Evening star., 1936-01-03
DELAY Of Dc. BILL
UNTIL FEBRUARY
SEEN BY Cannon
No Decision Reached on
Pilot for Measure,
He Says.
BLANTON PREFERS
CHAIRMAN CONTINUE
Says Colleague Knows More About
District Fiscal Affairs Than
ANY One Else.

The House Subcommittee on Ap-
preparations in charge OF the 1881
District supply bill probably will not
begin work on the measure before
February /, it was indicated today by
Chairman Cannon.
At the same time, Cannon said, no
decision had been reached on the
question whether he or Representa-
tive Blanton, Democrat, of Texas,
would conduct the hearings and pilot
the bill through the House.
There have been persistent rumors
that Cannon planned to let Blanton
| handle the measure this year, because
the duties of directing the prepara-
ton Of the agriculture appropriation
bill had been thrust upon him. Can
non is handling the big agriculture
measure, because Representative
Sandlin, Democrat, of Louisiana,
chairman of the subcommittee In
charge Of that measure, decided to
remain at home and continue his
campaign for the Senate seat left va
cant by the assassination OF Huey P.
Long.
Blanton Prefers Cannon.
Blanton said he did not want to
take charge of the District bill as
long as Cannon remains on the sub
committee. Cannon, he declared.
knows more about the fiscal affairs
Of the District than any other mem
ber of the House, and should take
charge of the bill.
Moreover, Blanton is serving on the
subcommittee drafting the War De-
partment appropriation bill, and does
not expect to finish his duties until
about the time the subcommittee in
charge Of the agriculture measure
completes its work.
Cannon admits that under the rules
of precedence he should not have
charge of two supply bills, but pointed
out he headed the subcommittee that
last year prepared both the agri-
culture and District measures. There
fore, he would not establish a prece-
dent this year by taking charge Of
both bills
/
Cannon said the question as to who
would head the District subcomm:t-
tee would be settled by Chairman
Buchanan of the Appropriations Com
mittee before the hearings are started.
| Cannon mentioned February 1 as
the date for beginning work on the
bill, because by that time members Of
/ ~ cJyt1nyr1raiffno avY1arfad ta ha
free Of duties On other appropriation
subcommittee.
Last year the hearings were started
before Congress convened, and the
District bill was one Of the first sup
ply measures reported to the House
This year, however. Chairman Buch-
anan gave instructions to the sub
committees to move the major supply
bills first.
Even though the District bill was
among the first passed by the House
last year, it was near the last to &C
to the White House, due to a con-
troversy in the Conference Commit
tee over a number Of items which the
Senate inserted.
UNEMPLOYMENT keLef.
Unemployment relief and the
amount of the Federal payment
toward expenses Of the District are
expected to be the principal issues
before the District subcommittee
Cannon already has announced that
the Commissioners should submit
proposals for tapping additional
sources Of revenue and a permanent
policy OF unemployment relief before
further pressing demands for q
larger Federal lump sum payment.
The Commissioners asked the
Budget Bureau to approve a lump
sum payment of $8,317,500. The
amount carried in the current ap-
preparation act is $5,700,000.
Cannon also Joined some other
House members in criticizing rental:
which he described as "intolerable'
and indicated his subcommittee woulc
take cognizance of ''the wide spread
between rents and tax assessments.
1.-THE House subcommittee will moi
let anybody starve," Cannon declared
"but the Commissioners will have tt
evolve a permanent policy of relief
The whole trouble Is that the District
is trying to take care of a large popu-
lation of unemployed who, under
normal economic conditions, woulc
return to the cotton or corn fields
when the city failed to give then
employment"