Evening star., 1936-06-13
THOMAS OFFERED
ANY AID TO FOIL
CONTINUING ACT
Petition Asks Senate and
House Members to Avoid
"Disaster."
MEASURE CARRYING
$5,700,0O0 is URGED
Chairman of Senate Conference
Committee Suggests Wait Till
Congress Reconvenes.
BY JAMES E. CHM.

Independently, the Commissioners
and heads of the Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations concentrated on the
Capitol today in an effort TO save the
1887 District appropriation bill from
death in a deadlocked conference OF
House and Senate conferees.
The Commissioners called on Sen
ator Thomas, Democrat, Of Oklahoma,
chairman Of the Senate Conference
Committee, and offered to do any
thing in their power to prevent adop-
ton of continuing resolution asa
substitute for the appropriation bill.
Petition Circulated.
The federation representatives cir
culated among members of both House
and Senate a petition pointing out
the disastrous" effect Of a continuing
resolution and urging that the bill be
passed providing Federal payment
of s5,7O0,000 toward District expenses
in the coming fiscal year.
The Commissioners, together with
Mai. Daniel j. Donovan, auditor and
budget officer, were closeted with SEN
ator Thomas for more than 80 min
utes. He told them any move they
made at this time probably would be
futile and suggested that no action
whatever be taken until next week
when Congress reconvenes after a
weeks recess.
Senator Thomas, however. expressed
confidence that Congress would pass
the appropriation bill and not resort
to a continuing resolution. He said
an eleventh hour appeal to President
Roosevelt might be necessary. but he
did not propose to have the Districts
problem taken directly to the White
House until all other moves had failed.
Substitute Resolution.
Senator Thomas plans to introduce
a continuing resolution Monday as
substitute for a so-called continuing
resolution introduced in the House
several weeks ago by Representative
Blanton, Democrat. of Texas, acting
chairman of the House conference
group. The Thomas resolution will
provide for a Federal payment Of
S5,700,00o. whereas Blanton's resolu-
ton eliminates the Governments obli- ID,
cation entirely.
IF the House leadership wants TO
go along with Blanton and adopt
his resolution that is one thing" said
Senator Thomas If it wants to sup
port the President and his budget
recommendation for a Federal pay
ment of s5,700,000 that is another
But I am so intent on getting
bill I will not concede that a con-
tinuing resolution is to be substituted"
Senator Thomas said he believed the
Senate would rather compromise with
the House and agree to a Federal pay
ment of S5.O00,00 instead of $780,
900 than to lose the bill.
Direct Appeal Proposal.
The Commissioners suggested that
they make direct appeal to the
President, but Senator Thomas ad-
vised them that this job be left to
Senator Glass, Democrat. of Virginia,
chairman of the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee, and Senator Robin
son of Arkansas, the majority leader.
The federations petitions were per-
sonally distributed to House and Sen
ate leaders by Thomas E. Lodge. pres
ident; Harry N. Stull. vice president,
and L. v. Carruthers, chairman of the
Fiscal Relations Committee. The pc
titions were left at the Offices of Vice
President Garner, Chairman King of
the Senate District Committee, Chair
man Norton of the House District
Committee and Speaker Bankhead,
All other members of Congress re-
ceived the petitions through the mail
Later today Lodge plans TO call at
the White House and ask attaches to
telegraph the plea to the President.
House Move Intimated.
Chairman Buchanan of the House
Appropriations Committee intimated
the House itself may make move to
reconcile the conferees when it recon-
venes Monday after weeks recess for
the Republican National Convention.
| He told newspaper men the House could
rescind its previous action in instruct
ing the confereeS not TO agree to
Federal payment in excess of S2,700,00
and direct them to accept compro-
mise figure.
Buchanan, however. is not Gertai1
whether the House will be in a po-,
sition to give any time the early part
of the week to the District bill.