The Washington herald., 1922-02-03
Rep. Moore Attacks Many
Absentees at Bill
Discussion.
ONLY IS PRESENT
AT ADJOURNMENT
Asserts Estimate Cuts
Were Unfair to
Washington.


that less than thirty members of the
House were present while the Dis
trict appropriations bill was being
discussed yesterday.
a count of the House at that time
showed the actual number present
to be twenty-seven, two Of whom
appeared to be sleeping. This num-
Der gradually decreased until but
eighteen remained when a motion
Was made to adjourn.
Among the first features Of the
hill to be discussed was the pro-
vision for building inspection.
Chairman Davis, of the commit
tee in charge Of the bill. in answer
to a question, stated that IL was
his opinion the District was sup
piled adequately with building in
spectors.
stressed B.IldisE Inspection.
Representative Moore quoted a
section from the hearings of the
committee In which Commissioner
Keller had said. referring to the
inspection OF buildings, II wish to
call your attention to the fact that
the ONCE of building inspector is a
very important one in view of the
activities now. II is on very
active scale, and we ought to have
an increase in salaries commen-
surata with the amount OF work
involved"
Representative Moore pointed out
that these increases had not been
made.
Questioned as to the duties of the
tuilding inspector. Chairman Davis
ID he did not intend to be drawn
Into, any discussion of the Knicker-
booker Theater disaster. Some one
bad not perforned hts duty.-he sssS.
IND he Believed the guilty persoa
Moore Makes cAarss.
clared: -
What say to the House is tina.
we are very much in q fog as to
what VIC should do or should not
do in passing upon this appropria-
ton bill. and that is an unhappy
fact. Later on ! shall endeavor to
show again, as have tried to show
mere this afternoon. not only the
extent to which the Committee on
Appropriations has cut the esti-
mates of the Bureau OF the Budget.
~
the Bureau of the Budget has cut
the estimates that were sent in by
the people in the District who know
eest about the needs and the neces-
sites OF the District. They were
sent by the Commissioner, ali of
whom were appointed by President
Harding. two of whom are among
the strongest and most experienced
Dcsiness men in the District, and
one OF whom Is an able engineer
drawn from the army, taking the
place Of Col. Kutz. his predecessor,
who was a man of equal ability.
My great regret Is that the
members OF Congress seem to take
So little interest In the affairs OF
the District OF Columbia that this
bill gets insufficient discussion. The
other day five hours were assigned
for general debate and a compara-
lively small percentage of that
time was given to the discussion OF
the bill. Almost everything on the
face OF the earth and above the
earth was talked about-because
we went into discussion of per
formances In the air-to the exclu-
sion OF any real discussion of the
bill except by the gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Davis) and the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr.
Johnson).
Urges Procedure Cha.Ses.
And now. when. we come to deal
with the bill under the five-minute
rule I do not think we have had
as many as forty members. of the
House present at any time.
All of that leads me to think
that we must try to discover some
better method Of procedure in gov
erning. as we are charged by the
Constitution with the exclusive
duty OF governing the District.
doubt extremely whether the bud
get system should have been ap-
piled to the District. 1 doubt ex-
tremely whether the segregation OF
all appropriation work SO as to
place 1t in the hands Of a single
committee is properly applicable to
the District, and at some time or
other. perhaps during this debate
although II Is very discouraging TO
have the opportunity to submit
views that may possibly be the re-
suit Of good deal OF study to a
very small percentage only of the
members Of the House-or after
the debate, I shall do what / think
some others ought to be trying to
do. that is suggest methods of pro-
cedure so far as Congress Is con-
ccrned that will not only evidence
the interest that do not doubt we
all deep down in our hearts feel in
the affairs of the District, but will
show that We have a practical ap-
titude for taking care of those af-
fairs in a more satisfactory way
than we seem now to do.
Explains HI. Interests.
TT Is sometimes suggested, be-
cause. I happen to represent a very
nearby district, that may have
some peculiar interest in matters
that affect the city OF washington
and the outlying regions Of the
District. That is far from the fact.
] am not a property owner here to
any extent. have no business con-
nectiops here of any character.
Therefore, I have only the same In
terest In the situation here that
other gentlemen have. except pos
conttnsed On Page TArss.