The Washington herald., 1921-02-06
SENATE REACHES
HALFWAY MARK
in SUNDRY BILL
Archives Building Site
Amendment Passed Over
Until Tomorrow.

Tariff gave way to the sundry
civil bill yesterday and this meas
ure. carrying s41o,s21.1o7 appropria-
tions for the fscaI year beginning
June 50 next, and many important
District items was read half through
for the adoption of amendments. 1t
occupied the whole day in the
Senate.
The amendment providing S4S6,00o
for an archives building site was
passed over until tomorrow because
of protracted discussion on
whether the site tentatively chosen
is better adapted than other ground
already owned by the government.
Senator Warren, chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, who re-
ported the bill, and Senator Smoot,
who is chairman OF the Public
Buildings and Grounds Committee,
explained that the ground proposed
to be purchased is opposite the Ma
tional Museum on the west and
that the exact value is $486,000.
The plan for its purchase is not
new, Senator Warren said, having
been considered for four or Ave
years.
Substitute Is Adopted.
Adoption Of a substitute amend
ment to prohibit smoking in the
government buildings to the danger
of records and impairment OF ef-
fciency, was the most important
other amendment affecting the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Senator Underwood called for a
showdown on the amendment ap-
propriating $1o,O0O,0OO for compile
tion OF the Wilson dam at Muscle
Shoals, Ala. saying IL there was
to be a fight he would prefer to
have it out at once rather than al
low it hang over until Monday.
The amendment was adopted by the
vote OF 36 to 81. after the project
was denounced by Senators Smoot
and Lenroot as a piece of extraya-
gance and defended by Senators
Underwood, McKellar and others as
a wise business proposition by
which the government would save
the millions it had spent and fur
ther the establishment OF the great
nitrate. fertilizer and power enter
prise that promised great beneft not
only to the people of the South but
to the whole nation.
Hospitals Action DELAYED.
Action on the amendment for a
*17,50O.000 appropriation for hos
pitalization OF sick and disabled
former service men was delayed un-
til Monday after a proposal of SEN
ator Wadsworth. of New York that
the hospital built in the borough or
queens, with 10000 beds and ac-
commodating 5000 New York for
mer service men. be taken over in
connection with the Federal plan or
building five hospitals in various
parts of the country. Senator Wads-
worth called attention to the fact
that the New York State legislature
had provided for this hospital under
the impression that it would be
made a Federal institution under a
thirty-year leasing arrangement.
Senator Smith, of Maryland, OBJ
jected to the proposition en- the
ground that it involved the payment
Of 10 per cent interest on the pay
ments required of the government
and an outlay of $4,000 per bed as
against $1,000 a bed under the plan
provided for in the sundry civil bill.
Amendments providing $4,000
for the 1nterdepartmental Social
Hygiene Board. s363.000 for addi-
tional work on the masonry ap-
proaches and terrace around the
Lincoln memorial and S2OO,0 for a
National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics were agreed to among
numerous items OF less Importance.
In the course of a discussion of
a proposed amendment appropri-
ating S116,O0O for additions at How
ard University, Senator Smoot de-
clared that this institution, prac-
tically the only one of higher learn
ing for the colored youth of this
section of the country, really
needed more than this amount be-
causec of it's enrollments practically
doubling during the last year and a
half.
Criticizes ConEress' Action.
The. action of Congress in elimi-
mating from the sundry civil bill
the appropriation of $4,000 for
maintaining the Council of National
Defense was attacked in a statement
last night by Assistant Secretary, of
War Williams. as endangering the
national defense.
I'm connection with any prewar
plans for the mobilization Of indus-
try in time of war" williams said,
"a central body acting in the ca
pacity of a national general stan is
indispensable, The law creating the
Council of National Defense assigns
to that body functions that make it
peculiarly suitable as the co-ordi-
mating agency in formulating plans
for the industrial mobilization of
the country for war"