Evening star., 1933-02-16
HOUSE BLOCKS FIVE
DISTRICT INCREASES
Wild Confusion Marks Fight
by Holiday to Amend
Measure.
Continued From First Page }

(COnt1nOed from FIRST rage
OF being an expense it really is saw
fng thousands of dollars year and
making money.
= Representative Simmons emphasized
that Mr. Holiday had served notice to
the full Appropriations Committee that
this item had not been agreed upon
when the bill was being marked and
that he reserved the right to oppose the
committee now before the House. Mr..
Simmons pointed out the Holiday
amendment to restore this laboratory
really would save money for both the
Federal and District Governments. He
stated the Bureau Of Standards does
not want to do the work and should not
be called upon to do 1t at the expense
Of the Federal Treasury, when it is
not doing the same kind Of work for
any other city In the couhtfv.
Representative Cannon said it would
not cost a dollar TO have this work
done by the Bureau Of Standards and
declared 1t was the first time in his
experience in Congress that he had
seen the District refusing to take some
thing for nothing from the Federal
Government Mr.. Simmons chal-
lenged him on this statement and said
those who did the testing in the Bu-
reau OF Standards were being paid
from the Federal Treasury.
Representative Holiday called at
tention to the fact the Federal Govern
ment last year had paid Sl0,122 to the
District for work done for it by this
District laboratory and that up to the
present time it has paid $9.632 during
the present fiscal year.
The amendment by Representative
Holiday to increase the appropriation for
the Office of register of wills from $50. 900
to the budget figure of $68,490 failed
TO carry on a standing vote, by 65 to "a.
Representative Griffin, Democrat, of
New York, demanded a teller vote on
the amendment, which was voted down,
SO to &c.
Representative Smith, Democrat, OF
Virginia, made a futile attempt to get
an increased appropriation for the
office of recorder of deeds. His amend
ment was ruled out of order on the
ground It had been submitted too late,
the paragraph in the bill relating to
this Office having been already read
when he proposed the increase.
Tax Increase Eliminated.
= In response to appeals by several
members yesterday to be fair" to the |
District, the House eliminated from the
bill provision to increase the tax on |
Intangible personal property by 20 per |
cent to create an emergency unemploy- |
ment relief fund and defeated three |
different moves to reduce the Federal |
lump sum contribution below the $6,- |
50O,000 recommended by the Appropri- |
ations Subcommittee.
The intangible tax increase provision |
was knocked out on a point Of order |
raised by Representative Wood, Repub- !
hcan. of Indiana on the ground 1t was
legislation not germane to an appropri-
alton bill.
With the tax increase provision strick-
en- from the bill. Representative Smith, |
Democrat, OF Virginia made an attempt
to have s625,000 appropriated out of
the general revenues Of the District for
unemployment relief, but his amend
ment was held to be out of order at the
time. @
He announced however, he would
offer the amendment again at the
proper time, when the items for welfare
and relief work NJ taken up for con-
The fight to reduce the Federal con-
tribution was Ted by Representative
Bianton, Democfet, OF Texas. aided by
Representative Mapes, Republican. of
Michigan, who Served as chairman of
the special committee which several
years ago investigated fiscal relations
between the United States and the Dis
trict
.Blanton's first move was an amend
ment to reduce the contribution from
$6,5eo 900, as carried in the bill to ST.
SOC, 900. Defeated 23 to '16, he later
sought to have the contribution fixed at
100000, but Withdrew this motion.
Z Makes Other Attempts.
His second attempt to cut the con-
tibution came as the House was con-
sfdering an amendment by Representa-
tive May, Democrat, OF Kentucky to
rx the amount at $4,000, 900. Blsnton's
amendment, calling for a $4,000. 900
contribution, was offered as subSti-
tute to the May amendment, which was
Voted down, AZ TO 26
& Earlier in the debate the House elm
mated, on a point of order by Smith,
a. legislative limitation which prevented
the Commissioners from reducing the
existing sl.70 levy on real and personal
property. AS the bill now stands 1t
restores to the Commissioners authority
granted them in organic law to reduce
the tax rate. Since 1928 the District
bill has carried a legislative provision
restricting the Commissioners from re-
ducing taxes.
Taxi Meters Discussed.
zAfter the fight over fiscal relations
and taxes, the House engaged in a pro-
tracted debate over provision in the
bill which would prevent the Public
Utilities Commission from enforcing its
order requiring the installation of me-
ters in taxicabs. point OF order raised
against the provision by Representative
Harlan. Democrat, of Ohio was over
ruled and he then offered an amend
nlent to strike the provision from the
bill. 1t was defeated by vote of II
To 10.
Debate on the bill was bitter and was
marked by the active participation for
the first time in many years of mem
bers of the District Legislative Com
mittee, including Representatives Holmes.
Republican, OF Massachusetts,, and
Smith.