Evening star., 1933-02-19
D. c. SUPPLY BILL
PASSED BY HOUSE
$685. 900 Relief Item Is
Added to S34, ,e83, ,565 Meas
h. ure Late in Debate.
(Continued From First Page.)

unemployment relief by 20 per cent
increase in the tax on intangibleS was
eliminated on point of order when
the bill was first taken up for considera-
ton.
The La Guardia relief amendment
specifically prescribes that the S625, 600
fund shall be drawn entirely from Dis
trict revenues. 1t was written into the
bill under items for the Board of Pub
lie Welfare. The board will admins
ter this fund unhampered by re-
strictive provision. eliminated from the
bill as it was reported to the House,
which would have fixed per cent as
the limit available for administrative
expenses and personal services.
The vote on the La Guardia amend
ment climaXed a prolonged DEBATE
which aroused more interest than any
other proposed change in the bill. The
amendment also caused the first serious
split between the subcommittee on ap-
preparations and the Democratic bloc
which aided Chairman Cannon to re-
sist all previous attempts to increase
appropriations above the amounts car
ried in the bill. In this case, however,
the Democrats, including Chairman
Byrns of the powerful Appropriations
Committee, deserted Mr. Cannon and
voted to adopt the amendment. Can
non then resorted to parliamentary
strategy. but his moves failed to change
the result.
Representative Mary T. Norton, Dem
ocrat, of New Jersey, chairman OF the
House District Committee, took con-
spicuous part in the fight for the relief
fund, both on and off the floor. She
was observed in the cloakroom and
lobby, appealing for support OF the
amendment.
In her speech on the floor, she de-
clared that If the $625,000 was not
made available 1000 families, repre-
senting $4,000 persons, would be faced
with actual starvation.
$3.50 Allowed Weekly.
This number of families" she said,
ais now being carried by the emergency
relief division of the Board of Public
Welfare in a way entirely inadequate,
an average of $3.50 a week being al
lowed these families. Private funds are
utterly inadequate to meet this need
and unless relief is provided from Dis
trict revenues (not FederaD, a very
serious situation is bound to develop.
Every year since 1929 the number OF
dependent families In Washington and
the amount of relief necessary has dou-
bled from the year before. If that situ-
alton continues in 1888, there will be
needed more than 100000 to care
for the needy people of Washington.
Congress will have adjourned before
July l and the people af Washington
will have no means OF providing the
necessary relief for the last half of the
year."
Mrs. Norton also explained that the
Commissioners asked for an appropria-
ton Of $1,250, 900 for the calendar year
1888, and half of that amount already
had been provided in the deficiency
bill. The balance provided in the
amendment is to be used in the last six
months of the current calendar year.
LaGuardia Makes Appeal.
Mr.. LaGuardia pointed out in pre-
senting his amendment that the Dis
trict had been stricken by the eco
nomic depression like every other COM
munity and had its destitute and
needy. I'VE can't feed these people
with statistics" he declared. "It is a
matter of life and not parliamentary
problems. Anything that happens In
the District Is a national question, and
we can't adjourn and leave these peo-
pie in want"
An equally strong plea came from
Mr.. Connery. This Is not time to
bubble over whether funds for emer-
gency relief come from the revenues OF
the District or the general fund" ne
declared. st want to see the starving
people of the District get relief whether
the money comes out Of the District or
Federal Treasury"
Just previous to appropriating $685.
600 for relief, the House twice refused
to accept an amendment of Representa-
tive Mcleod, Republican, Of Michigan,
o. ,,y,-
dernourished school children OF WASH
ington.
Each time Mr. Mcleod offered his
amendment it was rejected on a point
of order, and he finally gave up with
an announcement that he would con-
centrate his efforts to get Congress tc
pass an Independent bill he is spon-
soring to accomplish the same purpose
Mr.. Mcleod had hoped to get quicker
action by having the money appropri-
ated in the supply bill.
Other Attempts Fail.
Several other attempts to get In
creased appropriations likewise failed
Representative Keller, Democrat, OF
Illinois, made a dramatic plea for $780,
900 additional for the tuberculosis Hos
pital, but his amendment was turned
down He cited his own experience In
recovering from tuberculosis 20 years
ago to show the value Of tuberculosis
hospital.
An appeal for an increase in the
amount allotted in the bill to the Dis
trict Militia also fell on deaf ears, as
did a request by Mr.. Holiday for funds
to employ "a additional guards at the
workhouse and reformatory Repre-
sentative Schafer of Wisconsin face
tiously remarked, however, that with
the repeal of the eighteenth amend
ment, there would be no need for the
additional guards.