Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
DISPUTED ISSUES
IN D. c. MONEY BILL
AWAIT CONFEREES
House and Senate Group
viii Consider Appropriation
Measure This Week..
ALLOWANCE INCREASE
is IMPORTANT ITEM
Other Leading Points Include Hir.
ing of Normal School Grad
yates as Teachers.

consider changes made by the Sem
ate, including the important amend
ment increasing the Federal share in
the expenses of the National Capital
from 100000 to $4,000 600.
AS passed by the Senate the bill
carried new total of $38,636,415, as
compared with the House total of $685.
213,150.
Interest in the work of the conferees
viii center chiefly on the final de-
cision with regard to the Federal con-
tribution, but there are a number of
other important amendments, the ul-
innate fate of which rests with the
managers to be appointed from the
House and Senate. These include:
Teacher Question Is Raised.
The action of the Senate in strik-
ing out the House limitation, which
would give only Is per cent of local
normal school graduates a preference
over outsiders in teacher appointments,
and insertion of clause by the Sem
ate raising the normal schools to de-
Rree-conferring teachers colleges.
The Senate amendment appropriating
$150,000 to build special sanitarium
near the tuberculosis. Hospital for tu-
bercular children, in the hope that
Of these children to health sooner than
Is possible In the existing health
schools.
Senate amendments appropriating
4l6, 800 for the transportation and care
OF crippled children, including employ
naent of two physiotherapistS to attend
ttem
A Senate amendment allowing an
additional $4,000 for employment of
school teachers.
A Senate amendment allowing Sl10.-
goo Tor site for colored elementary
school.
The conferees also will have to pass
final judgment ON two limitations, put
In by the House and eliminated by the
Senate, namely: A provision forbidding
issuance Of automobile tags to motorists
who owe personal taxes to the District
and the clause requiring the Board of
Education to use the old Business High
School for colored pupils when the new
Business High School is completed.
Paving Projects Pending.
There also are approximately 20 spe-
eific street-paVing items subject to final
decision in conference.
With regard to the teacher-preference
question, 1t is possible the conferees
may adjust their differences by plac-
ing some limit on the number Of local
graduates who would be given pref
| erence, and at the same time retain
The teachers college amendment.
The increase in the lump sum of S10,-
600, 900 led to a debate in which sew
oral Senators questioned whether Wash
sngton is being taxed enough in COM
earison with similar cities.
Chairman Bingham of the District
subcommittee on appropriations an
swered these queries by quoting from
data recently collected by the Bureau
of Efficiency, which, he contended,
shows Washington paying a fair tax.
He declared facts assembled in the
bureaus report also uphold the reason
ablenesS of the $l,000,000 increase in
the Federal contribution, and empha-
sized that the pending bill does not
propose to decrease the present tax
rate in Washington.
Senator King. Democrat, of Utah,
made the most extended argument
against the amendment Senator Couz-
ems. Republican, of Michigan, raised
q question as to whether Washington
Is sufficiently taxed. Senators Norris,
Republican, of Nebraska, and Blaine,
Republican, of Wisconsin, Joined in the
discussion of this point.
Simmons Defends Increase.
Senator Simmons, Democrat, of North
Carolina, veteran member of the Sen
ate, strongly defended the action of the
Senate appropriations committee in in
creasing the Federal contribution. After
Senator Caraway, Democrat, of Ar
kansas, had argued that there is no
legal obligation resting on the Federal
Government to meet part of the Dis
trict's expenses, Senator Simmons re-
pIied:
"I want to say that I am entirely ir
eympatfy with the liberality of the COM
fnittee. I agree with the Senator from
Arkansas that there is not any lega
liability in purely technical sense, but
! think there is moral liability which
Is Just as strong If not stronger than q
legal liability
Senator King declared there is lega
and moral obligation on property own.
ers Of the District to pay reasonable
tax. He said: When they pay tas
comparable to that paid by citizens oi
the United States generally, and there
Is a deficit left then, in my opinion, the
Federal Government should meet tina
deficit" ......
Senator Simmons replied that II
lssmakes no difference whether the obi
cation be legal or moral the Senator
from Utah admits that the Government
Is liable for whatever amount is neces
Sary properly to conduct the govern
ment of the District of Columbia afte
the people of this District have pais
upon their property reasonable amount
Of taxation"
Senator King responded that he hat
not made such an admission, but hat
said he would favor it as an act o
generosity"
Senator Bingham then proceeded T.
show by the report of the Bureau o
Efficiency that the average ratio of ex
empt property to taxable property fo
al cities Of the United States of thi
size is II per. cent, and that in Wash
ington the ratio is 81 per cent, 'if W
count all Government property in Wash
iIfgton that is legally exempt"
Holds EXEMPT Total Is High.
"If one takes away from the amour
Of exempt property that which is use
By the Federal Government alone,
Senator Bingham continued. AN
leaves merely that which is used by tn
District and the parks, but not th
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