Evening Star Newspaper, January 7, 1935, Page 11

T HE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 1935. A—11 DISTRICT’S BUDGET IS SLASHED $2,204,534 BY BUREAU CAPITAL OUTLAY 1S CUT SEVERELY Relief and Lump Sum Boost | Sacrificed, to Slash Re- quest $2,204,534. (Continued From First Page.) Commission an increase of $13,445 for additional personnel so that its staff, crippled by the drastic reduction in appropriations for the -current year, can be restrengthened. Viaducts to Be Financed. It sets aside $200,000 for the con- struction of the Franklin Street Via- duct over the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road tracks, $100,000 for acquisition | T land necessary for the erection of a viaduct over the dangerous Michi- gan avenue grade crossing, and $200,- 000 for reconstruction of the Benning Road Viaduct over the Baltimore & | Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad | freight lines on Benning road. The | completion of these projects will leave only two grade crossings to eliminate, one at Quarles street and the other at_Bates road. The bridge program also includes an item of $15,000 for surveys and an engineering investigation looking toward replacement of the old Penn- sylvania Avenue Bridge over the Anacostia River. It would make available to the Fire Department 877,241 of the unex- pended balance of appropriations in 1927 and 1928 for the erection of a fire house in the vicinity of Sixteenth street and Piney Branch road, which was never built because of the objec- tion of residents in the neighborhood. ‘This money is earmarked for a new truck house on District-owned land at Fourteenth street and Rhode Island avenue northeast. It also provides for the reappro- priation cf the unexpended balance of a $330,000 appropriation in 1931 for continuing the reclamation and de- | velopment of Anacostia Park. Water Rate Slash Continued. In addition, the budget recom- mends the continuation of the 25 per cent reduction in water rates put into effect this year, slong with an in- crease in the metered allowance from 7,500 to 10,000 cubic feet. Despite this cut, estimated to save water rent payers $600,000 a year, the Water Department has piled up a surplus which is expected to reach $650,000 at the close of the 1936 fiscal year on the lower rates. Another major improvement would be the long-sought walled inclosure around ‘he District Reformatory at Lorton, Va. The budget reserves $190,000 for this purpose and pro- vides salaries for eight additional guards. The new school facilities which the budget would authorize follow: An eight-room building on the site of the John F. Cook School, $110,000. A 10-class-room-and-gymnasium ad- dition to the Eliot Junior High School, $175,000. An eight-room addition to the Ran- dall Junior High School, $110,000. Beginning construction of an ad- dition to the Anacostia Junior to be used for senior high pupils, $250,000, with a limit of cost placed at $350,000. Completion of construction and im- provement of the grounds of the Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, | $70.000. Improvements at Armstrong High School, $70,000. ‘Water Extensions Planned. Aside from these improvements, all | of which will be financed out of the | general revenues of the District, the budget sets up a program of exten- tion for the Water Department, using | the funds which it collects from water | rent payers. 5 | Two new 36-inch mains are pro- posed in this program, one from | Fourth and E streets southwest to | Canal and E streets, costing $46,200, | and the other from Eleventh and Kenyon streets to Seventeenth and | Taylor streets, estimated to cost | $120.250. ‘The Water Department also would be authorized to spend $123,000 for a new 25,000,000-gallon pumping unit at the Bryant Street Station, and $3,000 for a smaller 1.000,000-gallon unit at the Anacostia Station. One of the things the budget fails to do is to provide for full restoration of the curtailed street-lighting fund, which means that the District is | faced with another year of econo- | mized illumination with dimly lighted | streets. At the same time, however, the budget carries an increase of | $31,000 for the extension and im- | provement of the street lighting sys- tem in the outlying sections. Added Police Plan Fails, The budget likewise ignored the request of Police Supt. Ernest W. Brown for 35 additional policemen to bring his force up to normal strength in an effort to cope with the present gambling situation. The Highway Department is al- located $2,849,800 out of the gasoline tax funds for street and road im- provements and repair, but despite this expenditure, representing as it does an increase of about $300,000 over the current appropriation, it is estimated there will be a surplus of about $283,000 in the gas tax revenues by the close of the 1936 fiscal year. The Traffic Department is_allowed $63,000, the same amount as appro- priated this year for adding to its network of lights, signals, etc., and the Public Library is given $60,000, or $20,000 more than this year for the purchase of books, periodicals, and | newspapers. The increase, however, is intended to equip the new George- :a:r‘:dl;;asnn%la ;l?xe Library also is al- of X or repairs to libr: buildings. , 5 ot Some of the minor budget alloca- tions provide $5,000 for repairs and improvements at the municipal fish wharf and market, and $34,500 for three new combination hose wagons for the Fire ent. The budget also carries a restric- tion that has been in effect for sev- eral years preventing the Public Util- ities Commission from enforcing its old order designed to force taxicabs to be equipped with meters. No Surplus Provided. One of the serious features of this “balanced budget,” not stressed in the budget report itself, is that there will be no surplus in the general tax fund at the close of the 1936, fiscal year. ‘The District, on the basis of present | estimates, will start the coming fiscal year with a surplus of $2,450,000, which the budget completely absorbs. However, there will be an accumu- lation of gas tax and water revenues totaling about $933,000, which, under existing law, cannot be used for any purpose other than street improve- ments and extensions to the water system. As 8 sort of a prelude to the de- tailed estimates, the budget report under the title of “justification,” urges that steps be taken to collect WRelinquent taxes or write them off the, U | mated at $2,050,000 for 1936. General expenses, including salaries and other general expenses of administra- tive officers and the Public Library.. Contingent and miscellaneous expenses Reimbursement under P. W. A. loan act Street and road improvement and repair BEWEIS ...............ccoqesitens Colleciion and disposal of refuse. Playgrounds Electrical Department. Public schools—Operation. Buildings and grounds. Purchase of land. Metropolitan Police Fire Department... . Policemen and firemen's relief fund. Health Department... Courts and prisons. Public welfare. Militia - Reclamation of Anacostia flats Public parks.. .. National Capital Commission National Zoological Gascline tax fund items.. Water fund items ... Permanent and indefinite trust funds................ sessenss ‘Commiss| 163 Budget. $2,332,690 District Budgets Compared A comparison of the Commissioners’ budget recommendations for the 1936 fiscal year, with the amounts approved by the Budge! Bureau and the | appropriations for 1935, classified by general hearings, follows: foners’ Appropria- Budset Bureau ety $2,283.910 267,510 1,000,000 tions, for 1935, $2,208,157.00 192,476.00 " "267,140.00 733594.00 1,218,100.00 893,710 1,335,120 281,600 "Park and Planning Total, general fund items....... 190,800 988,800 10,617,150 715,000 169,150.00 962,470.00 9,146,427.00 1,184,500.00 160,000.00 3,114,442.00 2,058,275.00 20,000.00 396,519.00 1739,993.00 7,614,057.00 33,300.00 " '816,873.00 564,307.94 189,600.00 $31,769,380.94 2,251,550.00 1,390,247.00 10,820,962 1,110,000 75,000 3,625,900 2,384,620 980,000 436,700 820,029 8,612,390 38,500 100,000 899,225 1,010,000 426,200 36,000 " '898,000 337,500 215,000 $35,891,722 2,568,280 1,914,820 2,580,000.00 1,430,000 $6,220.900 $6,221,797.00 $5,913,100 $44,039,356 $37,991,177.94 $41,804,822 337,500 215,000 $37,818,456 2,598,280 2,152,620 1,470,000 LIBRARY BUDGET OF $333 810 ASKED 1936 Fiscal Request $53,286 Over Amount for Current Year. Is An appropriation of $333870 is recommended for the Public Library in the 1936 District budget, trans- mitted to Congress today. This is an increase of $53,286 over the appropri- | ation for th> current fiscal year. A large part of the additional funds, however, will be absorbed by the new Georgetown Branch Library. The budget provides $22,110 for the em- ployment of 19 members of the li- brary staff and $30.000 to stock the new building with books, periodicals and other library supplies. Four of the new employes would be | placed in a professional classification. | An associate librarian at $3200 a | year is authorized in addition to three junior librarians at $2,000 a | year each. Twelve of the others would | be given subprofessional rating and three are allocated to the custodial | service. | For maintenance, alteration, repairs, fuel and lighting, the budget provides $30,000, an increase of $5,000 over the current appropriation. The increase is earmarked for repairs to library buildings. collector's books. The statement said: “Supporting statement No. 1 shows the revenues and receipts of the Dis- trict estimated for 1936, as allocated to the general, special, and trust ac- counts carried on the Treasury books. In the aggregate, these estimates for 1936 are approximately the same as those for 1935, and also correspond closely to the actual revenues and receipts for 1934. Realty Tax Yield’s Most. “It will be observed that by far the largest source of revenue for the District is the tax on real estate, esti- mated to yield $18,740,000 for 1936. This yield consists of a levy of $17, 025,000. and the remainder of back taxes. The levy is at the rate of $1.50 per $100 on an assessed valuation of $1,135,000.000. This valuation has been lowered below that of 1933 by $94.000.000 and below that of 1934 by $33,000,000. At the same time, the tax rate, which stood at $1.70 in 1933, was reduced to $1.50 in 1934. “The collections from the tax on real estate have in recent years lagged considerably behind the current levies. At the end of the fiscal year 1934, for example, about 16 per cent of the levy for that year was delinquent; also about 5 per cent of the levy for 1933, about 2 per cent of the levy for 1932, and smaller percentages for prior years remained delinquent on this date. But with only 84 per cent of the levy for 1934 actdally collected during that year, the collection of de- linquencies was sufficient to bring the total to more than $1,100,000 above the levy for 1935. _“The tax on tangible personal property is estimated to yield $925,000 in 1936. It is assumed that this tax will not produce—collections plus de- linquencies—the total levy of $1,050,- 000 for 1936, which is calculated on a $70,000,000 assessment at $1.50 per hundred. A large percentage of this tax has become delinquent during the past 12 or 14 years and has so re- mained, despite the efforts of the collector of taxes. Intangible -Tax $2,050,000. “The yield from the tax on in- tangible personal property is esti- ‘The 'l)evy for this tax is placed at $2,150,- 00 cents per hundred), but it is not ex- pected that this amount will be realized by $100,000. Of the 1934 levy of $2,052,000, the amount of $78,- 000 was delinquent at the end of the year. “The other important items in the revenue estimates of the District for 1936 are the tax on public utilities, banks, and so forth, amounting to $1,675,000; licenses, mainly occupa- tional, $1,225,000; 2-cent gasoline tax, $2,050,000; and water rates, $1,420,500. In 1935 the water rates were de- creased by 25° per cent and the metered allowance was increased to 10,000 cubic feet. “The tax delinquencies of the Dis- trict, especially in the taxes on real and personal property, should have the attention of Congress. At the close of the fiscal year 1934, the total of uncollected realty taxes in the Dis- trict amounted to $4,629,000. While the major part of this amount has become delinquent in the years since 1929, the remainder of it is to be period, going back as far as 1877. The situation with respect to delin- quent taxes on tangible personal property is not any different. To the close of 1934, $2,957,000 of these taxes remained uncollected, some of the delinquencies dating back as far as 1903. The collector’s record of these delinquencies shows that during the fiscal year 1934 no collections were made on the amounts due for any of the years prior to 1926, and only small insignificant collections on the years from 1926 to 1930. Steps should be taken, it seems, either to collect these delinquent taxes, or to write them off the collector’s books.” (430,000,000 assessment at 50 | found scattered over the previous | MEDICAL SERVICE GIVEN INCREASES Tuberculosis Clinics Get $15,000—$8,839 for New Dental Clinic. District medical institutions and an item for establishment of a new dental clinic to be operated by the District Health Department are pro- vided in the 1936 budget as submitted to Congress today by the Budget Bureau. ‘The location of the clinic has not been determinea. An increase of $15,000 was allowed for additional physicians, nurses and | supplies for the District tuberculosis clinics. A sum of $83839 was listed for establishment and operation of the new health department dental clinic. New Assistance at Lorton. An increase of $2.765 was provided for purchase of additional vaccine, toxoid and other supplies. creases offset cuts in expenses occa- sioned by dropping of non-recurring items carried in the present supply act, such as for equipment for the tuberculosis clinics and elimination of an item of $25000 for treatment of contagious diseases at Garfleld Hos- pital. This latter item was dropped because of the expected opening next July 1 of the new contagious disease ward at Gallinger Hospital. In response to pleas made by vari- ous officials, the Budget Bureau ap- proved employment of an additional medical officer and one assistant dent- ist at the District workhouse and re- | formatory; the employment of 10 ad- | ditional members of the staff of the | Children’s Tuberculosis Sanatorium at Glenn Dale, Md., and 41%additional employes at Gallinger Hospital, these being occasioned by the opening of the new wing there. New Gallinger Employes. The additional employes at Gal- linger would be one admitting phy- sician for night service, eight gradu- ate nurses, eight hospital attendants, 15 pupil nurses, and nine clerical and custodial workers. ‘The new workers at the Children’s Sanatorium would be two teachers, three graduate nurses, one telephone operator, one watchman and three domestics. In addition to these, the budget provides for employment of six more on the staff of the Tuberculosis Hos- pital at Fourteenth and Upshur streets. R — 'NEW FIRE TRUCK HOUSE Building Would Be Erected at 14th and Rhode Island. $34,500 Also Allotted. A mnew fire truck house at 14th street and Rhode Island avenue north- east is provided in the 1936 District budget which President Roosevelt transmitted to Congress today. The building would be erected on property already owned by the Dis- trict with funds originally appro- priated for a new fire engine house in the vicinity of Sixteenth street and Piney Branch road. The appropriation for the Sixteenth street fire house was provided in 1927, but the bullding was never construct- ed because of the objection of the residents in the neighborhood. The budget also allocates to the fire department $34,500 for the pur- chase of three combustion hose wagons and one pumping engine. WALL FOR LORTON Funds Approved to Complete Prison Enclosure. The campaign of Capt. M. M. Barnard, general superintendent of penal institutions of the District, for funds to complete the wall inclosure around the Lorton reformatory has been successful. The 1936 budget, transmitted to Congress today, recommends an ap- propriation of $190,000 to finish the project, started several years ago. Capt. Barnard initiated an intensive drive for fupds to complete the wall last Summer as a result of an at- tempted uprising among the pris- oners, The budget also provides funds for the appointment of eight additional guards at the institution, and $25,000 for construction of a sand filter for the water system. —_— Soldier's Song Wanted. Protests are being made against the omission of “A Soldier's Song” from the program preliminary to Gaelic athletic games at Celtic Park, Londonderry, Ulster, on . Sundaps. Chairman Henry Coyle of the Derry City Gaelic Athletic Association ex- plained that playing the song by the band might start trouble, but members are demanding that it be rendered. 5 Minor increases in the staffs of | These in- | IS PROVIDED IN BUDGET | FORPAROLE BOARD Request for Four Investiga- tors and Two Social Work- ers Goes Unheeded. ‘The District Parole Board, charged with the heavy responsibility of decid- ing what criminals should be allowed to go back into society before com- pleting their sentences, will be given the services of only one $1,800 parole officer during the 1936 fiscal year, it was revealed in the budget trans- mitted to Congress today. Its members, who have stated frankly they cannot operate efficiently without funds, had asked for $20,000, but their pleas apparently fell on deaf ears. The only provision for the board— carried in the estimates for the work- house and reformatory—is a parole officer at $1,800 a year salary. Only Employes Loaned. The board had asked for a chief parole officer, four parole officers, two stenographers and two social workers. “We did not get even one-third of what we need,” said Acting Chairman ‘Wilbur La Roe, jr., in commenting on the Budget Bureau's recommendation to Congress. “The only employes we now have are loaned to us and be- ginning with the next fiscal year we will have only one more man.” Three employes were loaned to the board when it was organized—one parole officer and two stenographers, all from Lorton. Social workers throughout the city have protested against the way in which Congress has treated the Parole Board and the Monday Eve- ning Club, among others, recently went on record as indorsing the board's efforts to obtain funds with which to set up a model parole sys- | tem in the District. It is expected | that the social welfare organizations will ask Congress to disregard the | Budget Bureau's recommendations and make a separate appropriation for the board. Members Serve Without Pay. Board members themselves serve without pay and La Roe, speaking | recently before the Monday Evening Club, pointed out there is no educa- tional system at the Lorton reforma- tory to make the board's task easier and that its tasks are almost insur- mountable. He said Congress had set up an | ideal system, but “didn’t give us one penny to work on and not a single | parole officer to work with.” The one officer loaned by the reformatory has the great duty of supervising 200 paroled convicts “walking the streets of Washington today,” La Roe as- | TWO NEW MAINS IN WATER FUNDS Another Bryant Street Pump and One at Anacostia Are Provided. Increased funds for improvements {in the District's water dmribution! system are recommended in the 1936 | budget which was transmitted to Con- | gress today. | The total water department budget of $1914.820 is $524,573 in excess of | the appropriation for the current fis- cal year of which $225.000 will be used for the extension of the distribution | system. In addition, the budget au- | thorizes two new 36-inch mains, and an increase from $60,000 to $90,000 in the item for installing and repair- ing meters. One of the 36-inch mains, costing $120,250, will run from Eleventh and Kenyon streets to Seventeenth and ‘Taylor streets. The other, estimated to cost $46,200, will be placed in E street southwest from Fourth street to Canal street. ‘The budget also provides $123.000 for a new 1,000,000-gallon pumpine unit at the Bryant street station, and $3,0Q0 for a smaller pumping unit at the Anacostia station. An extensive old main replacement program likewise is authorized. The | budget authorizes $120.000 for this work, an increase of $30,000 over the current appropriation. $2,904,984 FOR ARMY’S AIR EXPERIMENTS ASKED Provision for Navy's Lighter- Than-Air Craft Is Omitted from Budget Recommendation. By the Associated Press. Appropriation of $2,904,984 in the fiscal year 1936 for the Army's experi- mental aviation work, centered at ‘Wright Field, Ohio, was recommended today in the budget submitted to Con- gress by President Roosevelt. This was $100,000 less than the amount estimated in the fiscal year 1935, but was $1,340,029 more than the actual obligations incurred in 1934. An increase in the experimental ac- tivities was one of the recommenda- tions of the President’s Aviation Board headed by Newton D. Baker. 01d Coins Uncovered. During the demolition of a 40-year- old cottage at Prestatyn, England, 500 silver coins of the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, James I and Charles I were found. To End With Indicating how closely the proposed 1936 District budget was balanced by refusal to approve an increase in the Federal payment and by slashes in funds requested for various projects, a check of the supply bill as presented to Congress today shows the next fiscal year will end with a deficit of 388. » Even so, the budget shows the surplus of some $2,450,000 calculated to remain in general revenues at the end of the present year will have to be appropriated to prevent the Dis- trict from ending with a large deficit. D. C. Budget Fig FOR 35 MORE MEN Budget Fails to Allow a Single New Patrolman Despite Pleas. Despite efforts of the Commission- ers, the superintendent of police and numerous citizens’ associations and civic bodies to obtain an increase in the personnel of the police force, the budget as transmitted to Congress to- day fails to provide for a single new patrolmen in the next fiscal year. Addition of 141 men and officers had been asked by Maj. Ernest W. Brown to carry out his campaigns against crime and traffic violations. This increase would have included 35 patrolmen lopped off the force two years ago for economy reasons. 35 Replacements Disallowed. In submitting their estimates for the 1936 fiscal year, the Commission- ers disallowed Maj. Brown's request for 100 patrolmen and six new officers, but did recommend replacement of the 35 stricken from the department roils because of economy. But the Budget Bureau refused to concur, and as a result, unless Con- gress makes some change, the police force in the next fiscal year still will number 1,306 officers and men. ‘The total budget for the Police De- partment is $3,549.820, as compared with $3114442 for the 1935 fiscal year, or an increase of $435,378. The principal item, salaries, accounts for $3.213,500 as against $2,790,000 for this year, or an increase of $423,500, accounted for largely by restoration of the remaining 5 per cent cut in pay. For ‘“personal services” salaries of clerks, janitors, etc., $121,700 is pro- vided, an increase over the present year of $11,720, made up by restora- | tion of full salaries, $9,060 Tor New Items. Virtually the only decrease in the budget was made in contingent ex- penses, from which account $9,500 was deducted for radio installation in patrol cars, completed last year. How- ever, this was almost made up by the addition of $9,060 for purchase and maintenance of motor vehicles, purchase of uniforms and fuel and the employment of a new clerk at the house of detention. The budget for the house of deten- tion totals $17,820 for the next fiscal | vear as compared with $15962 for the present year; for motor vehicles, $65,000 as against $60,000; for uni- forms, $47,500 instead of $45.000; for | | contingent expenses, including repairs | to equipment, etc., pared with $78,500. STREET LIGHTING FUNDS INCREASED Raise of $32,300 Is $36,400 Un- der 1934—Many Lamps Still Dark. $69,000 as com- A large number of street lights will have to remain dimmed or cut off altogether for another year under the terms of the 1936 District budget as | framed by the Budget Bureau. Pleas of District officials for a res- toration of funds slashed off the ap- propriation for the electrical depart- ment for the present year succeeded in bringing back but about hajf of the cut. Approximately 20 per cent of all the electrical street lights were affected by a cut of $68.700 made in the current appropriation act. This caused 4,615 lights to be reduced in candlepower and abandonment of the use of 1,215 others at scattered points over the District. ‘The Budget Bureau proposes an item of $801.000 for the next fiscal year. This is $32,300 more than was appropriated for the present year. This is still $36.400 short of the 193¢ appropriation, indicating that many lamps would still be dimmed or cut off next year. Studies will have to be made to determine just how this best can be done. It appears that about 3,000 lamps would be affected one way or another, RELIEF CUT $1,000,000 Allen Had Put Minimum Estimate at $3,000,000. Despite the warning of Commis- sioner George E. Allen that $3,000,000 would be the minimum required to meet emergency relief needs in the District in the 1936 fiscal year, the budget transmitted to Congress today provides $1,000,000 less than that amount. Relief officials estimated the relief needs in the coming fiscal year would require $5,000,000, but the Commis- sioners, in trimming their budget to prevent an increase in the existing $1.50 tax levy, allocated $3,000,000 for relief. e Sheep Wears Wooden Leg. Arriving with a flock from Scotland to be slaughtered at an abbatoir at Liverpool, England, a 40-pound sheep ‘was found to be wearing a wooden leg. The artificial limb was about 5 inches long and apparently had been in use for some time. It was attached to the animal by a leather coat, and a woolen pad at the top kept it from chafing. The sheep was sent to Liverpool University for inspection. ured Closely Deficit of $388 to help finance operations during the present fiscal year. There was a deficit at the end of the 1933 fiscal year of some $62,000. In preceding years there had been a cash surplus of considerable amount which dwindled from year to year as it was drawn upon to finance needs while Congress was progressively slashing the percentage of National Capital costs borne by the Federal Government. ‘While the budget for the next year, as framed by the Budget Bureau, will be balanced to all practical purposes, so far as general revenues are con- cerned, there will be surplus funds left unused in the water and gasoline tax items. It is estimated be a surplus at the end of the next fiscal year of $650,000 revenues surpl $283,000 in the gasoline ‘x funds. ONLY ONE FFIER [POLIGELOSEFIGHT | [ ightights of Distict Budge Recommends appropriations for $5,700,000. The Commissioners urged reduction of District employes. increase in the metered allowance from year. taxicabs. Island avenue northeast. costia Park. resulted in curtailed illumination. crossings. Anacostia River. the current fiscal year. Provides $63,000 for purchase of as appropriated for the current year. UTILITIES BOARD GETS 4 EMPLOYES | Commission Still 10 Short in Personnel Cuts by Con- gress Last Year. The Public Utilities Commission will have to continue its work in the next fiscal year with but a skeleton staff, under the terms of fore Congress by the Budget Bu- reau. The bureau allowed an increase of four employes, leave the staff smaller by 10 pro- fessional workers than it was before Congress last year cut off 14 em- slash in the commission’s total ap- propriations. Staff 31 Last Year. The staff of the commission last vear was 31. Last July the number was reduced to 17 due to the order of Congress. The budget estimates submitted to the Budget Bureau by the District Commissioners called for restoration of the 14 positions lost last July 1. The Utilities Commission had asked the District heads to approve items for several employes in addition to | the 14. The utilities body sought par- ticularly to strengthen its staff of accountants because of the type of work outlined for next year. The heavy schedule of investiga- tions, hearings and litigation faced by the commission during the next year was advanced as particular rea- son for a restoration of the positions thrown out last year. The staff now | is smaller than it was prior to the World War, officials have argued. Meters to Be Tested Again. | Two of the four new employes al- lowed by the Budget Bureau are in- spectors and this will make possible | a resumption of testing of meters of the Washington and Georgetown Gas | Light Cos, used to measure the | volume of gas consumed by their customers. The increase, however, will not provide for inspection of meters used by customers of the Po- tomac Electric Power Co. This work now is done only at occasional odd times by the chief engineer of the commission when brief lapses in his other work schedules permit the time. He makes a number of surprise tests to check on meters as handled by the power company. The chief engineer is Fred A. Sager, who now is largely monopolized by work in connection with proposals for rerouting of the lines of the Capital Transit Co. and studies of the rate base of the pawer company. Roberts’ Campaign Fails. The slash made in the commission budget for the present year, causing the discharge of the gas and electrical meter inspectors, led George M. Rob- erts, District superintendent of weights and measures to start a cam- paign to have his bureau given in- spectors to conduct the meter tests. This campaign failed to meet the ap- proval of the Budget Bureau. The other two new employes will be clerical workers, to fill out a need in the commission office management. —_— DEFICIT CUT SEEN IF MORE GET JOBS Roosevelt Says Re-employment Will Bring Decline in Expenditures. A direct bid for greater business activity was read by officials today in President Roosevelt's budget state- ment. in eliminating previous time limits set for balancing Government income with expenditures and in removing an estimated ceiling for the public debt, Mr. Roosevelt used this yardstick for Treasury deficits hereafter: “Such deficit as occurs will be due solely to this cause (unemployment), and it may be expected to decline as rapidly as private industry is able to re-e;nplay those who now are without work.” A year ago, Mr. Roosevelt told Con- gress “the Government should seek to hold the total debt” within $31,- 834,000,000. Today, he forecast a debt of $34.239,000,000 by June 30, 1936. Last year, the Chief Executive said the Government should plan a defi- nitely balanced budget in the 1936 fiscal year, Today he told Congress that because of unemployment, “we have not yet reached a point at which 2 complete balance of the budget can be obtained.” Auto Restrictions Felt. ‘The Irish Free State's restrictions on the importation of motor cars is affecting the trade in that country. One Dublin auto firm has already dis- missed 25 employes. The Free State Executive Council has fixed the quota for the importation of motor for the period November 26-June to 420 8l chassis and 500 bodies. This is & reduction of about 3,000 motor cars. 'Conumlu the prohibition on the commission’s order for metered Provides $775,000 for six new school buildings or additions. Provides for a new fire truck house at Fourteenth street and Rhode Authorizes continuation of the reclamation and development of Ana- Restores & part of the drastic cut in the street lighting fund which Provides for elimination of two of the four remaining dangerous grade Provides $190,000 to complete the walled enclosure around the District reformatory at Lorton and allows this institution eight additonal guards. Authorizes $15,000 for engineering surveys and an investigation as the; first step toward replacement of the Pennsylvania avenue bridge over the | Provides $2,000,000 for emergency relief, the same as appropriated for The Commissioners asked for $3,000,000. Provides salaries for the staff of the new Georgetown branch of the public library and $30,000 to stock it with books, periodicals, etc. | the 1936 budget as placed today be- | but this still will | ployes by ordering a 41 per cent| all purposes totaling $41,834822, an increase of about $2,500,000 over current appropriations, but $2,204,534 less than the amount sought by the Commissioners. Again fixes the Federal obligation to the expenses of the District at $8,317,500. Provides for return of the third and last portion of the 15 per cent pay Continues the 25 per cent reduction in water rates coupled with an 7,500 to 10,000 cubic feet. Restores to the Public Utilitles Commission 4 of the 14 employes dropped because of the lack of appropriations at the beginning of the current fiscal traffic lights, markers, etc., the same FARMER BENEFIT PAYMENTS CUT {Budget Sets Tentative Fig- ure of $570,000,000 for A. A. A, By the Associated Press. | A big slash under the current rate | of benefit payments to farmers was envisioned by President Roosevelt today in his budget message to Con- gress on the financial year of 1936. Figures purposely were made tenta- | | tive, but for costs of the Agricuitural Adjustment Administration in the fiscal 12 months ending June 30, 1936, | the budget asked $570,000,000. This compared with estimated expenditures | in the present financial period ending | | next June of $831,022,000 of which | $725,801,000 was allotted to ‘“rental | and benefit payments.” | | But in submitting these figures, the President and his agricultural advis- | ers emphasized that “it is impossible | to forecast, with any reasonable de- | gree of accuracy, the work that will | | be carried on in the fiscal year end- | ing June 30, 1936." May Cease Entirely. “If the national economic emer- | end,” the budget said, “and this fact should be proclaimed by the President, operations under the act would ceasé entirely.” The $570,000,000 estimate also was the figure used in forecasting process- | ing tax collections in the 1936 year. ‘These collections for the current period which still has six months to run were put at $589,269,000. The grand total of expenditures for sll agricultural purposes in 1936 was forecast at $653,278,000 as compared with estimates for the current year of $1,166,679,000. Aside from the drop in benefit payments, some of this dif- ference was attributed to a revised classification of expenditures. Road Fund Cut. A decline of $102,092,655 in the ap- propriation for the Bureau of Public | Roads was said by the President to be compensated by road work funds in the general public works program for 1936. Only $8,559,256 will be given the bureau directly in the an- nual appropriation compared with $110,530,000 this year. The A. A. A. will be forced to pay its operating costs out of processing | tax collections during 1936 since the $150,000,000 appropriated by Congress * gency in relation to agriculture should | SCHOOL INCREASE SOUGHT N BUDGET $11,392,150 for 1936 Asked in Estimates Sent o Congress. An increase of slightly less than a million dollars over the 1935 District public school appropriation is pro- vided in the estimates sent to Con- gress today by the Budget Bureau, calling for $11,392,150 to finance the school system during the fiscal year 1936. This, as usual, is the largest item in the District budget. This figure represents a slash of $538,812 from the total of $11,930,- 962 recommended by the District Commissioners after they in turn had cut deeply into the requests of school officials for $14,117,911. The relatively small amount asked for construction of new school build- ing facilities bore the brunt of the cut, accounting for a reduction of $335,000 from the Commissioner’s recommendation. The total asked for buildings and grounds was $1,110,- 000. The Budget Bureau pared this to $775,000. The exact increase in the 1936 es- timate over last year's appropriation of $10,490,927 is $901,223. More Teachers Sought. This increase is principally ac- counted for by the provision for a boost of $1,189,140 in the fund from which are paid the salaries of teach- ers and librarians, not including in- structors in night and vacation schools, for handicapped children and in the Americanization School. The additional money would make possible the employment of 74 more teachers, one librarian and four persons ene gaged in the character education exe periment. Almost all the new teache ers would be used, however, to stad new schools and annexes, now under construction, which will open next Fall. The sum advocated for salaries of regular teachers and librarians is $6,953,100, as compared with the 1935 appropriation of $5,763,960. Despite the increase in the 1938 estimates over the current appropria- tions, school officials are not satisfied with the Budget Bureau recommenda- tions. President Hayden Johnson of the Board of Education pointed out that the normal growth of the school system, which received approximately 4,000 additional pupils this past Fall, requires a larger appropriation each vear. He called attention to the fact that the school appropriation was cut by slightly more than $3,000.000 in the fiscal year 1934 in the name of economy. Still Below 1931 Total. ‘This slash resulted in such re- trenchments as refraining from filling | ancies created by resignations or retirements, abolition of certain jobs, adding class room instruction to the duties of certain officers and directors { and elimination of teachers who re- signed that their husbands' positions |in the Government might not be Jeopardized under the muitiple em- | ployment provisions of the economy | act. Although each succeeding appro- priation since that time has been larger than the preceding year, no restoration has been made of the | drastic 1934 slash, with this year's | budget estimates still falling far short of the $13.892390 which was ap- propriated for the schools for the fiscal year 1931 Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superintenden? of schools, refused to comment on the Budget Bureau recommendations. First Assistant Superintendent Stephen E. Kramer said he consid- ered the elimination by the Budget Bureau of the Commissioners’ recom- mendation that some $180,000 be ap- propriated to construct a building on Government owned property just north of the Tuberculosis Hospital to i replace the old Dennison Vocational School, the most serious blow to the schools in the Budget Bureau figures. Six New Jobs Provided. He pointed out that the present Dennison building is unsuited for its present use as a girls’ vocational in- stitution. It is located on S street just east of Fourteenth street and is one of the city's oldest school struc- for this purpose last year was dropped from the estimates. Other reductions included $6,906.- | 992 in miscellaneous expenses and | $154,555 in running the Bureau of Bi- | ological Survey, made possible by the revenue expected from the sale of | duck stamps. Forest Service Increased. These cuts were partially offset by increases of $2,162,978 for the Forest Service, chiefly to maintain improve- ments in national forests made by the C. C. C,, public works and emergency relief workers; $1,867,584 for the Bu- reau of Animal Industry, chiefly to improve and extend meat inspection services; $1,149,044 to the Bureau of Entomology to extend its fight on insect pests aand plant diseases and $623,124 for the Bureau of Plant In- dustry to set up plant reserve sta- tions for revegetation and soil pro- tection. The President estimated that of the $8,164,900,000 expended for re- covery and relief from February 1, 1932, to November 30, 1934, $1,337,- 300,000 had been spent for agricul- tural aid in the form of rental and benefit payments, drought relief grants and employment, surplus pur- chases, drought relief purchases and direct relief to farmers. Budget Requests Delinquent Taxes Here Be Collected Congress Action Asked to Clear Records Back to 1877. Delinquent District taxes dating back to 1877 should be collected or wiped from the records, the Budget Bureau told Congress y in a pro- logue to the 1936 budget. “The tax delinquencies of the Dis- trict, especially in the taxes on real and personal property, should have the attention of Congress,” the state- ment said. “At the close of the fiscal year 1934, the total of uncollected realty taxes in the District amounted to $4,629,000. While the major part of this amount has become delinquent since 1929, the remainder of it is to be found scat- tered over the previous period going 1935, | back to 1877. 00 “Steps should be taken, it seems, to collect these delinquent taxes, or to write them off LI'( collector's books.” hY | Wilson High School tures. Bix new construction projects are | provided in the new estimates. Recom- }mendstions for land acquisition are | conspicuously absent, despite request by school authorities for $515,500 for this purpose. The 1935 appropriation for the pur- chase of additional land at the Phe Vocational School for elementa school purposes, at a cost of $55,000, was continued. Projects recommended by school authorities, but eliminated on their rough road to Congress, included: Completion of the second floor of the Hardy School, $35,000; comple- tion of the second floor of the Shep- herd School, $35,000: an assembly- gymnasium at the Whittier School, $40,000; an eight-room addition and assembly-gymnasium at the Trues- dell School, $155,000; four class rooms and unfinished space for four addi- tional rooms at the Bunker Hill School, $115,000; an elementary school on Bladensburg road near Mount Hamilton, $115,000;: an eight-room addition and assembly-gymnasium at the Ketcham School, $155,000; an as- sembly-gymnasium at the Monroe School, $67,000; an eight-room addi- tion and assembly-gymnasium at the Grimke School, $190,000: an assem- bly-gymnasium at the Giddings School; a room for cleaning and dye- ing at the M. M. Washington Voca« tional School, $7,500; a 10-room ad- dition and gymnasium at the Paul Junior High School; improvement of the stage and corridors of the Shaw Junior Righ School; plans for a new senior high school in Manor Park, $30,000; Armstrong High School cor- ridor and gymnasium remodeling, $45,000, and plans for a new senior high school in northeast Washington, $30,000. School facilities provided in the current appropriation which will be- come available next Fall, absorbing most of the additional teachers provid- ed for in this budget, are the Woodrow , an addition to the Browne Junior High School, an eight-room building in the vicinity of the Logan School, the Anacostia Junior High School, a four-room addi- tion to the Phelps School and a 10- room addition to the Deal Junior High School. Included in the teachers’ salary provision are items totaling $55,398 to finance the character education experiment during the second year of its operation. Congress is asked to raise the $40,- 000 appropriation for the Community Center Department of the schools to $50,000, the increase to be used in paying additional temporary employes and in restoration of the pay cut to permanent employes.