The Washington times., 1922-05-01
y
DISTRICT IS.
UNITED IN
OPPOSITION
Five Civic Organizations to
Hold Meetings--Board of
Trade to Meet.

dred employes OF the Bureau OF
Engraving and Printing, through
their representatives, today pro-
tested against the new tax plan
recommended by the conferees of
the House and Senate on the Dis
trict appropriation bill.
& Desire Hearing.
In a letter TO the Commissioners,
the employees ask the city heads to
seek a hearing before the conferees
i'm order to make formal protest.
The request for hearing, made
through the legislative committee OF
the twenty-three allied trades organi-
xstions. known as the joint confer.
ence board and representing bureau
employee, Is signed by Edward X.
Williams, chairman, and Miss Mary
Campbell. secretary.
Mr. Williams also addressed
similar letters to Vice President
Coolidge, Speaker OF the House
Gillette Senator Phipps, chairman
of the Senate Committee on District
Appropriations, and Congressman
Davis, chairman of the House Com.
nittec on District Appropriations.
Affairs in Middle.
District tax affairs appear IN a
worse muddle than ever In Congress
today. s.is
Confusion reigns In both House
and Senate as TO the next step. Pro-
gress on the conferees' report on the
District appropriation bill is stalled.
There Is no leadership, apparently
capable of clearing the situation.
In the Senate, a constructive step
has been taken by the introduction
OF the Jones resolution, providing
for searching inquiry into District
tax affairs, but This Is of little help
in the immediate crisis. In the
House, Congressman Ben Johnson.
former chairman of the District Com
mittee. dominates, and he regards
the conference report a long delayed
triumph for the ideas he has en-
tertained for more than a decade
regarding District finances.
The conferees are holding their
ground. They refuse TO comment on
the storm of protest that has been
aroused in the District over the re-
suit OF their work. but are plainly
irritated. The petition from the
meeting of citizens held In the Cen
trsl High School yesterday, will be
presented TO Vice President Coolidge
today, and probably will be referred
by him TO the Senate District Com
fnittee In connection with the con-
siderstion OF the Jones resolution in
connection with It's regular meeting
on Wednesday.
Until the House instructs the
House conferees as to the policy to
be adopted with regard to the items
IN disagreement between the House
and Senate, no further step I'm regard
to the conference report can be taken
in either body. IL is taken for
granted that the House viii not
bulge an inch from the demand Of
the Davis-Johnson group. In the
Senate the prevailing attitude Is one
of confidence In Senators Phipps and
Wesley l.. Jones. and there Is a dis
position TO support them I'm their sp-
proval of the conference report.
IL IL well understood. however,
that points of order win be made
against the tax provisions In the
Senate on the grounds that the con-
fereee exceeded their authority in
placing new legislation in the meas
ure. II this Is done the end of the
controversy cannot be foretoid. Only
two months remain before the fiscal
year expires, and there In no telling
how long a continuation of the
struggle In conferences will be. The
House appears determined to main
tain It's domination. and Administrs-
ton influence may have to be called
into the equation before change
Is effected.
Five civic organizations Of the
District win hold protest meetings
In different parts OF the city this
afternoon and tonight
Citizens 10 Meet.
The biggest meeting VIII be in the
board room OF the District building
when the Federation OF Citizens AS
socistions holds special session at
o'clock. This association. repre-
senttn9 more than 10000 residents
and taxpayers, is-cJpected TO visor-
ousiy oppose the new tax plan.
The Dupont Citizens Associat ton
will meet In the Mason House, 1905
Twentieth street. at 8 O'Clock.
The Sixteenth Street Highlands
Citizens Association viii meet In
the Sixth Presbyterian Church. Ken
o'clock. ,-t
The lows Circle Citizens Associs,
ton win meet In Westminster Lee
ture Hail, Eleventh and Rhode
Island avenue northwest, at 8
o'clock.
The directors Of the Board of Trade
WIN meet In the Star building at AIS
o'clock. . ,H
Letter Of Employees.
The letter OF the bureau employees,
in part, follows:
1T seems TO us that the bills that
passed the House and Senate do not
require a change In assessment
valuation.
I'VE were wondering whether the
District Appropriation Conference
Committee has the power 20 sdd new
legislation, and whether n would not
be subject 10 point OF order.
The Commissioners OF the District
OF Coiumbis should at least be given
en- Opportunity 10 be heard on the
merits OF the proposed legislation.
I'm very many, and indeed great
majority OF cases. the employees OF
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