Evening star., 1925-02-04
SM00T TO OPPOSE
BIG BUILDINGS BILL
Senator Finds $150,OOO,OO
Is Not Available Until 1927
as Regards D. C.

Passage of the public buildings bill as
| it passed the House Monday, which ap-
proves a program for the expenditure
of l50,00O,O0O, of which s50,000.000 is
| for buildings to be erected in the Dis
trict of Columbia, is not approved by
Senator Smoot of Utah
In making this known today following
| a brief conference with the President,
| Senator Smoot, who is chairman. Of the
| United States Public Buildings Com
| mission, and is ardent champion OF
| the administrations building program
for the Capital City, explained that this
| does not mean that he is opposed to the
| general idea. He heartily approves of a
| building i21ogram, but he disapproves OF
| certain features of the measure as 1t
| passed the House. With the necessary
,, changes he will be glad to give it his
| full support.
No Actual Appropriation.
AS Senator Smoot explained today, the
| bill as framed now would not permit
| any of the money specified to be spent
| in the District to be used until 1927. In
| fact, the bill does not actually appro-
| pirate any money at all, 1t merely au-
| thorizes the expenditure.
! Senator Smoot wants the bill to
| make the S50.000,000 for the District
| of Columbia. or at least fifth of
4. Immediately available. He thinks
| the program for building in the Dis
trict should be entered upon without
further delay. His efforts in the
Senate will be along this line. He
stated that he has not made up his
mind what course he will follow in
the event he is unable to change
the bill in the Senate. 1t may be
possible that he will vote for the
House measure rather than have no
legislation of this nature at all.
The Senator said he still feels
hopeful about the passage at this
session of the reorganization bill.
Cabinet Post Sought.
President Coolidge was asked today
by Senators Harreld of Oklahoma.
Phipps of Colorado and Means of
Colorado to appoint John Fields of
Oklahoma City, Okla, as Secretary
of Agriculture to succeed Secretary
from the Cabinet March to become
Governor of West Virginia. The
President was told that Mr. Fields,
who was twice Republican nominee
for Governor of Oklahoma, is well
qualified to head the Department of
Agriculture because of his knowledge
of practical farming and marketing
and because of his experience while
Commissioner of Agriculture of Okla
homa.
President Coolidge was given as
surance today by Senator Watson of
Indiana. assistant Republican leader
of the Senate. that the steering COM
mittee of the Senate has no intention
of deliberately holding up any agri-
cultural legislation which may have
the Endorsement of the administra-
tion. On the contrary, the steering
committee, according to Senator Wat
son, is ready to handle this legisla-
ton the moment the agricultural
committee presents the Legislation.
The President was asked today to
give his support to legislation appro-
priating more than s1,000.000 for the
construction of dam to afford a
larger water supply for the Orland
irrigation project in the upper Sac
ramento Valley of California. SEN
ator Shortridge and Representative
Lea, Free and Rater of California,
who made this request to the Presi
dent. told him that the matter is one
of emergency, inasmuch as the made
quate water supply at present has re-
suited in considerable financial loss
to HON mesteaderS on the project and
because of this many of the latter
have had to default in their payments
to the Government.