Evening star., 1926-12-10
INTERIOR BILL ASKS
FOR S259,3G,9l0
Measure Carries Proposal of
$929,0O0 for st. Eliza
beth's Hospital.

crease of $50, 900: S1SS,00 for Freed
mems Hospital, an increase OF sZl'olu.
and $113, 400 for the Columbian lnstl'
tuition for the Deaf. the Interior De'
partment appropriation bill. recon-
mending a total Appropriation or SZo9'-
3S6,910 Cor the fiscal year beginning
July /, next, was reported 10 the
House today.
This is the second of the nine big
annual supply bills for support OF all
activities of the Government ana Is
S32.O63. .492 larger than the current
appropriations and S1.lal.6 lesS
than the amount requested in the
budget estimate.
The increase in the total appropria'
tions recommended for the hscai year
1928 is made up largely by the IN
crease of S28,787,4 400 under the fen-
sion Office, and 81 .062 800 for the
Reclamation Service The S150.000 in
crease for Howard University is for a
new dormitory building for girls
No Salary Increases.
The hill does not provide for any
salary increases, because secretary
Work advised the House approprl-
ations committee that Such salary
increases as were proVlded LOT III
the estimates were disapproved by
H..
tions were made in the estimates
where feasible to offset such dis
approved increases.
For support, clothing and treat
ment in St. Elizabeth's Hospital for
the Insane from the Army, Navy,
Marine Corps, Coast Guard ana
others, a total of $S04.000 is recon-
mended and for maintenance ana
upkeep of buildings and grounds
$l25,O00 both Of which items are
identical with the current appropri-
ations.
For Howard University, in addi-
ton to the funds for the new dormi-
tory. an item of $l50,000 for salaries
and s6S. 900 for general expenses is
recommended.
For Freedmen's Hospital $4,000
is recommended for salaries and pro-
fessional services, which is de-
crease of $496. Seventy-five thou
sand dollars is recommended for
subsistence, fuel and medicine.
which absorbs the increase Cl
$22,106.
For Columbian Institution for the
Deaf. the item of $1O2 900 for support
of the institution. including salaries.
also includes purchase of farm trac-
tor For repair to buildings of the
institution, including plumbing and
steamtftting and remodeling and
equipping of the light and power plant,
$11,4 400 is recommended.
Pension Bureau Figures.
For the Pension Bureau the bill car
ries S221 100000 for payment of pen
sions to Army and Navy veterans and
widows, an increase of $29.00O,0O0
above the appropriation in this bin
for 1927. The increase is due to In.
creased rates given the Civil War and
Spanish American War veterans and
their dependents in legislation effec-
tive early in the fiscal year 1927.
deficiency for 1927 must necessarily
occur. The total expenditures for the
present fiscal year being now esti-
mated at 233,00O.000, the amount
1921 900. 900 recommended for 1928 in
this bill is $12,O00.000 below the an
ticipated expenditures of the current
year, but is expected to be sufficient
for 1928 by reason of the gradually
diminishing roll of pensioners.
The reduction Of Sl57,54O below the
budget figure for the salary roll is
partly caused by the disapproval of
salary increases and by transfer of
employees; 1921 900 of the decrease is
by reason of expected reduction in
personnel
For reclamation work on Western
increase of s4.062. 900 over funds now
available. OF this. s450.O00 was al
lotted for the Baker project in
Oregon. The committee. in recon-
mending the expenditures, asked
Congress to assume responsibility
for starting the project, adding:
This project. several times recon-
mended for construction by the De-
partment of Interior and five times
approved by Congress through ap-
preparations. is not held feasible by
the present Secretary of the Interior,
who declines to proceed with it's con-
struction except under an appropria-
tion in form relieving him from the
necessity of finding the project
feasible.
Asks New Appropriation.
"The committee recommends a new
appropriation stripped of all condi-
tions and under which Congress as
sumes the responsibility for FEAST
bility of construction. The commit
tee makes this recommendation after
careful consideration and believes the
Baker project offers a safer and more
desirable use OF money from the
reclamation fund than some projects
approved by the present Interior
Secretary"
Other appropriations were as fol-
lows:
Indian Bureau. s12.599. 900. a de-
crease Of 1901, 900 under current funds;
national park service. 1882 900, de.
crease, 1896, 900; General Land Office,
$2297. 900, decrease, $4,000: Geolog-
tcal Survey, $l.S07. .000. decrease. $1l.-
600: government In Territories and
Alaska railroad. $1.620. 900, decrease.
SS75.O0O, and for continuing construc-
$t>, >f tho roDlidua Dam in Arizona
$750.o00.
Asserting that attendance In ma
tional parks had increased 3S per cent
in the last three years, the committee
recommended an increase in the au-
thority to incur obligations to the
amount of $2500,0o0 instead of ST..
100000. as proposed by the budget,
for road construction.
IF the recommendation should be
approved" the report said. 1T would
stand as an approval by Congress of
an expenditure of not less than 80 ,50O.-
600 per year for road construction in
the parks"
Other ReCOmme ndatiOnS.
Other recommendations of the COM
mittee included an appropriation of
s4OO 900 for the Payette division of
the Boise project in Idaho to obtain
water for land heretofore homestead
ed. and $4O0. 200 for canal construction
70 utilize surplus waters in American
Falls reservoir, in Idaho.
1t also cut $500, 900 from budget
figures for this reservoir on the
ground that the prospect of the use of
more than one unit Of the proposed
power plant is sufficiently remote to
make it undesirable to expend more
than s700. 600 it provided for construc-
ton os the plant at this time.