Evening star., 1925-11-09
ASSURES PASSAGE
OF BUILDING BILL
Madden Tells President Pro.
uram for District Will
Be Voted.
By j. RUSSELL YOUNG.

PRESIDENT COolQEe was tOIu loddS
by Representative Martin B. Madden
of Illinois. chairman of the House ap-
Hropriations committee, that Congress
will pass a general public buildings
bill this coming session, which Will
include the Presidents program for
Government buildings for the District
nf Columbia
Mr. Madden said every member Oh
Congress recognizes the urgent need
for more adequate housing facilities
throughout the country for the Gov
ernment's activities. and that there Is
not the slightest doubt about a gen
eral bill passing this Winter. he
gained the impression that the Presl-
dent favors such legislation if 1t Is
passed without any of the old-time
pork-barr features and if it includes
his $4,000 900 public buildings pro-
gram for this city.
The President was advised by the
Illinois Representative that the pub
lie buildings bill should be taken up
in the House Immediately after the
tax reduction legislation and the varl-
Gus departmental appropriations bllls
have been disposed of. AS matter
of fact. he would favor its being
brought up for action before all of the
appropria ton bills have been passed.
SI65 5,o00, 900 for Six Years.
According to the opinions given to
the President during todays confer
ence Representative Madden stated
that the bill should authorize total
expenditure of S165 900 900 during
period of six years, which is 10000
900 above the amount set in the bill
passed by the House last year, but
which never reached the Senate. This
additional amount, he explained. is
necessary to provide the money to
build 120 Buildings authorized since
1918, and which have not been built
because of increa sed cost of conStruc
ton.
Like the President, Mr.. Madden ap-
proves a public buildings bill void OF
The so-called pork-barrel features He
favors reoassing the Elliott bill, which
the Hou ;e passed last Winter, and
which removed all objectionable fea-
lures by authorizing the expenditure
OF a cer tain amount OF money TO be
spent d'tring a specified period and
designated a committee headed by the
Secretary of the Treasury to select
the sites, construct the buildings and
spend the money, with the approval
Of Congress.
Mr. Madden would not specify any
definite amount for the District or
any other place. He would leave this
decision entirely with the Secretary
of the Treasury.
Mr.. Madden's talk about a public
buildings bill came up during his ex
planation of his plans as chairman of
the appropriations committee for pre-
pairing the legislation it will present
this Winter. He said that his COM
mittee will commence hearings No
vember II on the combined Treasury
and Post ONCE, Department appro-
priation bill. The committee will
start on the Interior Department BILL
November % and after that will start
on the Army and Navy appropria-
tions. The District Of Columbia ap-
preparation will be taken up last. He
explained that there is nothing per
sonal in leaving the, District to the
last, but this place was selected be-
cause the subcommitteemen who will
prepare the Districts appropriation
bill will be engaged in other work in
the meantime.
Importance Of Bill Urged.
AS one Of his party's leaders in the
House Mr.. Madden said he told the
President that before any legislation
is considered after the tax reduction
and the tax bills have been started on
their way, the House should take up
the public buildings bill
Although Mr.. Madden did not dis
cuss with the President today pro-
posed reorganization legislation, he
declared that he heartily approved CIV
Ing the Executive blanket authority
which would enable him to transfer
bureaus and divisions and to bring
about consolidation at will. This leg
islation, in the opinion of Mr.. Madden,
would solve the reorganization prob
~
Of passing Congress than would the
proposed Smoot. Brown reorga nization
bill.
Mr.. Madden believes there is great
need for recognizing the Govern
ment business, not only in the inter
est OF economy, but to promote eff.
cheney. AS a matter of fact, he does
not believe the money saving would
be anything considerable.
The Representative intimated that
he strongly favors legislatio that
would bring about drastic changes in
the present functions of the United
States Shipping Board and Emergency
Fleet Corporation.
He would not say whether he ap-
proved proposals to abolish the board
and transfer its functions and the
operation of the fleet to some one
OF the departments. He answered
this question by saying he would
have considerable to say upon the
subject at the proper time this Win
ter.
Representative Madden told the
President that he believed the tax
reduction which will eventually be
effected will amount to $3.50, 900 900
instead of the $500, 600, 900 specified
earlier by Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon.
Fo11owipp his copferepce with Ran
resentative Madden, President Cool
idge conferred briefly with Mrs
John Jacob Rodgers of Lowell, Mass.
who, last Summer was selected to
fill her late husbands unexpired term
in the House.
The President told those with
whom he talked early this morning
that he greatly enjoyed the short
cruise on the Mayflower yesterday aft
ernoon when he and. Mrs. Coolidge
had as their guests of honor the Prince
and Princess Asaka of Japan.