Evening Star Newspaper, December 28, 1930, Page 13

’ admini |/ that brought them into office to face 3 NEW COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED DURING YEAR Gen. Croshy Remodels Police Force. Great Improvements Budgeted. Borland Law Remedy Urged. In retrospect, 1930 was a year of peace and tranquillity for the District government, in marked contrast to the mlnc three years of turmoil, in- disturbances and congressionzy investigations. Progress and achieve- ments were not submerged under clouds of sensational charges against munic- department heads, and shared, fore, their proper place in the history of the development of the Na- tion's Capital. Outstanding in the development of the past 12 months was a compleie change in the administrative personnel of the District government, which in itself constituted a stabilizing influence on the disturbing conditions which had existed. The entire Board cf Commis- sioners was replaced, and with the new officials there came new blood also in the ranks, of the assistant engineer commissioners. Three New Commissioners. Two of the former Commissioners, Proctor L. Dougherty and Sidney F. ‘Taliaferro, went out of office simul- taneously, and in their places Presi- | dent Hoover put Maj. Gen. Herbert B. | Crosby, former chief of Cavalry, Rmi; Dr. Luther H. Reichelderfer, a retired | hysician, who has long been prom- | it Washington, And a few months later Col. William B. Ladue, the | eer Commissioner, gave way to | . John C, Gotwals, who had just | finished his assignment as district en- gineer of the Army at St. Louls. Gen. 's appointment was pre- eded by one of the most vigorous cam- Ehl opposition ever initiated by e voiceless residents of the District against a nominee for a commissioner- ship—a protest free of personalism, but ted on the theory that the re- chief of Cavalry was legally in- eligible to serve; that his selection would bé contrary to the spirit if not the letter of the District's organic law which provides that two of the Com- missioners shall be chosen from eivil ranks. The Washington Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade and other oups, including organized labor of the istrict, opposed Gen. Crosby’s appoint- ment on the ground that he was a milif ‘man, irrespective of his retired status in the futile. Army. But the fight was | Leave Proud Records. Gen. Crosby was appointed and sub- sequently confirmed by the Senate, and he took office April 10, along with his coll Dr. Reichelderfer. At the same e Dougherty and Taliaferro, who had been holding office beyond the of their respective terms on 4, at the request of the Presl- dent, left the District Building to take up duties in civil life—Dougherty to become director of the Eyesight Con- servation Commission and Taliaferro to vice president of Riggs Na-| tional Bank. These two officials left behind a d record of achievements and fast- fading memories of the turmoil and disturbances of the early days of their istration. It was perhaps fate a period that developed into one of the most disturbing in ‘the history of the District government, but they left haj in the thought that peace and quiet had been restored, and that their successors took over a smooth c- tigning machine. Tt was July, however, before the re- nization of the Board of Commis- signers was completed. Engineer Com- missioner Ladue finished the tenure of his assignment and left for a new post on the West Coast, and Maj. Gotwals eame to Washington from St. Louis to succeed him. Maj. Robb Comes Here. In the meantime, an important ehange had taken place in the staff of | the engineer officers detailed to assist Cal. Ladue. Maj. Layson E. Atkins, an | assistant engineer commissioner, who | also had finished his assignment in Washington, was transferred to Alaska to become the engineer member of the Alaskan Roads Commission, and Maj. Holland L. Robb, fresh from a two-year ¢oarse at the Army General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, was detailed as his successor. Maj. Atkins left behind him in Washington an enviable record of service, the most notable achievement of which involved the acquisition of a major portion of the site for the Dis- trict’s municipal center. Another vital change in the admin- istrative personnel of the District oc- curred July 1, when C. B. Hunt, veteran engineer of highways, was retired after 33 years of service. The Commissioners filled his post by the promotion of Oapt. Herbert C. Whitehurst, chief engineer and co-ordinator. The advancement of Capt. Whitehurst was regarded as a just reward for his many years of service to the District, a part of which he was in the capacity as Assistant Engineer Commissioner. Police System Studied. Gen. Crosby, who came into office, | LEADERS charged by the President with the task of strengthening the police department, | and reducing crime in the District, | began almost immediately to make an exhaustive study of the police force | with & view to making it a model for | the nation. His theory for achieving | this goal was first to build a solid | foundation with the proper personnel, and this he has almed to do by re- moving those men who did not follow the precepts laid down in the police manual of conduct. He has endeavored to build up a force of men having as their three fundamental elements courtesy, humanism and discretion. Gen, Crosby also has been instru- mental in making two major changes | in police activities—he brought about | the motorization of the patrol force of | the second police precinct by putting | foot patrolmen on duty in automobiles | and directed the centralization of the vice and liquor squads under the com- mand of Inspector T. R. Bean. Both | changes resulted in more effective po- lice work. Budget Sets Record. ‘The most important work the Cam-i missioners have done as a board dur- | ing their brief tenure, however, was the | reparation of the District's annual | gud'et for the 1932 fiscal year, which is now before Congress, calling for ap- -opriations totaling $47,796,047. Though r:fll.filb less than the amount appro- priated for the current fiscal year, the new budget in reality is the largest ever submitted because of a provision reserving $1,500,000 for beginning con- struction of buildings in the municipal center area. This $1,500,000 reserv: tion would bring the actual 1932 bud- | get up to an unprecedented total of $49.206,047. The new budget provides a number of outstanding improvements of major importance and continues appropria- | tions necessary for the progressive pro- | gram of relieving congestion in the public schools through the elimination | of oversize and part-time classes and the flimsy one-room portables. Urge Borland Law Change. Two other important administrative actions of the Board of Commissioners was the preparation and transmission to Congress of proposed legislation gruc;u viding for an amendment of the - land law and a bill to give them re- sponsibility for traffic control in the District. The traffic bill resulted from an in- tensive investigation of traffic regula- tion and control made by a special ad- visory council created by the Commis- sioners in the Summer. The proposed amendment of the Borland law was recommended to counteract the effect of a decision of the Supreme Court and will give the Commissioners the power, in their diseretion, to “abate, reduce | or adjust” assessments which aggrieved | property owners prove to their satis- | faction are inequitable. School Year Shows Progress, Despite Vitriolic Beginning in & virtual shower of| , the public school | written a story of Launched eangressional vitriol year of 1930 has | steady progress in the elimination of 14| portable schoolhouses and the opening ©f a corresponding group of modern | mew buildings, an increase of 3254 in the total enrollment, & new kindergar- | ten policy that makes for increased efficiency, and a free text book law that | materially aids Washington parents in | sending their children to high school. Comingled with these advances are developments that make the past year @istinctive from its predecessors. There ‘was in 1930 the Communistic scare, the vesignation of one Board of Education member and the subsequent reappoint- ment of a former president of v.he’ board, the launching of studies in the interest of vocational education and of erippled and otherwise subnormal chil- dren, and the smoke law trial, which resulted in the fining of a school sys- tem officer under prosecution by an sistant corporation counsel. Ballou Finishes Tenth Year. Further, the past year marked the| eompletion of Dr. Frank W. Ballou’s tenth year as superintenden: of ‘ash- ington’s public schools and the fortieth ear of Assistant Supt. Stephen E. er's service to public education here. At the beginning of 1930 the public| school authorities were preparing (o go into the hearings on the 1931 appropri- ation bill. Scarcely had the executive sessions opened for the consideration of school estimates than Representa- tive Robert G. Simmons of Nebraska launched an attack upon the local school administration which for bitter- ness had no recent precedent. The school authorities were charged with “gquandering” public funds in “extrav-| nt” purchases. A jumicr high ko condemned for s doodads." the local school officials were braided for failure to reproduce in that bujlding, the Paul Junior High School, the unattractive and. incompletely ipped Macfarland * Junior High WL e kindergarten system was called vagantly administered,” and the ] Board was condemned for mak- Jere J. Orane * tead of * Designation Changed. During this upheaval the school au- thorities def school Crane had of business B e S R e uctasand nnvigerng. 1 the system. Since Board of e aetally designind, Mr. Pt ita su- shortcomings e e of its Kindeipa. nization of the K. .gd- ... Education ignal , Crane as | commul assistant sup-rintefident in charge grades, or through the resignation of | teachers whose places were not filled. | Legislation making the interchange of kindergerten teachers possible was | eligibility of kindergarteners was writ- ten into the appropriations act for 1931 | as a legislative proviso. As a result of new school pletions, 58 of the one-room frame port- ables remain in service as the new year is begun. When 1930 was entered, 72 of these objectionable structures, which long have been condemned by The Eve- ning Star, with the support of many civic organizations of the Capital, were in service. Portables to Be Reduced. The new schools which were opened included, besides the Paul Junior High | School, the John Quincy Adams School | at Nineteenth and California streets, tc replace the old Adams School, which had been on the condemned list for in Chevy Chase, which, at one stroke, | eliminated five portables from that corll!- | gested community; the William | Powell School in the communities north of Columbia Heights, and the additions |to the Park View School, which put | another large group of portables out of service there. Impetus in the drive against vort- ables was given this year by the active interest of the Bureau of the Budget, which, with the counsel of the school cfficers, placed into the 1931 budget | funds for the construction of several | amaller bullding projects. These four- | Toom units, by virtue of the fact that | they are to be built before a full school | building enrollment actually exists in | a community, places a limit upon the potential need for portables by pro viding & permanent building from t to four years earlier than it ctherwisc would have become available. The past year was marked by the unroofing of a portable school at Wes- ley Heights and the consequent narrow escape of its oocupants on April T. | Speedy action on the part of the school authorities generally resulted in pre- tions to prevent a repetition of the danger. On April 8 Dr. Charles F. Carusi, school board president, ordered an immediate inspection made with a view to determine whether roof beams similar request for the expedition of the survey, and on April 10 the school their purchases of | board o that Mr. of at least 27 teachers have umnvm" in the elementary house com~ many years; the B. W. Murch School | IN Second row, left to right: Representative Clarence L. McLeod, merce; Mark Lansburgh, president, Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association, and George Plitt, president, Board of Trade. Bottom row, left to right: Frank W. Ballou, superintendent of schools; Henry G. Pratt, superintendent of Metropolitan Police; George S. Watson, chief engineer of the Fire Department, and Dr. George C. Havenner, president, Federation of Citizens' Associations. ot THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGT 2 D C! DECEMBER 285 1930—PART ONY. DISTRICT AFFAIRS DURING THE YEAR OF 1930 Top row, left to right: Dr. Luther H. Reichelderfer, president of the Board of Commissioners; Maj. John C. Gotwals, Engineer Commissioner; Gen. Herbert B. Crosby, Commissioner in charge of Police and Fire Departments, and Senator Arthur Capper, chairman of the Senate District Committee. cting ehair man of the House District Committee; Rudolph Jose, president, Chamber of Com- 1330 BUSY PERIOD FOR TRADE BODIES Most Ambitious Programs in Their History Undertaken During Year. As an encouraging concomitant of the natural rise of municipal problems that accampanies the growth of a progressive city, the three major trade bodies of Washington during the past year en- gaged in programs of activities probably unparalleled in their history. Evidencing a rise in public conscious- ness on the part of business interests of the city, who represent a large body of the taxpayers of the National cn&l)m. the Board of Trade, Chamber of - merce and the Merchants and Manufac- turers’ Association studied and took ac- tion on a wide range of matters per- taining to the city's development and operation. Many Subjects Studied. Taxation and budget matters, public schools, parks, traffic direction, the pay e lioguage blsadening tse |2, Aremen and policemen. the proposed city airport, streets and parking and a host of other municipal questions have been given extended study by the or | ganizations, which also have continued to fight for an equitable settlement of the fiscal relationship between the local and Federal governments and for pro- | vision of national representation for the disfranchised residents of the District. All three organizations were repre- sented in the recent hearings before the special committee of the House of Rep- resentatives engaged in taking evidence ‘ooncemlng the proper fiscal relations of |the local and National governments, Edward F. Colladay appearing as the spokesman for these and other organi- zations in the Joint Committee on Fiscal | Relations Board of Trade Grows. The Board of Trade brought its mem- | bership close to 4,000 during the past | year and considerably increased its re- serve finances. Its attendance at meet- | ings was doubled over totals for the | previous year. | One of the outstanding projects of | the board was the making and pub- |lishing of a master community survey |of Greater Washington, the first of its kind ever made here, showing details of many phases of the business, govern- mental and social activities of the Na- tional Capital and its suburban areas. The report was compiled at a cost of about $10,000. During the session of Congress last Spring the Board of Trade supplied members of the Senate information concerning taxation matters which was used in the successful fight made by the Senate for an increase in the Fed- eral lumr-wm appropriated toward ex- penses of the Capital City. Promotion Bureau Formed. The Board of Trade has formed a Washington Promotion Bureau to en- courage tourist travel to the National Capital on a permanent basis. It inter- ested Dr. Hugo Eckener, commander of the Graf Zeppelin, in development of a terminal in Hybla Valley near Alexan- dria, now reported to be one of three under serious consideration. The Board of Trade supplied instruments set up in the proposed site for the taking of weather reports. famous French fiyers, Coste and Bellonte, were given r welcome by the board at a banquet meeting. A new edition of the ingto! a movement initiated n the of erce and intensively by the group, was one of the major objectives of this trade or- ge~ization for the year. < une field of fiscal relations the namier’s oroposal for a committee to investigate the advisability of a fiscal relations commission {( was mm% the time. Fhe Moore bill, provid- VOTE FOR DISTRICT CAMPAIGN SHOWS PROGRESS DURING YEAR Radio, Literature and Public Addresses Utilized by Citizens Group Seeking Rep- resentation—Many Vote Support. ‘Through the media of radio, literature and public addresses, the Citizens' Joint Committee on National Repre- sentation for the District of Columbia carried forward in 1930 its ceaseless crusade for political equity for the dis- franchised residents of the Nation's Capital. A score or more educational radio programs, broadcast under the auspices of the Joint Committee, coupled with the mass of printed matter distributed throughout the country and the speeches made before various organi- zations oy members of the committee, produced encouraging results and un- doubtedly brought the committee's goal of national representation a step nearer. | W. Growing Support Evidenced. ‘There was substantial evidence of growing support for the movement, not only in the District, but other sections as well, particularly where messages of the voteless plight of its residents reached for the first time. And impor- tant, too, was the increasing number of assurances from members of the House and Senate of their support of the pending joint congressional resolu- tion proposing an amendment to the Federal Constitution, which would grant the District repreggntation in the House and Senate and the electoral college With the co-operation of Washing- ton's broadcasting stations, the radio educational campaign was started early in the year and continued intensively for several months. In that time the committee’s plea for recruits in the campaign for a vote went into count- less homes. The radio speakers, repre- senting nearly every phase of the Dis- trict's civic, business and official life, included Fred A, Emery, former Repre- sentative John H. Small of North Caro- Una, Guilford 8. Jameson, Representa- tive L. M. Black of New Yark, Repre- sentative Clyde Kelly of Pennsylvania, Miss Jessie Dell, member of the Civil Service Commission; Capt. Harvey L. Miller, commander of the District De- gr'-ment, Veterans of Foreign Wars; presentative Fred A. Hartley of New Jersey, Senator Gerald P. Nye of North Dakota, Oliver Owen Kuhn, managing editor of The Evening Star; Maj. Julius 1. Peyser, Representative A. J. Hickey of Indiana, Frank J. Coleman, secre- tary of the Central Labor Union; Miss Etta L. Taggart of the Citizens’ Ad- visory Council, and John ‘Joy Edson, & vice chairman ot the Joint Committee. Mr. Edson’s talk was broadcast over an extensive network of the Columbia Broadcasting System and under aus- pices of the National Security League. Public addresses on national repre- ing for such a commission, was intro- duced in the House of Representatives. Intensifies Buy-Here Drive. In the field of industrial development o the chamber intensified its efforts to promote a “Buy-in-Washington” move- ment and co-operated in the launching of the new Buy-in-Washington Coun~ cil. A series of visits to industrial Elllu were inaugurated and a new igh record was established by the chamber’s sixth annual industrial ex- of and fire | pleted. position, which was viewed by over 100,000 Washingtonians. it The _chember sored _th e r:rme e pvrpen e o J {8 2w s r mmmmmmn‘-, :.” - , Was coms ear the ‘The “Buy-Now-for-Bettep-Business” sentation were made before various or- ganizations by Jesse O. Suter, a vice chairman of the Joint Committee; Paul E. Lesh and George Adams of the Jun- or Citizens’ Alllance of Washington. In addition, George A. Ricker spoke on the same subject before the National Council of State Legislatures in con- vention in Chicago, which resulted in the council reafirming the indorsement of the national representation move- ment by its Executive Committee. The crusade for national representa- tion also was marked by a number of special features during the year. These included a debate between teams rep- resenting the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. . C. A, which the women's team won by supporting the subject that the residents of the District should be granted the franchise; a National Rep- resentation night celebration by the Washington Chamber of Commerce; a radio celebration on Lincoln’s birthday anniversary in the interest of national representation, at which Rev. Joseph Siaoo, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, served as master of ceremonies, and & special observance of the 157th anniversary of the Boston tea party during which Mr. Suter and Frederic William Wile, inent news- paper writer and au spoke over WMAL during the weekly program of “Radio Joe and His Budget Boys.” The committee also observed Election day in November as a day of humiliation and mourning to the “un-Americanized” of the District, and a day of national en- thusiasm and patriotic pride to other Americans. Effective Exhibit Maintained. The committee maintained an effec- tive exhibit at the annual industrial exposition of the Washington Chamber of Commerce, where striking signs and appealing slogans were displayed and quantities of informative literature were distributed. Among the organizations which dur- ing the year indorsed the national rep- resentation movements and joined in the campaign are the Rockville Pike Assoclation, the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, District of Michigan; National Council of Jewish Women, Na- tional Camp of the Patriotic Order of Americans, Illinois State Council, the Illinois Society of National Painters and Decorators and the New York State Council of the same organization. In addition, the Soclety of Natives of the District created a special committee on national representation. The committee's activities have been directed from its headquarters office in The Star Bullding, with Mr. Suter in charge. campalgn as conducted by the chamber October aroused city-wide interest e The chamber lcipated actively in relief measures for the benefit of the unemployed. It created the first emer- gency em ent bureau and spon- sored a ter benefit which netted $3,000 for this purpose. The creation of a central committee on employ- ment was urged and initial steps were taken to in of the Marine- classic for ing, through HOMIGIDE CASE SETYEAR RECORD 40 Accusations Disposed of During 1930—Seven Re- ceive Death Sentences. The criminal branches of the Dis- trict Supreme Court disposed of 40 homicide cases during the past year. It is said to be the largest number of such cases ever to attract the court's attention in a single year in its history, The prosecution of a large number of these cases has fallen to Assistant United States Attorney Willlam H. Collins. Seven Sentenced to Die. Seven persons were convicted of first- degree murder and have received the | death sentence. Eighteen pleaded guilty or were convicted of murder in the sec- ond degree, four of them being sen- tenced for life, the others for varying terms of 20 years to 60 years. Verdicts of manslaughter were rendered in six cases, while one prisoner was held to be insane. Four were acquitted of homicide charges and two cases were nolle prossed. Those convicted of first-degree mur- der include Alfred S. Aldridge, sen- tenced March 17, now on appeal; An- drew J. Hawkins, sentence afirmed in Court of Appeals March 21; Cardoza Bell, sentenced May 23, now on appeal; John Borum, John Logan and Milton Guy, sentenced July 22, on appeal, and Charles Morris, sentenced December 0. Life sentences were imposed on James H. Hatton, June 28; Joseph E. Crawford, June 19; Franklin E, Smith, June 28, and Dexter Dayton, June 19. Zacheus White was given 60 years, August 22; Joseph Hardy, 40 years, November 4; Jamea H. Williams, 30_years, December 19, and Harry Brown, 30 years, Novem- ber 21. Others receiving the minimum sentence include Amos Mungo, Novem- her 14; Benjamin Branson, February last; Prank A. Cozzens, November 14; Eddie Stewart and Lloyd Nevitt, June 2. ‘Willlam Carter got 30 years, August 16; William C. Butler, 25 years, June 2, and Isaiah Potter, 25 years, July 26. Manslaughter Sentences Imposed on Six. Manslaughter sentences of from 18 ; | months to 13 years and 6 months were imposed on six persons. The higher sentence was given to Leon T. Brown and Lawrence Bias; Willlam C. John- son, 4 years; Elous Willlams, 10 years, February 21: Walter C. Burris, 5 years, Novemhber 7; Condee Harris, 18 manths, December 5, and Buster Buchanan, 10 years, December 19. Acquittal of homicide charges were obtained by Herbert M. Campbell, Octo~ ber 22: Wugene Brooks, November 20; Lee Din, Ooctober 29, and Theodore Smith. May 20. Albert T. Pumphrey, who killed his two small children, was held to be insane. February 15, and is confined at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. ——— other methods. 'Of noteworthy importance in the as- sociation’s year was its stand in vigor~ ously opposing the plan to increase the gasoline tax and automobile regis~ tration fee in the District. The asso- jon also objected strenuously to the te levy a tax commensurate with their gross advocated the employment, and District cf prol & union bus ; provision for un~ derground king facllities at Four« teenth and Pennsylvania avenue, in the Poli’s Theater block, which the Government ta_devel into a park; adoption of the Hoover left-hand turn towm .tzt':’h':‘ mtzr'uetkm- as a substitution present rotary MANY LAWS ARE PASSED OF INTEREST TO DISTRICT House Group to Begin Budget Task on Assumption of $9,500,000 : Federal Contribution. With an increase of $500,000 in the Federal share toward upkeep of the National Capital as one of the out- standing steps taken by Congress dur- ing the year drawing to a close, the House Appropriations Committee will start to work January 5 on a District budget for the coming fiscal year, based on a continuation of the new $9,500,000 contribution from the Federal Treasury. Meanwhile, a special House committee is already well along on a study of the fiscal relations problem which grew out of the fight between the two Houses last Summer over the extent to which the Federal Government should share in_the support of the Nation’s Capital. The year 1930 was marked by enact- ment of & number of other laws of in- terest to the le of Washington and the army of Government employes here, including the following measures: ‘The Cramton-Capper law for the comprehensive development of the park and playground system, both within the Capital City and the Maryland and Virginia environs. Private Structure Design Restricted. ‘The Shipstead law to protect the architecutre of public improvements by authorizing the Commission of Fine A1 to pass on the exterior design of private structures to be erected adjacent to the more important Federal reservations one to modify the old Borland street paving assessment law, which has been made ineffective in a large number of, cases by various court decisions, Another “urgent measure is one t4* amend the traffic code by abolishings the office of traffic director vesting, regulatory power in the Commissioners and providing for titling of automobiles. The third urgent measure is for the' widening of mmmnth street. - House Leader has given assur-* ance to the Commissioners that if and when the House Committee favorably : reports these measures he will find time for their consideration in the House. Borland Law Hearing Promised. Benator Capper has announced that '’ his committee also will hold hearings in January on the question of what- should be done with the Borland law" and on the Commissioners’ traffic bill. - One of the first laws enacted during * 1930 was the measure at free text books for pupils in the senior and - Junior high schools, a system which ° has been in effect in the grade schools- for a number of years. > The year 1930 also was marked by en-- actment of a pay-increase law for the members of the Police and Fire Depart- * ments. ‘The law authorizing establishment of~ a children's tuberculosis sanitc ium and other Government-controlled areas. The new. civil service retirement plan, providing for increased annuities under & new system by which the annuities gmm'taur:hyur,:';fll :eu 8 closer rela- e salaries drawn loyes prior to ref nt. b law granting additional pay in- creases to & large number of Govern- ment employes to correct inequalities which were found to exist as a result of the interpretation of the salary in- crecue act o lg:. ongress _en upon | nex? Week with & number of pier portant pleces of proposed legislation ‘(,('!Ir tthh: HDlatrict :'litln‘ action either ouse and Senate in. committee, e Salary Increase Bill Interests, Local interest centers first on question of what decision Congress -mm come to on the $4,250,000 recommenda-~ tion by the President and Budget Bu- reau as the first year’s quota in a three-year program of al under-averaged salaries up to the aver- age for similar work throughout the Government service. Al these salary increase ftems will be scattered through all of the departmental ap- E‘mp tion bills, the policy to be wed is to be determined in the first supply bill, the Treasury-Post Office measure. bill came from the conferees shortly before Christmas in such form that lapsed balances of appropriations could be used to grant m ::creuee. but 20;! the additional ce recomment by the for beginning a systematic pmgr.mm:; raising under-average grades :A‘:EwdA ‘m Senate, however, rejected conference ) W] b‘&wm s report, which means the whén the session One re- sult of the new conference may be. to force a vote in the House directly upon the question of starting the three-year e budget recommendations totalin; $47,796,047 for the District of Cl)ll)l'llE bia for the fiscal year beginning July 1 next are to come up for considera- tion before the subcommittee of the House Appro tions Committee on January 5, when hearings are to start before the Simmons subcommittee with the District Commissioners as the first witnesses. New Budget Is Largest. While the total is $601,385 less than the amout appropriated for the current year, the new budget in reality is the largest ever transmitted, because of a provision reserving $1,500,000 for be- ginning work on the new municipal center group as soon as the plans have been drafted and approved for the en- tire group project. The Senate District Committee has already acted on several matters since the present session opened a month ago, Including a favorable report on a substitute bill to authorize a reduced rate of fare for school children on street cars and busses. The a bill early in 1930 fixing the school fare definitely at two cents. The Senate Committee has rewritten the House measure to authorize the Public Utilities Commission to determine what the re- duced rate should be, with a proviso that it shall not exceed one-half the adult fare. Chairman Capper has re- ported the revised bill and if the Senate passes it, the measure will be finally worked out in conference between the two houses. Condemnation Law Reported. ‘The Senate Committee also has voted a favorable report on an amendment to the Federal condemnation law rec- ing among its member retaflers, and |and m:‘m«"m- A3 i used the ommended by Attorney General Mit- chell which he claimed would expedite acquisition of sites for several public improvements soon to be undertaken in Washington. The amendment is in- tended to speed up acquisition of sites for the new Post ice and Inter- state Commerce buildings in that sec- tion of the t.rllnfle lying west of twelfth :ltlrn’t; '-l"‘l':e llgq:r m:ln lddiflonll build- g for ent of ulture and the. site for relocation 3’7& Bo- tanic Garden. The new condemnation law enables the Government to obtain immediate ession of a proposed site by paying the estimated fair value in advance of the condemnation proceed- ings, and paying any additional amount found by jury at the conclusion of the proceedings. The attorney general explained that the amendment is need- ed to let the Government obtain im- mediate possession of sites in cases where the preliminary condemnation work had been started prior to the enactment of the new law. Blaine Group Plans Three Bills. Shortly _after the reconvening. of Congress December 1, the Blaine sub- committee of the Senate District Com- mittee resumed its !m“l‘:. into the real estate and security ess. This subcommittee has three proposed laws in mind. One, the bill to regulate and license real ‘:uu brokers .and sales to go back to conference | tios is resumed. ‘The | the organizati 8nd | o'Connor was master of ceremonies trict Committee introduced a resolution propflll% an investigation of bresd prices. The committee has reported the resolution favorably and it is awaiting action by the Senate. The resolution ;,n worded broadly enough The House to hold District its committee much-txg e e o A this measure in for erat] in_the Ho ‘The most §mportant and the first ch the House Committee vmhm-mm counsel are . rging— was amended to raise the authoriza- * tion from $500,000 to $625,000. Con-- gress took an important step during the past year toward relieving court con- gestion and speedlng up the adminis- tration of justice here by providing? four additional judges—two in the Dis- trice Supreme Court and two in the ! Court of Appeals. 4 While the District committees were making this progress on various problems, other congressional commit- tees also were going forward during 1930 with legisiation to advance the. plans of the Federal Government for & new buildings and the physical im- . provement of Federal areas in the Na. tional Capital. <3 Building Program Increased. Before the long session ended last . Summer an authorization was put through for a $115,000,000 increase in _ the Federal building program here, to be appropriated gradually over a period of years along with previous authoriza-"* tions, At the same time, an authoriza- tion was approved for another $6,500,000 ' annex to the Library of Congress, to be. . placed just east of the original Library of Congress Bullding and south of the . Polger Building now nearing comple- tion at Second and East Capitol streets to house the Shake collection. Another authorizal was that of $4,000,000 for an addition to the . ington City Post Office and a similar addition to the New National Meseum. There was also a $225,000 authorization . {:r improvements at the Naval Observa- Ty. . The enabling act for the United States Supreme Court Bui %" elimi- | also . site work on the foundations comms the new House Office Building, south of: the Capitol between New Jersey avenue and South Capitol recently, 2 contract was let for the superstructure. At the same time, progress was bel ) B Ciacing ‘the. Capitor grounds 1. ex g Capitol Union Station and improving the ex- terfor of the Senate Office Building o~ ve 8 better archifectural view from budget carries erecting & new Office , on ellAt‘, fmmb(ll another step In carrying out the Federal , Col - program, ngress early in the year passed the resolution ordering the closing of Center Market . at the end of the year to make way for the new monumental Archives Building. Resolutions have been intro- - duced in in recent weeks seek- ing to delay further the market closing,. . although a contract for the clearing of - the archives site has been awarded. Airport Awaits House Action. Early in 1930 th> Senate to authorize establishment mmfl‘ o - for the District of Columbia, to be used also by various Federal Government . establishments, on a site at the south- end of Highway Bridge that would in- (™de two commercial airfields and ad- jacent Government-owned land. This Senate action followed extensive hear- ings before a joint committee of House . and Senate. This measure is still await- ing House action. : A number of other local measures were reported from the House and Sen- ate District committees during 3 have not yet been enacted into law. On the Senate side the committee has. Piemens ational. pron 3 plement national bition in District; the street railway lution; the bill to authorize merger of the Washington and Gas. Light Companies, and the gambling laws. All of these meas- ures are still awaiting action Senate. There is also on the Senate calendar awaiting action the bill which the House » passed early in the year to require mo-_ torists who are convicted of major traffic offenses to show financial re- sponsibility before having their permits.. to drive restored. . CHRISTMAS PARTY GIVEN BY CAPITAL ROTARIANS - Program of Entertainment, Music . and Dancing Presented and Gifts Are Distributed. An extended program of entertain- ment, music and dancing and distribu- ' tion of presents marked the “ladies’ ‘ night” and Christmas e ey ast ni n the large ‘Willard Hotel. Approximately 360 members and - guests of the organization attended the y. Season greetings were extended - y Henry N. Brawner, jr., president of - x » party meef 3 Club, sta; “ ball room of on, 5 Rev. 0. T. Warner of the Washington - Cathedral offered an invocation. George acted as Santa Claus in the distribu- tion of gifts. Robert J. Cottrell was chairman of the General Committee in Charles T, mafen was chairman of ‘Ticket ittee; _Daniel entertainment; A. P. Reeves, dinner:™ Oscar R. Evans, decorations; George I;Whlz and Roland White<, urs ‘WATCH NIGHT’ MEETING Sons of Jonadab ‘Will Hear Ade. dress by Leo A. Rover. ‘The Sons ot Jonadab will conduct “watch ht” m v Y