Evening star., 1918-07-14
D. c. BILL DELAYED
BY RECESS ACTION
Congress Practically Decides
to Transact No Business
Until August rs.
FAILS TO END DEADLOCK

The District Of Columbia appropria-
ton bill, in disagreement between the
two houses of Congress-. has been left
without action until after August rs
by the agreement of the Senate last
night to a virtual recess. with no
business to be transacted until that
time.
This means that until some time
after that date the National Capital
must get along with the amounts ap-
propriated for the last fiscal year un-
der the resolution adopted last week
by Congress to continue those appro-
priations. 1t means that much needed
funds for the city are left unappro-
priated, that hundreds of poorly paid
employees of the District must continue
to go without the increases in their par
which were promised them in the bill
now in conference.
Senate Refuses to Recede.
The Senate has shown clearly to the
House that it will not yield to the
House on the items in dispute-the
half-and-half plan. the public play
grounds appropriations and an item to
pay Thomas w. and Alice N. Keller
several thousand dollars for damages
through the opening Of streets to real
estate owned by them. By vote Of So
to 4 1t refused to yield on the half
and-half plan. and by a vote Of 81 to
1t refused to yield on the Keller
amendment.
The House. on the other hand, by
a comparatively narrow margin voted
to aihere to its opposition on these
matters.
It was well understood that there
could be no further conference In re-
gard to the bill until this veto OF ad-
herence had been vacated by the
House itself. yet Representative SIS. .
bill in the House, failed to take any
steps toward breaking the deadlock
and did not seek to relieve the STU
alton with regard to the District OF
Columbia, though he knew the recess
was proposed.
Time Covered by Resolution.
The resolution by which the old ap-
propriations for the District are con.
jnly.ssnd August II by Ansrats 9
fMe3ebending District appropriation
biH has not been enacted into law. Il
will be necessary to put through an
other continuing resolution.
It was reported yesterday that tne
House members were seeking com.
promise whereby the Senate woule
Weld on the half-and-half plan ano
the House agree to the Keller amend
ment. But senators insisted such q
compromise would never De agreed 10
House Discusses Situation.
The question of the District appro-
priation bill was brought up In the
House late yesterday when dickef
was being made for recess. When
House Leader Kitchin suggested thai
the gentlemen's agreement for the re-
cess was dependent upon passage OF
the wire control bill by the Senate
and enactment Of the agrieui.uaal Gnnuasan,. esil
tive Mondell asked IL he did not mean
to include also the District appropria-
tion bill, which has been deadlockeo
in conference. Representative kitchin
said he did not; that the Senate
seemed to be determined TO pIefeh'
IT'S massage by insistence on continue
tion of the half-and-half principle
Chairman Sisson of the subcommittee
on District appropriations was pres
emit and merely smiled.
Says Conferees Arc Firm.
Chairman Sisson and others of the
House conferees said last night that
their stand is firm, under instructions
from the House to adhere .in the
House action for abandonment Of the
half -and-half principle. Other mem
bers of the House, however. eIpres!
the opinion that II the Senate would
make a suggestion to yield on the
Keller amendment the House might
WELD on the half and half. The third
question in controversy-payme OF
expenses for the District Playground
entirely from District funds-would
not be a serious bar to agreement.