Evening star., 1934-05-07
City Heads Seek Increase in
u. S. Contribution
to District.
THOMAS SUBCOMM
WILL MEET WEDNESDAY
81 100000 of Added Funds
Sought Would Go for Emer.
gency Relief Purposes.

With the District Commissioners
recommending the addition of about
100000 to the House total, an in
crease in the Federal contribution al
lowed by the House, Senate hearings
on the 1885 District appropriation bill
ended shortly after noon today.
Senator Thomas. Democrat, Of Ok
lahoma, chairman, announced the
subcommittee would meet Wednesday
morning to decide on the changes it
will recommend TO the Appropriations
Committee.
OF the s3O0O,OOO additional appro-
priAtions discussed today. Sl.70O. 900
would be for emergency relief in ac-
cordance with Budget Bureau rec
ommendation.
Purposes for 81 5000
The remaining sl,3O0OOO which
District officials suggested be added.
would include the following purposes:
For beginning construction of the
Michigan avenue viaduct; to eliminate
a railroad grade crossing in Brook
and: for preparation of plans and
engineering surveys for a new Chain
Bridge to be built later; for construc-
ton Of farmers sheds at the South
west market; an increase in the House
item of 100000 for the Woodrow
Wilson High School, tc speed up con-
struction; for beginning an expert
ment in character study in the public
schools; to complete purchase of the
site for Jefferson Junior High School.
additional funds needed by the Alco-
holic Beverage Control Board to su-
pervise the new stamp tax law; and
additional allowances for a tubercu-
losis clinic, the child hygiene stations,
the children's hospital and the Dis
trict Parole Board.
When the subcommittee meets
Wednesday TO decide what it will do.
it will have. besides these recon-
mendatiCns of District officials. a Va
riety Of other requests received from
civic organizations for further amend
ments. principally for school projects
1t is believed the Senate subcom-
mittee will make a substantial in
crease in the total of the House bill
and that it will also raise the Federal
share Indications are that the Fed
eral contribution will be put back at
least to the present level of $500 900.
with a strong PROBABILITY that it NAV
be raised to a more equitable point
above that figure Until they have
chance to exchange views Wednesday.
however, subcommittee members are
avoiding definite predictions.
Sum Slashed on Floor.
AS it came from the House the bill
totaled S32, $50 900, toward which the
Federal contribution was only S4.364. =
295. Both the Budget Bureau and
the House Appropriations Committee
had recommended s5.7OO, 900. but on
the floor of the House the Federal
share was slaShed on the theory that
the District Government owed the
United States 20 per cent of the sewer
money made available last Summer
by the Public Works Administration
In his closing statement before the
Senate subcommittee today District
Auditor DonaVan emphasized that the
sewer fund was a grant and not a
loan. and that the Commissioners
could not have accepted it if they had
any idea it was to be classed as a
80 per cent grant and 10 per cent
loan. The District Government. he
argued. is prohibited by law from
borrowing money without specific au-
thority from Congress. and the Dis
trict officials understood that this
sewer work had been classed as a Fed
eral project under the public works
law
This argument was directed at The
injustice of the cut made by the House
below the S5,700.000 Federal contribu-
ton and does not necessarily mean
that the Senate group will confine its
recommendation to the S5.700.0 900
figure.
If the subcommittee finishes mark
ing the bill Wednesday, it may be re-
ported out by the entire Appropriations
Committee THURSDAY or FRIDAY,