The Washington herald., 1921-03-03
ACT PROVIDES sum
ENABLING ARMY TO
DRAFT ITS PLANS
Merely an Initial Appro-
priation; More May
Be Required.
QUIBBLING DELAYS
Size of Nations Forces De-
bate Places Measure
in Jeopardy.
QUIBBLING DELAYS

The House yesterday concurred In
the Senate amendment appropriat-
ing 100000 to begin work immedr-
ately on the construction of an ad-
ditional conduit from Great Falls to
Delacarlia Reservoir. designated In
the Tyler report as schedule "E."
The appropriation is made to en-
able the War Department to begin
work Immediately drawing up the
necessary plans. and to build up a
force of engineering, technical and
clerical help.
The 100000 is merely an initial
appropriation and must be supple
mented by future appropriations.
Mai. Tyler estimated in his repor,
that the project would require more
than 100000 and would take ap-
-proximately two and one-half years
for completion.
Bill In Jeopardy.
While the House agreed to the
water supply amendment. IL insisted
on its disagreement to the Senate
amendment appropriating for an
army OF 175.000 men instead OF
10000. thus placing the measure in
virtual deadlock. Unless one or the
nther recedes from its position the
bill will die tomorrow with the
present Congress-
An amendment was adopted max
ing the appropriation payable so pei
cent from funds of the District and
40 per cent from the Federal gov
arnment.
The vote was taken after vigor-
Gus opposition by Chairman Mapes
of the District Committee; Repre-
sentative Ben Johnson, of Ken
lucky. former chairman of the COM
mittee, and Representative Marvin
Jones, OF Texas.
Mapes Sees Dangers.
Mapes declared the amendment
was another illustration of the dan
gers of legislation on an appropria.
tion bill. He cited the amendment
as one of the most important meas.
ures in Congress so far as the Dis.
trtct Of Columbia is concerned anC
insisted that the House should moi
vote on IL without some knowledge
of what it involved.
He compared the proposition tc
the Muscle Shoals fiasco and s..
IT involved a small initial appro-
priation which would commit Con.
Eress to future expenditures that
might reach s10.000,00O or $780,
ono.000. He said the Tyler report
had not been printed and doubted
that any member of Congress knew
what was in it.
johnson Voices objection.
Johnson derided as a "bugaboo'
thee alleged shortage of water ir
the District and declared that IL
Is q known fact that there is ar
abundance of water here" He an.
swered a suggestion that the gov
ernment should pay for the water
It uses by saying that the water
mains were laid by the govern
ment. belonged to the government
and were being used free by the
District. He objected to Congress
being committed to the 6O-4O basi.
OF paying for the project on tho
ground that no definite ratio had
as yet been fixed.
1T seems passing strange" said
Jones. of Texas. that the engineers
should have suddenly discovered
the alleged water shortage in the
closing hours Of Congress" II they
did not know of IL before, he said
then there is no reason to place toe
much dependence upon their opin.
ions and take hurried action with.
out due reflection.
Three Fight for Action.
The affirmative side was pre.
sented by Representatives Moore of
Virginia. Zihlman of Maryland and
Sisson of Mississippi.
Moore declared that the imminen,
water shortage was not nearly Sc
serious as the fact that the entire
system is in danger of going out
The present conduit. he said, is of
brick structure, more than sixty
years old and liable to go out any
minute. Can there be anything
more serious?" he asked.
II takes two days to empty the
conduit, he said. and since the
reservoir does not hold more than
. two-days' supply of water. it i.
impossible to make repairs.
Zihlman urged immediate action
to increase the domestic water sup
ply and quoted Maj. Tyler's report
to show the necessity for beginning
the work at once.
Sisson said that now is the time
60 haOfn the fpuaatfratfon