Evening star., 1926-04-16
D. c. FINANCE BILL
PASSED BY SENATE
Paving Fund Increased,
Water Rate and School Site
Clauses Struck Out.

The District appropriation bill is on
the road to conference between the
two branches Of Congress today, hav-
ing been passed by the Senate late
yesterday. with little debate and only
a few minor changes from the form
in which it was reported by Senator
Phipps Of the appropriations COM
mittee.
Traffic problems and the condition
of the streets with regard to paving
came in for brief discussion when the
we're reached.
The Senate struck from the bill the
House proposal for an increase in
which would have prevented the au.
thorities from paying more than 25
per cent in excess of assessed value
for school and park sites.
The Senate leaders still have before
them. however, the task of convincing
the House managers that these two
far.reaching sections Of the bill should
be eliminated.
Paving Fund Increased.
The next most important problem
to be settled in conference is the
amount that should be appropriated
for street paving and how it should
be divided between new work and re-
surfacing. The Senate added more
than 100000 to the House figure for
repairs to streets, most Of which
would be for resurfacing.
In order to raise the highway allot.
ments without increasing the tax rate,
the Senate pruned the school building
program by about S370,0 900. These
school items also will be the subject
of discussion in conference.
AS reported to the Senate, the bill
carried $S3.697.771, a net decrease of
$61 $50 from the House. The only
changes made by the Senate other
than those recommended by the COM
mittee were additions of IS 900 each to
Home for Incurables and the Southern
Relief Society. In each case the al
lowance was made $4,000, the same
as approved by the House.
Traffic Clauses Opposed.
Senator King. Democrat. of Utah
opposed the regular appropriation of
800 900 for the expenses of the traffic
directors Office and the provisions au-
thorizing him to use fees derived from
automobile operators permits up to
limit of $3.50. 900 for installation of
more automatic traffic lights.
Senator King said he was dissatis.
fed with the results of the traffic law
passed last year, and declared Con-
gress should have given the superin-
tendent of police increased power in
stead of creating a separate traffic de-
partment. Although expressing his
opposition to the items, Senator King
said he would not attempt to strike
out or reduce the appropriations for
traffic, and they were approved.
Then followed a brief discussion
of specific traffic problems in which
a number of Senators took part.
Senator Smoot. Republican, of Utah
wanted to know If the authorities
had considered the effect of glar-
ing headlights on the accident rec
ord. He said he could not under
stand why such bright lights are re-
quired.
Swanson Criticizes Streets.
Criticism of the condition of the
streets was launched by Senator
Swanson, Democrat, of Virginia, who
asserted they are in "wretched con-
ultlOII etlitt ISliAlIluCu HlIIl Vi
tions usually found in a community
of 5000 Inhabitants. He suggested
that automobile taxes might be in
creased to make larger funds avail
able for street work.
Senator Phipps, in charge of the
bill, reminded Senator Swanson that
the subcommittee regarded the con-
dition of the streets as a foremost
problem in drafting the bill, and
called attention to the increases
recommended to make possible more
resurfacing. He told Senator Swan
son the city has fallen four years
behind in its resurfacing program.
To take care merely of those asphalt
streets that are more than 80 years
old would require $2,345. 900, Senator
Phipps said. The additional $780,
600 approved by the Senate for re-
surfacing will be a step toward
catching up on this arrearage resur-
facing, but will not bring the resur-
facing program up to date. Senator
Phipps said he hoped to convince
the House that a drive should be
made during the next few years to
catch UP on this phase of highway
work.
The Senate approved without dis
etssion the recommendation OF the
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