Evening star., 1936-04-17
SENATORS CALLED
BYTHOMAS T0ACT
ON DISTRICT BILL
Measure Is Expected to Be
Ready for Committee
Report Next Week.
$5,7O0,OO0 U. S. SHARE
RESTORATION INDICATED
Subcommittee Also Will Have Be-
fore It Tomorrow Amendments
to Improve Traffic.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The Senate Subcommittee on Dis
trict Appropriations was called today
by Chairman Thomas to meet at 10
am. tomorrow to act on changes in
the House figure in the 1887 local
supply bill This indicates the meas
ure will be ready for the Appropria-
tions Committee to report to the Sen
ate early next week.
Since the hearings closed several
days ago, indications have been that
the subcommittee will restore the Fed
eral share of the bill to the budget
recommendation of $5,700,000, put
back other budget estimates eliminated
by the House, with the possibility Of
some increase over budget figures for
public health.
AS it came from the House, the
Federal payment was slashed to
S2,7OO,000 toward a total outlay Of
S42,573,283.
Traffic Changes Up Tomorrow.
The subcommittee also will have
before it tomorrow for action series
of amendments to improve traffic con-
ditions, which are being prepared by
District officials, following a hearing
last week.
Back at his desk from New York
today, Senator Thomas refrained from
entering into controversy with Rep
resentative Blanton over the letter the
Texas Democrat wrote yesterday, COM
planning that Thomas had not treated
him with courtesy and had sought
notoriety in connection with the action
of the Senate subcommittee in not
granting a hearing to Blanton.
Senator Thomas sent brief reply
In acknowledgment of the letter, but
did not make it public. Blanton made
public his letter to Thomas yesterday
afternoon.
When Blanton first asked for the
hearing, Thomas indicated he had no
objection. It was learned later from
other sources, however. that Senator
Glass, Democrat, of Virginia, chairman
of the entire Senate Appropriations
Committee and member of the Dis
trict subcommittee, objected. Senator
Thomas then decided to let the sub
committee itself decide the question.
And when poll sustained the position
taken by Senator Glass, Chairman
Thomas did not make public how the
members of the subcommittee voted,
nor did he make public the letter in
forming Blanton of the subcommittee
decision.
Outrageous" Fees Alleged.
Contending he had asked for the
hearing to present new information
he had on District affairs, Blanton
mentioned charges of outrageous"
architectural fees and alleged improper
use of X-ray facilities in laboratories.
He said he also had intended to dis
cuss the amounts to be appropriated
for bridges and for enlargement OF
Eastern High School.
Senator Thomas was scheduled to
confer this afternoon with District
officials on proposed traffic amend
ments, to be considered when the
Senate subcommittee meets tomorrow
or Monday to act on changes in the
House bill.
Blanton wrote Senator Thomas that
after House hearings had been printed
and the House had passed the District
bill, "I came into possession of some
very important evidence" which, he
said, would require changed wording
in the bill and which he wanted to
present to the Senate subcommittee.
"I never dreamed of making a
speech" Blanton wrote. Il had no
intention Of making an argument"
The Texan charged Thomas with
seeking cheap notoriety at the ex-
pense of a colleague by informing the
press that Blanton's request to testify
had been denied and allowed them
to state it was an intended rebuff from
the Senate to me-"