Evening star., 1934-05-16
) MILLION ADDED
AS SENATE PASSES
D. c. SUPPLY BILL
Conference Soon Will Speed
Final Action of Local
Measure.
FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION
is INCREASED MILLION
Lump Sum Asked by Budget
Bureau and House Committee
Is Restored.

The 1885 District appropriation bill
Is headed for the final stage of con-
ference between the two houses, hav-
ing passed the Senate late yesterday
carrying total of 100000. and
with the Federal contribution restored
from the House figure of $4,364, ,295 to
$5,700.00O
The total in the House bill was
$32, $4,000. The task confronting the
conferees is to reach a final decision
on the amendments by which the
Senate added approximately S5,000.000
to the total, including restoration of
the S1,335,70 which the House had
subtracted from the Federal share of
$5,7O0,000
This Federal lump sum which the
Senate restored to the bill was rec
commended originally by the Budget
Bureau and by the House Appropria-
tions Committee 1t was cut on the
floor of the House on the theory that
a sewer allotment made by the Pub
lie Works Administration last Summer
was combination loan and grant and
that the District, therefore, owed the
United States 10 per cent of it.
Sewer Fund Grant.
District officials demonstrated to
the Senate Committee, however, that
the sewer fund was grant and that
they could not have accepted it if it
had been rendered as a loan. since
there is a law prohibiting the District
government from borrowing money
without specific authority from Con-
greSs.
When Senator Thomas, Democrat. of
Oklahoma called up the District bill
at 4 pm. yesterday, no opposition was
expressed to any of the amendments
increasing appropriations or to the
restoration of the budget estimate for
the Federal contribution.
AS soon as the measure had passed,
Senator ThomeS moved that the Sem
ate insist on its amendments, ask
conference and that the chair appoint
conferees.
Senate Conferees.
Vice President Garner named the
following to represent the Senate:
Senators Thomas of Oklahoma, Glass
of Virginia, Copeland of New York,
King of Utah, Nye of North Dakota
and Keyes of New Hampshire.
1t is expected the House will name
its conferees tomorrow, and the first
meeting of the managers for the two
branches probably will be arranged
within a few days.
The only important change made
In the Senate was the addition of
S450,000 of gasoline tax money for
construction of viaduct to eliminate
the Michigan avenue railroad grade
crossing in Brookland over the tracks
of the Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad.
The amendment, offered by Senator
Nye, places half the cost on the rail-
road. The Commissioners told the
Senate Committee there are sufficient
funds in the gas tax account to pro-
vide for this project.
Veteran Children Aided.
The Senate also added $500 to
provide education beyond high school
for children whose fathers were killed
or died in the military service dur
ing the World War.
Another amendment was adopted
to apply the proposed reduction in
sewer and water main assessments
to assessments heretofore levied in
the Barry Farm area. The Commis-
sioners told the Senate Committee
assessments made in that area in the
past exceeded the assessed value of
the property. Under the pending bill,
all sewer and water main assessments
hereafter would be at reduced rate.
The only discussion that arose while
the bill was being passed was ques-
ton by Senator FeSs of Ohio as to
the desirability of completing i'm
provementS in the connecting link
between Rock Creek and Potomac
Parks. Senator Copeland pointed out
that if the $20,000,000 public works
loan bill for the District passes the
House. some of the money borrowed
under that bill could be used for
park improvements.
Viaduct Is Provided.
AS the bill came from the Senate
Committee, it carried amendments
adding S4,574, ,227 to the House total.
The Michigan avenue viaduct amend
ment brought the total increase up to
approximately $5 1000, 900, but this via
duct project would come from the
separate gas tax fund. 1t would not,
therefore, raise the general revenue
obligations as fixed in committee.
The principal items of increase en-
tering into the enlarged total of the
Senate bill are: For emergency relief,
an additional $1,700,000 recommended
by the Budget Bureau, making total
of 100000 for relief; for school
needs, chiefly buildings and grounds.
81 272,22l additional, part of which is
for experimental character study
work; for various institutions under
the Public Welfare Board, $760000
a large part of which is to provide
better facilities for treatment and pre-
vention of tuberculosis; for adequate
street lighting, $4,000; for water
distribution facilities, payable out of
water revenues, $174,100 additional,
and for the laying of assessment and
permit sewers, $45 900 additional. The
Senate Committee also restored nu-
merouS small maintenance items