape in- spector at $2,000: five general buildi a]\snectnu at $2,300, and one additional clerk. Many Would Be Uninspected. When District officials appeared be- fore the committee to defend their es- timates for additional elevator inspec- tors Mr. Simmons asked: “What would be the condition in your department if we did not allow you these new em- ployes?" Col. Qehmann replied: “It would simply amount to this: The situation would gradually get worse amd worse. ! We would get further and further be- hind, and a good many freight elevators could not be inspected.” Mr. Simmons—Would you continue to function? Col. Oehmann—We could continue to function. It depends on the manner- of functioning. Take the matter of spe- | cial Inspectors, for instance. This pro- posed increase is suggested to overcome the objection made by the grand jury | to what they termed “the vicious system of inspections” by having the inspector hired and paid for by the owner (of the building). In other words, he would be susceptible to cover up any grave errors in construction that he otherwise would report. In this connection Representative Holaday asked: “Is it not a fact that | there are some companies who are | building with the intention of selling | who would not be adverse to covering | up any defects in a building?” | Maj. Davison—I would not want to say it as a fact, but there is a grave | danger that that might be the case. | Mr. Holad In a lot of instances | the owner and contractor are one and the same man? Other Contractors Hired. | | the necessary 50 feet across the Y | (to Colu dees not make for good business.” Maj. Davison—Yes. We have in- Says Violations on Decrease. stances where the owners have hired as In response to questions by members their inspectors persons who had con- of the subcommittee, Maj. Pratt ex-|tracts to furnish building materials, pressed the belief that liquor drinking | possibly structural steel or some other and rum running are on the decrease 'part of the building. The presumption in the District, eiting figures showing 'is you could not get a fair inspection & reduction in arrests in support of his |of the defects in a man's own material opinion. The Jones law, he said, has that he is furnishing under contract to been a big deterrent in liquor running. 'a builder. The department’s particular problem. — Engineer Commissioner Ladue—Tt is however. he declared, hasebeen what a theoretical and basically wrong thing, . they call Southern Marvland rye, which |~ Representative Thatcher—I think it comes in from the distilleries in South- 15 a very dangerous practice. sif brd ern Maryland. Col. Ladue—But. it is the practies - Maj. Pratt also said, in answer to and we have been obliged to adopt i to = questions, that a larger number of the get any sort of inspection. L persons engaged in the liquors traffic |~ Maj. Davison—Giving us this ins-5 are Negroes and foreigners, and very | cre: [ sonnel) w rrect few native-born Americans, Aoy CnCIR Wy " M: n added that he thought the builders would favor employment; of Government inspectors, since it wtle: - save them some money. ‘“‘None of these men (the builders), I believe, would:in- tentionally, deliberately, start in -to build wrong.” he said. “If a man has to decid> between covering up & mise take or putting his money in to ractify it, of course, it is not beyond the realm of possibilities under the present. sys- ° tem. it could be covered up." gedy re- MEMBERS OF HOUSE " ATTACK CAR ROUTING Arrangements for Peace Monu- ment Transfers Debated at Hearing, Mr. Thatcher—Until some tra; sults, Maj. Davison—Yes, CHARGES OUTSIDERS GET MOTHERS’ PENSIONS HERE will et a car wait, if there is a ear Routing of the Capital Traction Co.'s cars on the Fourteenth street line to the Unfon Station and Eighth veets northeast was ecriticized by Chairman Simmons of the House sub- committee on appropriations during :;];rln's on the District appropriation Wilson Declares Families Move to The Fourteenth stroet cars formerly | District in Order to Recsive, went up Capito to Seventeenth street and Pennslvania avenue south- | DoleTAfter One' Yesr. east, Mr. Simmons pointed out, but now . ve g0 to the Urflon Station and Eighth and | (, "ot hision. take. up sealdecre Rore “The result ix.” he said, “when you!| fOr & YeAL, ‘.:‘;J."fi%‘é'mizfl'rfl“‘“é’ufi come to Peace Monument in the morn- | ;o0 Director George 8. Wilson &Td the Ing practically everybody on these cars| pycirict appropriations subcommittee &% . B o e il qind, from 10 40 15 | their recent hearings on the 1931 Digs” or 20 people unloaded at Peace Monu- | (o supply bill. There was some talk - ment. T have stood there while they TAn | of making the residence. Tequiremgnt waiting to come on up to the Capitol |0, A% 10 shut out some of these undes o Whe are eot yed hok Only of peo- | *'Ur-"Wilson stated that the practice; 5 Southeast, but all day Ty meadj although it still prevailed. hds some. Who come by street car to see the Guy. At diminished over what it used to be y Athy et et AP in other jurisdictions 25 years aga,, Rep- et clime (Lop at the foot of the yeqentative Holaday said that he. had hill and climb the hill or Walt there even heard of certain States ving . for transfers.” 4 T at the practice and actually helping Not only do they make us unload famities “hy transporting them . steoss their borders so that they could hecome loading at Peace Monument, to come on §%7Ee? UPOR, the mothers” pension funds up here by the House ing, and an- o . other car for the Unlon Station stops. , eytont e peacsior i oo showing how, and a great number of passengers who | ”' Lo iy would as well go right on, have to walk ' o f ihe cessary 30 & here' REFRIGERATOR INSPECTOR “It 1s a decided inconvenience. They Sy will run the cars pretty nearly empty! Establishment of District government from the Peace Monument to the Union Inspection of the installations of all Station ml,llg:lc"or remote control m 1 ral A refrigeration systems is provided in an Representative Thatcher of Kentucky | item in the District budget nil. reported subsequently criticized the change in the | today to the House, providing for em- routing of thé Pirst and B streets cars | ployment of a new Zf-"m, for this on the Washington Railway & Electric |work by the plumbing department. Co. line. which, he said, makes It nec-| The new employe will be listed as an essary for persons going from the Cap- | assistant plumbing inspector at a salary itol to thy Northwest to transfer to get lof $2,600 per year. This was the only fi:lre"l‘d. whereas formerly | addition to the plumbing department cts they wo personnel included in the requested age W