Evening star., 1925-01-13

The House yesterday clearly indicat-
ed that. 1t favors making available the
surplus now idle in the Treasury
to $4,438,154, which the Dis
trict property owners paid in taxes
Final vote on the measure. which has
passed the Senate. was prevent
ed by dilatory tactics engaged in by
Louis G. Cramton, Re-
publican. of Michigan, and Represent
ative Thomas l.. Blanton, Democrat, OF
Texas. leaders of. the opposition.
This throws the legislation over two
weeks, until the next District day in
the House. In the meantime Represent
ative Cramton hopes to get a hearing
before the House District committee on
his bill which would link payment of
the surplus with his proposal to make
permanent change in the fiscal relations
between the Federal and District gov
ernments by establishing a lump-sum
annual contribution of about $4,000, 900
by the Federal Government, the District
to pay all the rest.
A test vote forced by Representative
Blanton late yesterday on his motion
to strike out the enacting clause was
defeated Al to 80.
Point of Order Lost.
L iSNAOdS " lillI INCpi
Cramton had made an unsuccessful at
tempt to defeat the bill by raising the
point of order that the District COM
mittee had no authority to report such
a bill because, he claimed, it provides
for an appropriation, and therefore
should properly come from the appro-
priations committee. He was overruled
by Representative John q. Tilson of
presiding in the committee
If the whole House.
Representative Frederick =. Zihl-
man was in charge of the bill on the
floor and much Eratified at the active
support of such recognized author
tiles on the subject as Representative
Martin Is. Madden, chairman of the
appropriations committee; Represent
,tives Guy L, Hardy, Republican, Of
Colorado and William c. Wright,
Democrat, of Georgia, both members
of the select joint committee which
the surplus question;
Ralph Gilbert, DEM
,crat. of Kentucky. d member of the
House District committee, who made a
strong legal argument on the equities
involved; Representative Charles l..
Underhill of Massachusetts, a mem
Der of the House District committee,
who appealed to the sense of justice
of his colleagues to live up to bar
gain Congress itself had proposed.
ZihIman is Confident.
Representative Zihlman offered the
notion for the committee to rise
when it was evident that opponents OF
the bill intended to prevent conclusive
action yesterday by submitting a series
If amendments.
Representative Zihlman and those
who supported him in the fight, how
ever, confidently predict that the
District surplus bill will be passed
on the next District day, Monday,
January 26.
When the bill comes up again Rep
Cramton intends to offer
Is an amendment his proposition that
he Federal Government shall con-
tribute annually a lump sum of
70, 900, 900 in lieu of the old $3.50
Or more recent 60-40 definite proper
ion scheme of paying the expenses
IF the National Capital. Representa-
i've Zihlman will promptly make a
point of order that such amendment
S not germane.
When the bill is again taken up
he House will be called upon to
OlS OI ~
representative Cramton proposing
or purchase of land and construction
If buildings for public schools, play
grounds and parks This is to make
he measure conform with the bill
which Representative Cramton intro
luced last week and which has been
'eferred to the House District COM
nittee.
Conference of Leaders.
Shortly before the House adjourned
'esterday there was a conference on
he floor between Chairman Reed cf
he District Committee, Chairman
Madden of the appropriations com
nittee, Representative Zihlman and
floor Leader Longworth.
In explaining the legislation Rep
esentative Zihlman said:
This Senate bill is before the
House as result of the investiga-
ion made of the surplus revenues of
he District of Columbia by act of
Congress. The committee appointed
lnder that act were Senators Phipps
# Colorado, Ball of Delaware, Harris
# Georgia, and Representative
ivans of Nebraska, Hardy of Colorado
md Wright of Georgia.
The committee made a report find
ng a true surplus of $4,43S,154.92
md this bill proposes to credit that
money to the District of Columbia.
rhe report of the committee was
unanimous, with the exception of
ormer representative Evans, who
made a minority report disagree eing
With the findings of the committee.
This amount was found after an .eX-
ensive investigation, the employment
# an auditing firm from Baltimore.
o be the funds of the District of
Columbia which were appropriated
md not used and which remained in
he Treasury of the United States.
,ut which belonged to the District of
Columbia just as much as the other
0 per cent formerly appropriated to the
federal Government"
Inauiry's Scope Defined.
Representative Cramton contended
hat the surplus investigation com
nittee, made one sided investigation
nd that it did not carry its inquiry
,ack to 1874, as directed by Congress.
Representative Zihlman argued that
f Congress limits it's share in paying
he bills of the National Capital to a
ump-sum of S9,000,000, then the
budget Bureau and Congress are not
justified in slashing the estimates OF
he District officials for local needs
hat the people are willing to pay for.
lie added:
"The needs of the District are many
md why should not this $4,43S,00O,
which has been found to belong to
he District, levied as taxes upon the
District, be made available to be ap-
by Congress for the build
nPr of new schools and for the i'm
of streets and for the eX-
.ension of water mains and for the
extension of sewage mains in the