Evening star., 1923-01-05
FISCAL BILL OF D. C.
NOW BEFORE HOUSE;
MAY VOTE MONDAY

Continued from First Pase.l
committee which framed the bill and
former chairman OF the House District
committee, criticized the policy of build
/ ing ''palatial school houses" with mag
Inincent theaters'' III the District. He
confirmed the statement previously made
by Representative Cramton that every
request by the school board which had
70 DO with providing seat for each
child In school houses had been granted.
He added that the previous Congress
had appropriated more money for school
buildings than has yet been used.
| s.'"nere II is question between
| money for classrooms and for thea
ters or assembly halls, as they are
| called, the preference should be given
to the classrooms." said Representa-
tive Johnson.
Representative Smell of New York
brought up the question OF hundreds
Of children from outside the District
who are attending the District
schools. He asked why they should
bs allowed to attend the schools here
| when there is not seating capacity
for the children of the taxpayers in
the District.
Chairman Focht of the District COM
mittee contributed the information
that there are now 5000 OF these chill
dren living outside the District attend
ing the District schools, but he said
II. rs conQition that OBTAINS III nearly
Ievery large municipality.
Representative Johnson discussed at
length the provision In the current
law, which is renewed In the bill under
consideration, regarding payment of
juries in the local courts.
Declaration that the school teach
ers of Washington ought TO have their
salaries doubled was made in the
House by Representative Thomas l..
Blanton, democrat, of Texas, a mem
ber of the House District committee.
He protested, however. that none Of
the money for the support of the Dis
trict schools should come from the
federal Treasury.
He argued that the people of Wash
fngton ought to fully support their
states should not be taxed for this
purpose.
Representative Blanton criticized
the appropriations committee for not
having long ago fully equipped mem
bers of tho police department with
modern firearms, and he also sharply
criticized the fact that both police
and hremen are not granted one day
off In seven.
Assessment Written In.
The appropriations committee wrote
into the bill last year provision for
the courts against the unsuccessful
litigant. The controller decided that
because this provision was inserted
under the Police heading heading
IL applied only to the Police Court.
A number of judges were called be-
fore the subcommittee during the
hearings, and they all opposed such
provision on the ground that IT
was Impractical TO carry 1t out. In
the present bill the committee modi-
fed this provision b. saying that IL
applies to all OF the courts. The pro-
vision Is as follows:
For compensation OF jurors, $1o, 900;
provided. that none of the money ap-
propriated by this act for the pay
ment OF Jurors fees in any of the
courts shall be available or used for
that purpose unless the actual cost
of the trial jury in each case first be
ascertained and fixed by the court
and taxed as part OF the costs and
judgment rendered therefore against
the defendant in criminal case
been rendered: nor shall any such
money be available or used for that
purpose until execution has been
issued and a return of nulla bona
thereon has been made by the proper
officer.
Neither shall any OF the money ap-
propriated by this act for the pay
ment of Jurors fees be dispersed or
used to pay any Jurors fees whatso-
ever, unless the actual cost of the
trial jury be ascertained and fixed
by the court and taxed as costs and
j1dgment rendered therefor against
the defendant, where either the
United States or the District of CO.
iumbia is plaintiff and the defendant
is unsuccessful in the suit. How
ever, no person shall be imprisoned
because OF non-payment OF the afore-
mentioned costs"
Protest against the rush tactics OF
the House leadership in taking up the
District bill, and criticism of the
House for generally shunting aside OF
Representative r. Walton Moore of
virginia, democrat. He particularly
emphasized the proposed school ap-
preparations are entirely inadequate.
"Not Pressing for Action.
There Is no pressure, incident to
the general condition of business in
the House, which makes 1t necessary
to take this bill up for considera-
ton today" protested Representative
Moore. "On the other hand, there is
good reason why 1T should not be
taken up today. but put over until
next week. The bill, which contains
over 100 printed pages" he pointed
out, "was only reported to the House
yesterday afternoon and. along with
the hearings contained in a volume of
over $50 printed pages, was only
within reach OF members during the
afternoon.
Thus, no time has been afforded any
one to study the bill in the light OF
the hearings, and no one can now
know much about II except the mem
bers Of the subcommittee of the COM
mittee on appropriations which is in
charge Of 1t
Surely. in the consideration of this
and other appropriation bills" Rep
resentative Moore continued. either
there should be an interval of two or
three days. between the report and
printing of the bills and hearings be-
fore the bills are considered, or else IL
may as well be understood that the
House is expected to automatically
approve the conclusions of the sub
committees"
Complaining against the general
treatment of the District by Congress,
Representative Moore said that "the
policy of the House In dealing with
District affairs. If 1t can be really
said to have any policy, is to rush
through the appropriation bills, and
TO retard the disposition of SPECIFIC
measures that crowd the calender Of
the District committee, by disregard
ing the rule which assigns to District
business two days in each month.
"Two days in each OF the months
when Congress Is IN IN. s sessiIn .IIoxonre w1u.a
and. nevertheless, the common prac-
tice ia to devote those particular days
to other business.
Not Regarded Satisfactory.
"No one except somebody gifted
with the temperament OF Mark Tap
lev, who always became more cheer
mi as conditions became worse" said
Mr.. Moore, 'can regard this bill as
SATISFACTORY Everybody, for exam
pie. realizes that It does not ade-
ouately meet the educational needs Of
the District Those needs and other
Urgent requirements are set forth In
the communication of the Commits
sioners to the director Of the bureau
of the budget under date of Septem-
her is. 1922, which 7 ask leave to
r~fpt with my remarks.