Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-16
The District Bill.

As the Senate Appropriations Com
Ynittee has accepted the truce proposed
by the House in the fight over the
amount of the lump sum, pending the
completion Of the inquiry into fiscal re-
Iations by the Select Committee OF the
House, its subcommittee on District ap-
preparations confined its work on the
District bill this year to study OF the
House provisions, assisted by the testl-
mony of interested citizens, and re-
ported the measure with few important
changes. 1t increased the allowances
for a number of the provisions and
raised the total OF the bill from $45,-
6i6,748 to $46,o9O,837, difference OF
S474,0s9. This difference may be de-
creased by $111,520, the amount repre-
senting promotions In underaverage
salary grades. If the Senate yields to the
House on these salary provisions. The
action taken by the conferees on the
same class of salary increases in the In
terror Department bill will, unfortu-
nateiy, be regarded as establishing prec-
edent in this connection and the Sen
ate will doubtless yield in every case, in
GLIDING the District bill.
There are few, if any, items of dis
agreement that will not be quickly set
tied in conference, provided the Senate
passes the bill as reported Saturday.
One change made by the committee in
a legislative rider. however, may bring
some controversy that would be wholly
out Of keeping with its Importance. This
relates to the kindergarten maintained
&C the Webster School in connection
with Americanization work. The kin
dergarten Is attended by underage chill
dren Of parents who are students at the
Anaeficanization School. Mr.. Simmons
has been determined to get rid Of this
kindergarten, along with the other I'm
derage kindergartens, and while the
Senate has been willing to agree to
legislation which forbids the instruction
Of. underage children in the public
schools, 1t has exempted, and very
properly, the Webster kindergarten. The
school Is performing necessary task,
and the kindergarten, even If 1t as
sunnes at times the character of day
nursery, is an essential part Of that
work. The only opponents Of the kin
dergarten have been few members Of
the House Subcommittee on Appropria-
lions, who, while entitled to their own
ideas on the subject, should permit the
majority sentiment Of the community.
and especially the wishes Of those in
charge Of this work, to prevail.
According to the statements made by
the Commissioners in testimony before
the House Appropriations Subcomnit-
tee, their estimates for 1882 will reduce
the Districts surplus revenues to about
500, 900. The Senate has increased the
District bill $131, 300 above the esti-
mates, not including the salary provi-
sicns, and the surplus at the end Of
1882 will be between five and six hum
dred thousand dollars. In making up
their estimates next Spring the Com
missioners will be forced to base them
on current revenues. If these are not
sufleient to finance District needs, the
needs must be curtailed to At a pocket
book the size of which will remain in
doubt until Congress, with more leisure
at its disposal, can find the time to
decide upon and adopt policy in
financing its National Capital.