Evening star., 1934-04-24
ACTION DELAYED
ON DISTRICT LOAN
Joint Hearing Divided on
Repayment to Public
Works.
Continued From First Page.)

said the terms of reimbursement were
sioners to determine.
A suggestion by some Of the House
Committee members that the pending
bill be confined to the sl8,000.0 for
public works by eliminating all refer
ence to parks or the Capper-Cramton
law was discussed. This would mean
the Park Commission would apply
separately to Congress for further ad-
vances out of the $4,000, 900 = au-
thorization still remaining in the Cap
-Cramton law.
Cammerer said the Park Commits
sion Is not opposing the pending bill,
safeguard the status Of the Capper-
Cramton law.
The corporation counsel said the
whole question remaining to be set
tied is the rate of repayment. Repay
ment at 100000 a year, he said.
would mean a 12-year reimbursement
plan, which the Commissioners feel
would be too heavy. Repayment under
the bill as 1t now stands would ex-
tend over 10 years and Is regarded by
the Commissioners as sound.
Favored by Citizens.
DR.. George c. Havenner, repre-
senting the Federation of Citizens
Associations. favored the public
works bill in principle, and also
urged that the Capper-C -Cramton law
be left unimpaired. The federation
recommended. however, that the
$20, 900 900 authorization, If obtained,
be spread over a larger number of
projects than suggested by the Com
missioners. The Commissioners pro-
posed to use $4,000, 900 for the fol-
lowing: Improvements at Lorton Re
formatory, an extension to Casualty
Hospital, a sewage disposal plant.
new tuberculosis hospital, the first
unit Of the municipal center and at
least 81 .000, 900 for school buildings.
DR.. Havenner advocated spending
smaller amounts on these projects and
adding more for school buildings, for
development of branch public libraries
and for two bridge items.
Representative Mary T. Norton,
chairman Of the House District Com
mittee, asked District Auditor Daniel
j. Donovan to answer the argument
sometimes raised that the District has
surplus funds and should use these
first. She also asked him to explain
why District surpluses develop.
If the estimates recommended by
the Commissioners to the Budget Bu-
reau were approved there would not
be q surplus" Maj. Donovan replied.
He said that for the coming fiscal
get Bureau for a total that would
revenues next year. but that the bud
get as submitted to Congress would
leave about SO 900 900 unobligated af-
ter allowing for the pay restoration
program.
Donovan pointed out that this sur
plus will not exist If the cut in the
Federal contribution made by the
House in the pending appropriation
bill Is sustained.
Hospital Declared Disgrace.
During the hearing, Mrs. Norton
described the Districts tuberculosis
Hospital as disgrace to the National
Capital" because of the crowded con-
dition and lack Of facilities, and said
that should head the list of the public
works projects.
A large part of the hearing was de-
voted to detailed discussion Of how
much would be spent for each of the
various projects.
Senator McCarran Of Nevada and
Representative Dirksen of Illinois en-
phasized, however. that Congress
should rely on the Public Works Ad-
ministration to check these details
and consider only the broad question
Of allowing the District to make the
application for the loan.
Dirksen said he had served on a
city council at home and knew COM
munities did not like to have out
siders tell them how to handle their
has always felt it would be presump-
tious for him in coming here to tell
the District Commissioners what the
needs of Washington are.
In addition to Chairman King of
the Senate Committee and Chairman
Norton Of the House committee, those
who attended were: Senators Capper, |
Davis, McCarran, Kean, Carey, Bank |
head and Copeland, and Representa-
tives Palmisano, Weideman. Kennedy |
of Maryland, Burnham, Dirksen, Car |