Evening star., 1936-06-14
Pledge Every Effort to Keep
Measure From Dying
in Committee.
BLANT0N CALLS SESSION
OF HOUSE CONFEREES
Citizens Federation Delegation
Leaves Copies of Petition
With Congress Leaders.
BY JAMES E CHINN.

WHICH mas threatened the municipal
government with a bare subsistence
budget under a continuing resolution,
Is expected to be broken this week
either by President Roosevelt or
House leaders themselves.
Three strong movements were un-
dertaken independently yesterday to
save the supply bill from death in q
conference committee.
The most significant development
was seen in steps taken by Repre-
sentative Blanton, Democrat, of Tex
as, acting head of the House con-
ferees, to get his group together to-
morrow to discuss compromise pro-
posals. Blanton, however, declined to
reveal his plans.
Commissioners See Thomas
About the same time that Blanton
arranged for meeting of his con-
ference committee, the three Com
miSsioners-Melvin C. Hazen. George
E. Allen and Col Dan I. Sultan, ac-
companied by Maj. Daniel J. Dono-
van, auditor and budget officer-called
on Senator Thomas, Democrat, of
Oklahoma. chairman of the Senate
conference committee, and offered to
do anything in their power to pre-
vent adoption of a continuing reso-
luton as a substitute for the supply
bill.
A half-hour behind the Commits.
sioners. delegation from the Fedora
ton of Citizens Associations, led by
Thomas E. Lodge, president, visited
offices of Senate and House leaders,
leaving copies Of a petition appeal
ing for S5,7000,000 lump-sum Fed
eral payment toward District ex-
penses. Copies of the petition also
we're sent through the mails to all
other members of Congress.
Later in the day, Lodge wired
special two-page petition to the Presi-
dent in Texas. The text was not
made public, but it is understood to
be similar to the appeal made to
members of Congress.
Express Fears for Bill.
THE Federation of Citizens AS
sociations of the District of Columbia,
representing the organized citizens
bodies of the District of Columbia"
the petition read, views with extreme
apprehension any prospect of a fall
ure by Congress to pass an appropria-
ton bill for the District of Columbia
at this session.
1T believes that any continuing
resolution which might be passed in
lieu Of an appropriation bill would
be most disastrous in many ways
through the elimination of all capital
expenditures and necessary expan-
sions. There is set forth in an ap-
pended statement particulars which
show clearly how badly crippled the
District of Columbia will be through
the substitution of a continuing reso-
luton for an appropriation bill.
This federation Is further con-
Nnced, after mature consideration,
that the Federal Governments share
of the cost of the operation and ex-
pansion of the National Capital should
not be less than $5,700,o00, recon-
mended by the President of the
United States and the Federal Bu-
reau of the Budget.
This federation accordingly petit
tions the Congress of the United
States to pass an appropriation bill
for the District of Columbia rather
than mere continuing resolution"
Losses Are Listed.
The appendix showed q total of
$6,s74,S00 in capital improvements
would be lost under a continuing res
olution. These include the proposed
Petworth branch public library, SIS
600; construction of the proposed new
Police Court building. $1,000 900; fur
niture and equipment at the adults
tuberculosis Sanatorium at Glenn
Dale, Md, $4,000; construction of
additional cottages and other build
ings at the National Training School
for Girls, 100000, and new school
building construction, $l,650,50O.
The Commissioners had planned a
direct appeal to the President to save
the appropriation bill. but Senator
Thomas advised against such a move
at this time.
While an eleventh-hour appeal to
the President might be necessary to
save the bill, Senator Thomas said,
Senator Glass, Democrat. of Virginia,
| chairman of the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee. and Majority Leader
Robinson should make it and not the
Commissioners.
Break" May Come Tomorrow.
The first step to break the impaSse,
Senator Thomas believes, will be taken
by the House either tomorrow or
Tuesday. He feels that House leaders
will intercede to have the House re-
instruct 1t, conferees to compromise
with the Senate on the amount of
the Federal lump sum payment. The
last instructions given the conferees by
the House were to hold out for q
Federal payment Of $2,700,000.
Senator Thomas has indicated a
willingness to compromise on'a S.
100000 Federal payment rather than
lose the supply bill, and Blanton him.
self has agreed to go as high at $4,.
100000.
Henry N. Sull, vice president Of
the federation, and L. A. Carruthers.
chairman Of the Fiscal Relations
Committee. assisted Lodge in distri-
buting the petitions at the Capitol.
The petitions were left in the offices
of Vice President Garner, Speaker
Bankhead, Senator Thomas, Chair
man King of the Senate District Com.
mittee, and Chairman Norton Of the
House District Committee.