Evening star., 1922-01-24
ASKS NINE MILLION
FOR CONDUIT WORK
Representative Moore Also
Proposes Joint District A.
fairs Committee.

Authorization for an appropriation
of $s.523.000 Qess 100000 appropriat-
ed last March for preliminary work.
for construction of an additional con-
duit to insure a sufficient and safe
supply of water for the National
Capital is contained in bill intro
duced today by Representative r.
Walton Moore of Virginia.
Coupled with the introduction of
this measure, Representative Moore
made a statement advocating the es-
tablishment of a standing joint COM
mittee on District affairs, instead of
having separate House and Senate
committees. which he believes opsr-
vital Importance to the National Cap
ital. He urges that District legisla-
ton should be,expedited.
Left Out Of District Bill
Representative Moore was prompt
ed to introduce this new conduit bill
because the annual District appro-
priation bill. reported out of COM
mittee today. and to be considered by
the House on Thursday. omits any
provision for the construction of an
auQltlOndl cOnQult.
This measure does not appropriate
the entire sum estimated to be needed
Tor building this conduit, but aims to
give the project the Endorsement and
approval of the House and to author
iZe the appropriation, giving it such
legislative status that the appropria-
tions committee may be free to act
within the limit of the amount named.
Representative Moore explains that
the 100000 deducted from the total
sum was carried as a rider on the
Army appropriation bill for the fiscal
year 1922; went out on a point, of
order: was restored by the Senate,
and was finally approved in the House
by vote of 227 to So
In the debate in the House on March
facts were developed showing that
on account of its age and the i'm
possibility of dewatering it SO as to
make repairs. the single conduit now
in operation is undependable, and that
another conduit is the only means of
guarding against the disaster that
would result from a complete or par
tial breakdown.
The Moore bill follows the Tyler re-
port. which about a year ago was
submitted to Congress with the APP
proval of the waterpower commits
sion and the Secretary Of War. Com
menting on the bill, Mr.. Moore ex-
pressed the hope that when the pend
ing appropriation bill is finally enact
ed it will include water supply item.
and said he would ask the committee
to give his bill consideration only in
the event the item is not included.
He says he recognizes that the
committee on appropriations in omit
ting the item might have been in
fuenced by the fact that even had il
been placed in the appropriation bill.
it would have been subject to a pojnt
of order. and also recognizes that
the matter may be taken care of in
IKE manner as the initial appropria-
tion.
Denies Congress In Indfne,.,+
Mr.. Moore repelled the suggestion.
now and then made, that Congress- ~
indifferent to the interests of the Dis
trict. ut is true" he said, 'there ia
often serious delay with respect tn
necessary District legislation, oc-
casioned largely by the fact that Con-
gress becomes constantly more busy
with an increasing variety of impor-
tant work.
II have sometimes thought that one
step that might be profitably taken in
the line of conference and expedition
would be to create a standing Joint
committee on District affairs, in place
Of the separate Senate and House
committees, to which District bills
originating in either body could be
referred -
''The reports Of such a committee,
being made to both bodies at the same
time. would save duplication of COM
mittee action, which is at least one
of the causes of delay. Beyond this,
the House might easily find more time
for District matters.
For instance, the public would not
suffer by using In that way some OF
the time that is now in certain cases
devoted to general debate when, al
though a specific measure is before
the House, discussion of almost any
conceivable question, having no rela-
4iox. 70, that rnaaanr ia nerrn iffad.,