Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-04
Appropriation Resolution Is
Offered at Farley of Leaders
of Both Parties.
SIMMONS ANTICIPATES
RESULTS THIS WEEK
Answers Made to Him Allay Fear
That Fund Request Might
Meet Opposition.

The way was cleared in the House
today for legislation at this session of
Congress which would authorize the
District to spend 100000 to acquire
the first of the property for the pro-
posed new municipal center. The funds
are in the Treasury now as part Of the
accumulated District surplus.
At the conferences with the House
leaders, both on the Democratic and
Republican side, Chairman Simmons Of
the subcommittee on District appro-
priations, introduced a resolution ap-
propriating the accumulated surplus for
immediate purchase of the site.
Representative Simmons conferred
with House Leader Tnson, Speaker
Longworth, Chairman Wood of the ap-
preparation committee and Representa-
tive Byrns of Tennessee, the ranking
Democrat on the appropriations COM
n1ittee. Their answers cleared away all
fear on the part of the White House
and Budget Bureau that submission OF
an estimate might be antagonistic to
the program of the House leaders. The
Budget Bureau was notified by Mr.
Simmons and will Immediately prepare
the papers to accompany the estimate
of District Auditor Donovan, now be-
fore the bureau.
Expects Action This Week.
Representative Simmons said this aft
ernoon that he expects to get action
on his resolution before the close OF
the present week.
The site to be acquired comprises
four large city squares, two of which
are on the east side and two on the
west side of John Marshall place and
lying between Judiciary. Square and
Pennsylvania avenue.
Impressed by Urgency.
The House leaders were impressed
by the urgency of the proposal be-
cause several units of the District Gov
eminent have been ordered to vacate
the properties they now occupy and
there Is pressing need to find buildings
which they can occupy in addition tc
affording relief to already overcrowd-
ed quarters in the Municipal Building
On the property to be acquired are
several large structures, which could be
used as Temporary homes for various
District activities until it will be neces-
sary to clear them away for the con-
struction work on the new buildings.
Members of the appropriations COM
mittee and other prominent House
leaders see no objection to the Simmons
resolution, because 1t, inreality, takes
no money from the Federal Treas
ury, as the accumulated surplus is
made up entirely from District taxes
and there is sufficient amount to pay
for the proposed site. They have been
impressed by the fact that a consider
able saving can be made to the District
taxpayers by purchase of this property
now, as the present owners of the land
will advance the price If the purchase
is delayed.
Representative Simmons and Chair
man Wood of the House appropriations
committee today expressed hope that
by prompt acquisition of the site. the
construction work on the municipal
building project may be expedited. AS
the new municipal center will tnaUgu-
rate and dominate the improvement
of the north side of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. corresponding with the Federal de-
velopment in the triangle south OF
Pennsylvania avenue, the House lead
ers are DESTROYS that the municipal
center be erected as soon as possible.