Evening star., 1936-05-30
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

be presented Monday when the con-
fereeS meet to consider the Senate
offer to continue the IS, TOO. 900 Fed
eral payment for the coming hscal
year, and create commission to de.
termine what the Government obliga-
tion should be thereafter.
Without receding from their belief
that the $5.700,000 figure recon-
mended by the President should be
retained for the coming year, the
Senate conferees made formal offer
late yesterday to compromise on other
vital differences, and pointed out that
the proposed commission on fiscal
relations could determine before
next year whether the House or
Senate Is right on the question of
how much the Federal payment
should be. The House Is seeking to
cut the United States share down
to $2,700,000 toward a total bill of
about 81, ,000,o for the coming year.
House Bid Accepted.
Deferring his plan to introduce
in the Senate q continuing resolution
to take the place Of the bill, together
with a separate resolution authorizing
the President to create q fiscal rela-
tions commission. Chairman Thomas
of the Senate conferees, addressed a
long letter to the House conferees,
accepting the invitation Of the House
managers to meet at 1880 am.
Monday in the rooms Of the House
Appropriations Committee.
1t was not certain today that all
Of the Senate conferees would be prs
ent, but Chairman Thomas will at
tend to find out whether there Is
still a possibility of agreeing on the
bill, instead of substituting con-
tinuing resolution which would pro-
vide the city with operating expenses,
but with no new improvements.
If the House managers reject the
Senate's latest proposed basis OF
agreement, all indications are that
a formal report will be drawn up
setting forth the inability Of the
conferees to agree. Presentation OF
this report to the House or Senate
would pave the way for introduction
of the continuing resolution.
Compromise Offered.
Although the letter to the House
group offered to compromise on char
acter education and on the restriction
on outside work by District officials,
it is known that the Senate conferees
are determined to stand by the Pres
ident's budget recommendation for
continuation Of the Federal lump
sum at the present figure of $500, 900.
The outlook for avoiding a contin-
uing resolution appeared, therefore,
to depend on what attitude the
House members take Monday toward
the Senate's offer to continue the
present lump sum, with compromises
on other disputed items.
Ordinarily, meetings OF conferees
are held on the Senate side. In his
desire to pass the bill. rather than q
continuing resolution, however, Sen
ator Thomas informed Blanton yes
terday of acceptance of the House
groups invitation to hold the Mon
day meeting in the House Appropria-
tions Committee room.
d. C. Subsection Cited.
Couched in courteous and concil-
iatory terms, the Thomas letter be-
gan by pointing out that the District
is under the exclusive control Of the
Federal Government. In this connec-
ton. the Oklahoman wrote:
Under the Constitution, the Con-
gress has exclusive powers and juris-
diction regarding legislation for the
District Of Columbia; hence, response
bility for whatever is or is not done
will rest squarely upon the two
Houses of the Congress. In all mat
ters of legislation, the President Is a
vital factor In that he has exclusive
power to recommend legislation to be
considered by the Congress. and like
wise has exclusive power to approve
or veto any legislation proposed and
passed by the Congress.
Speaking as the chairman Of the
Senate conferees of the District ap-
preparation bill, and unoficially for
the Senate, state and represent that
such conferees desire to see the dif-
ferences between the House and SEN
ate, or the disagreeing votes on the
several Senate amendments, adjusted,
compromised and agreed to; hence, it
is in this spirit that we accept your
invitation to attend the conference ut
1890 am, on Monday, June /.
One Issue In Disagreement.
''From previous conferences it Is
obvious that but one issue Of major
importance is in disagreement. Speak
ing for the Senate conferees, we agree
that the House conferees proposed
that, in the event the Senate confer
ees would recede from their amend
ments as follows: First, recede from
the Senate amendment increasing
the Federal contribution from ST.
700, 900 to $5,70o,00o; second, recede
from the several amendments where
by sums were added to House items
providing for the continuation OF
what has heretofore been designated
as character education; and, third,
that the Senate conferees would re-
cede from their amendment striking
out section Of the House text-the
House conferees would agree to re-
scind their refusal to accept the other
and remaining amendments suggested
by the Senate to said House bill.
"Of course the Senate conferees
could not accept the proposal as sub
mitted, because from our viewpoint
each separate amendment should be
considered on its merits and agreed
to or modified as the best interests
of the District would demand. Speak
ing for the Senate conferees, permit
me to suggest that, inasmuch as the
House conferees agreed to yield on
the other several amendments-save
the three specifically mentioned
there would be no difiiculty for the
House and Senate conferees to agree
on each Of said amendments. This
being true, 1t Is obvious that there
are but three amendments in con-
troyersy and those are the three
herein specifically set out"
Would Compromise ON Two.