Evening star., 1918-07-01
DISTRICT BILLS
INTO CONFERENCE

| with the nScal year at an elQ ana io
| provision made for financing the af-
| fairs Of the District of Columbia and
| for payment of salaries. the District
! appropriation bill was again sent to
conference today in an effort to settle
the differences between the Senate
! and the House in regard to the half
| andhalf principle.
Chairman Sisson Of the subcommit-
tee on appropriations for the District
reported to the House today the dis
agreement on three amendments. the
principal one of which is regarding
the abolition of the half-and-half
principle. He made motion that the
House should agree to further con-
ference asked by the Senate on these
three amendments.
Mr. Sisson said that the question of
abolishing the half-and-half principle
has never been discussed in the
United States Senate.
Representative Gillette of Massachu-
setts, acting minority leader, called
attention to the close Of the fiscal
year, and asked if 1t was not true that
the law is being broken by the con-
tinued employment of District en-
ployes without provision made for
payment of their salaries.
Chairman Sisson said that if the
Senate conferees cannot be brought
to terms a continuing resolution will
be introduced to provide for continu-
ance of the present appropriation to
meet District obligations.
The House conferees were again ap-
Representatives Sisson. Nc
Andrews and Davis of Minnesota.
Exnecfs House to Re Firm.
Representative Sfsson. in charge Of
tn District appropriation bill in the
House, said this morning that the
House conferees will further insist
upon the action Of the House on the
half-and half provision. Mr.. Sisson
thought the House would stand firm.
even If it is necessary to pass a con-
tinuing resolution to take care Of the
District appropriations.
Such a resolution, however, will not
cover some important District work
which is provided for in the District
bill. All street improvements would
stop at once. as the appropriations
for this work are specific applied to
specified streets. The same streets
again.
Items Not Covered.
The portable school buildings which
ought to be up by September 1, would
not be concluded, nor would there be
the increase of pay to the police
department nor provision for the es-
tablishment Of a two-platoon system in
the fire department.
Unless money is appropriated at
once for collection of garbage, a Sc
rious situation concerning the health
Of the Community will arise as the
District government finds itself today
without any authority or funds to re-
move garbage. =
The Senate today was still waiting
for the House to act upon the latest
report Of the conferees ON the Dis
trict bill. in which a. further dis
agreement Is shown. ,..
Senate Insists on Half-and-Half.
; On Saturday the Senate voted
again to stand by its amendments in
dispute. restoring the half-and-half
plan OF appropriating for the Dis
trict.|
Until the House acts upon this re-
ported disagreement. Senator John
Walter Smith Of Maryland. in charge
of the bill in the Senate, said today
no 3steps would be taken by the Sem
He reiterated the determination of
thet Senate conferees to insist upon
the Senate amendmnts.
Hhxbeginnfng Of the fiscal year to-
day found the District without. ap-
proHrtations. Unless: an agreement is
reached on the District bill before
the recess is taken by Congress 1t
wild be necessary to put through .
resolution continuing present appro-
priations. - !;