Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-20
HOUSE CONFEREES
REFUSE TO ACCEPT
HIGHER LUMP SUM
Senate Expected to Get D. C.
Fund Bill Report Today
or Tomorrow.
TEACHER APPOINTMENT
COMPROMISE REACHED
Improvement of Normal Schools
Standing With Preferences End
ing in 1888 Approved.

With the Federal contribution held
down to the 100000 limit upon which
the House has insisted for several years,
the conference report on the District
appropriation bill was expected to be
laid before the Senate for ratification
today or tomorrow.
The Senate, in passing the bill ten
days ago, voted to raise the Federal
lump sum to $4,000 900, and in con-
ference the Senate managers endeavor-
ed to persuade the House group that
there should be soEle increase above
100000. When the question was
taken up by the conferees yesterday,
however, the House spokesman made 1t
clear they would not yield, and the
Senators decided nothing would be
gained by prolonging the conferences.
The adjustments in the detailed items
of the bill brought it from conference
carrying total Of $38,472,615.
Compromise on Appointments.
A compromise was worked out by the,
conferees on the question of how teacher
appointments should be made in the
local schools. The House had provided
that after July, 1881, only the first IS
per cent of the local normal school
graduates should be given preference
over outsiders in teacher appointments.
The Senate struck this out and added
a provision to raise the normal schools
to the level of teachers colleges, with
four-year course and the right to
confer degrees. The confereeS retained
the Senate clause to improve the stand
ing of the normal schools, but decided
that beginning IN 1888 no preference
would be given local graduates in COM
peting with outside applicants for ap-
pointment. This change is based on the
theory that if local normal school grad
yates are given the same educational
opportunities prevailing elsewhere they
would not need the preference.
Senator Jones, Republican, Of Wash
ington, disagreed with the decision of
the conferees on the method of ap-
pointing teachers, believing as a matter
of principle that some preference should
be given he local teachers in the mat
ter of appointments. He plans to state
his position on the floor Of the Senate
when the conference reports Is taken UP.
The conferees eliminated the Senate
amendment to appropriate $4,000 TO
build tubercular Sanitarium for chill
dren. and inserted in its place an item
of $500 to enable the Commissioners
to make further study of the needs
along this line and report to Congress
at the next session.
The conferees agreed that when the
new Business High School in completed
the present Business High Building
should be used as an elementary school,
but left open for later decision the ques-
ton of whether 1t should be used as a
white or colored school.
Allow Nine More Teachers.
The Senate amendment providing for
employment Of 10 additional school
teachers, at a total salary cost Of
$4,000, was compromised in conference
by allowing nine more teachers, with
salaries totaling $16,600.
The House agreed to the Senate
amendments allowing funds for the
transportation and treatment of Grip
pied school children.
The House also receded on the Sem
ate amendment providing for purchase
of a site in the northeast on which to
erect new platoon school building and
colored health school and sanitarium.
With one exception, all of the street
paving items allowed by either branch
of Congress we're retained. The excep-
ton was the elimination of the Senate
amendment for the paving of Western
avenue from Forty-first street to Chevy
Chase Circle. The Senate managers re-
stored all of the House paving items
which had been cut out. and all the
Senate additions were left in except the
Western avenue item.
The Senate receded from its amend
ment which would have cut the salary
item for the municipal architects Office
from $63, 700 to $4,000. HHc
The Senate receded from its amend
ment which would have required the
street railway company crossing the
Anacostia Bridge to pay part of the cost
Of reconstructing the floor Of the bridge.
The House agreed to the Senate M
crease of $4,000 in the item for sub=
urban sewers. ID
Allowances Restored. 1spp
The conferees restored the special Az
lowances given to policemen mounted
on bicycles and those who use their
own motor vehicles, but did not restore
the similar allowance for men mounted
on horses. 'lnmog
The House agreed to the Senate
amendment increasing the appropriate
ton for Children's Hospital from Si6,,
900 to $4,000. ~Tso
The House agreed to the Senate IN
crease from $4,000 to $4,000 in the
item for improvement of the Rock Greek
ana PoComac connecting parkway. = u
In discussing the action of the SEN
ate group in yielding to the Houseron
the amount of the Federal contribution,
Senator Bingham. Republican. Of Con-
necticut. chairman of the Senate sub
committee. said the House conferees
would not bulge on the $4,000 900
lump sum-" est
According to Senator Bingham the
House group took the position that
SO 100000 was generous. Senator Bing-
ham expressed the belief that the Sem
ate conferees would have been in a
stronger position If larger District
budget had been recommended to Con-
gress. He indicated that he and his COL
leagues were met with the argument
that the amounts being received from
taxation and fees. together with the
$9,000.000, were ample to meet the ap-
preparations now being made.