Evening star., 1914-12-13
JOHNSON AMENDMENT AIMS
TO ANNUL ITS PRINCIPLE
Page Resolution for Public School
Survey Ruled Out on Point of Or
der in Committee of Whole.
MANN MAY MAKE FIGHT
Minority Leader Indicates That
There Are Rocks in Path of Bill
to Kill Ha1f-and-Half
Plan.

The District appropriation bill. with
the johnson amendment annulling the
vital half-and-half principle of the Or
Eanic act, will be voted on finally by
the House of Representatives tomorrow
afternoon, unless an unforeseen emer-
sency arises. There probably will be
q separate vote on the Johnson amend
ment. by which the House will record
Its ews on the half-and-half plan. The
bill is being rushed to completion so
that the legislative, executive and ju-
diciai appropriation bill may be taken
up in the House late tomorrow or early
Tuesday.
No changes were adopted after The
Stars report of yesterday had closed.
although Representative Page offered
his amendment of inquiry into the pub
lie schools. This was ruled out on a
point of order made by Representative
Mann. The Page amendment provided
for complete survey of the public
school system of the District of Column
bia by the United States commissioner
of education, with authority to spend
$4,000 1t required report on the sit
uation by December 1, 1915.
II make the point of order that this
IS not authorized by existing law" said
Representative Mann. Immediately, and
Chairman Garner upheld him. Repre-
sentative Page said later he probably
would Introduce the resolution as
separate item.
Item Is Inconsistent.
The folly and inconsistency of the
johnson amendment were referred to in
the afternoon debate by Representative
Mann in discussing the item of $4,000
used for repairs to bridges. The bill
provides that this sum II to be used for
repairing bridges carrying q public
street over q right of way or property
of any railroad. and the amounts thus
expended shall be collected from the
railroad and credited half to the Dis
trict and half to the Treasury. This
paragraph was left in the bill. AL
though 1t is but a small matter, COM
pared with the greater principle affected
by the johnson amendment, it is at
variance with the bill as it now stands,
and Representative Mann called atten-
tion to it. saying:
Perhaps the District government will
get half of the money back when the
$4,000 has been entirely paid out OF
the federal treasury, in which case
that is not fair to the federal treasury;
but perhaps the federal treasury will
get $4,000 of 1t back when the whole
treasury. and that is not fair to the
District. 1t is one of the two. It is
one of the many difficulties you will
encounter in making a slight change
in one part of the bill which is intended
70 cover everything, but which does
not"
'It is one of the difficulties you have
IL getting rid of very bad system"
replied Representative Sisson of Missis-
siDpi-
Well, you will not get rid of it
now retorted Representative Mann.
foreca sting possible difficulties in the
of 6nol ofy, ,1r1t of hn Tnh
son amendment.
Urges Fish Market.
Representative MondeI spoke sew
eral times under the five-minute debate
ruling yesterday afternoon on the ne
cessity for a municipal fish market and
cold storage plant. He complimented
the superintendent of markets. saying
he is an efficient man, adding:
The city owns the wharf and the
space where the fish market should
20. 1t IL the only place where sea food
can be delivered by water to the city.
The present system is inadequate and
makes waste. and waste makes 1t more
expensive for the consumer. I am in
favor Of permanent concrete wharf
and a municipal fish market with
large refrigerating room for cold stor-
age purposes, so that the surplus fish
and oysters can be stored and not
wasted"
"An exclusive retail market at that
place would be inconvenient and hard
to reach from other parts of the city"
said Representative Davis of Mime
sofa, but / would favor a wholesale
fish market there"
Representative Page, in charge of
the bill. Informed the House that
s5o.ooo had been appropriated for a
appropriation act. and that none of the
work had been done For that reason.
he explained, the committee had not
gone ahead with appropriations for a
markethouse for the wharf.
Later Representative Mondell took up
this strain. He complained that the
District is behind in some of it's street
improvements:
''Cut Pretty Close.'
The amounts for street improve
nents are cut pretty close in this BILL"
said he, but find that the District is
not up to date on it's current work. 1
find there is a disposition on the part
Of the Commissioners TO ask for large
appropriations for street work when
work already appropriated for is not
done. Perhaps this is due to the fact
that the Commissioners spend so much
time holding their Jobs and looking for
new jobs"
He also claimed there is delay on
the part of the District officials in re-
building the Western High School
which was destroyed by fire, and thai
out of s150.000 appropriated for this
purpose only one contract. amounting
TO 1900, had been let.
The bill was read through to page 60
at top speed, with fifteen more pages
to be read and approved tomorrow
The items approved yesterday included
the general Office expenses, assessors
Office, collectors Office, auditors Office.
excise board and all other administra-
i've offices in the District building: i'm
OrOVement and repair work includin~
CONTINUED on Nineteenth Page)