Evening star., 1934-05-17
Agreement Is Reached on
Amendment to Amortize
Funds for District.
PROGRAM is EXPECTED
TOBE SPEEDED IN HOUSE
Conference Decides to Press Fight
for s2O,0oo,ooo for
Major Projects.

Definite agreement upon commit
tee amendment earmarking 10 cents
out of whatever the tax rate on real
estate and personal property may be
for a special fund to amortize P.
w. A. loan to the District was agreed
upon today at sseeonference between
a picked comr attee from the House
District Committee. District officials,
representatives of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
Representative Smith. Democrat, of
Virginia, member of the House Rules
Committee.
This definite provision for repayment
OF 10 per cent Of whatever loan the
p. w. A. may make for carrying
out a program of major public works
in the District Is expected to win
special rule from the Rules Committee
giving privileged consideration in the
House to the Norton bill which would
authorize the District Commissioners
to seek q loan of $40, 900, 900 for i'm
portant developmental projects in the
District.
Will Press for S20, zoo, 900.
The conference this morning de-
cided to continue the fight for the
entire p W. A. program of $40 900 900.
but to offer committee amendments
which would hold the entire authori-
zation down to whatever sum the
Rules Committee is willing to accept
under its special rule.
Representative Palmisano, Democrat,
Of Maryland: Dirksen, Republican of
Illinois, and Smith are to solicit from
the Rules Committee another hearing
on the District public works propo-
sition. If this hearing Is granted
Frederic A. Delano, president Of the
National Capital Parks and Planning
Commission, will appear before the
Rules Committee stressing the need
for an appropriation to build the first
unit of the municipal center with a
$4,000, 900 ALLEGATION and will also
argue for 100000 appropriation
for purchase Of park and playground
sites by his commission, with another
81 900 900 for development work under
the District Commissioners.
If q further hearing Is denied by
the Rules Committee Representative
Smith, as a member, will present
Justification for each item in the
public works program, including the
municipal center, but Smith is au-
thorized on behalf of the District
Committee and the District CommS.
sioners to offer committee amend
ments eliminating whatever projects
are objected to by the Rules Com
mittee.
Directed to Spend $1,000 900.
He will emphasize that Congress
itself directed the District to expend
$1,000, 900 in purchasing the site for
the municipal center, and that, at a
time when public works allocations
are available for needed public con-
struction to give employment to those
out of work. the District should be
! allowed to start construction on the
first unit of buildings.
If the Rules Committee insists upon
cutting down the total authorization,
| the projects on which Smith will
concentrate in the order of merit are !:
| The new sewage disposal plant, $8.-
GOO; construction safeguards at
the Lorton penitentiary, $750,0CC;
whatever appropriation the Rules
Committee is willing to accept to
provide greater disqualification and
care for tuberculosis patients in the
District. If anything on the District
public works program is to be sacri-
feed as a compromise 1t will be public
parks and municipal center items.
To Accept Best Compromise.
Members of the Rules Committee
have stubbornly protested against in
| cluding these items in the authorize.
/ ton passed unanimously by the Senate
for which a special rule is asked in
the House.
1t was made plain that every effort
will be made to press the entire public
works program for the District as long
as there Is any chance of favorable
action, but that Mr. Smith is au-
thorized to accept the best compromise
that can be worked out with the Rules
Committee.