Evening star., 1936-11-15
NEW HOUSE CAST
WILL HANDLE BILL
ON DISTRICT FUND
Only Two Members of Old
Group on Appropriations
Likely to Serve.
JOHNSON is IN LINE
FOR CHAIRMANSHIP
But West Virginian Is Undecided
Whether He Wants
Post.
The 1888 District appropriation bin

Tne 1888 District appropriation bill
the most vital piece of legislation
Congress will have to enact for WASH
ington at the coming sessions des-
tined to be written by a House COM
mittee composed almost entirely Of
new members.
Even the chairman Of the commit
tee may be new MEMBER member
not only unfamiliar with the District.
Its problems and its needs, but also
lacking q background of the compli-
Gated budget-making procedure the
financial estimates Of the Commits.
sioners must undergo every year.
Representative johnson OF West
Virginia Is In a position TO head the
committee that will frame the supply
bill by virtue Of the fact that he is
the only remaining Democrat of the
group that wrote the 1887 measure.
But johnson has not decided yet
whether he wants the assignment.
Neither Is he certain that Chairman
Buchanan Of the Appropriations
Committee wants him to have it.
Il haven't given the matter Sc
rious thought" johnson declared YES
terday. Its still too early to do any
thing about it. In the first place. I
want to talk with Chairman Buchanan
before reaching a decision. Maybe.
Mr.. Buchanan wouldn't want me to
serve as chairman of the subcommit-
tee. He knows I'll work anywhere he
puts me-"
johnson and Representative Otter
OF Pennsylvania are the only mem.
bers of the committee that framed
the current appropriation bill who are
likely to form the nucleus of the new
group at the coming session. Otter,
OF course, can't have the chairman
snip, because he Is a Republican.
Two new Democratic members must
be added to the committee before
hearings are started on the bill. One
will replace Representative Blanton,
chairman of the committee at the
last session Of Congress, whose 20
years Of congressional life was abrupt
ly ended last August by Texas voters
in run-of primary. The other va
cancy was created by the death Of
Represe entative Jacobson of Iowa.
Chairman Buchanan is expected to
fill the two vacancies as soon as he
returns to Washington. An effort is
being made to have him appoint
Chairman Norton Of the District Leg
islative Committee to one of the posts,
but it Is doubtful If she would accept.
Mrs. Norton, 1t Is known. would like
to serve on the appropriations sub
committee that handles the District
bill, but she would be forced to give
up the Craftsmanship Of the legislative
committee to take the appointment.
She feels the sacrifice would be too
great - relinquishing a committee
Craftsmanship to become a member Of
another committee, even though the
Appropriations Committee has more
prestige and q higher status among
committees.
johnson declines the chairman.
ship OF the subcommittee in charge Of
the District bill, there are reports that
Representative Cannon, Democrat Of
Missouri. might be drafted" to take
the assignment for one year. Can
non was chairman of the Subcommit.
tee for several years, but now heads
the more important subcommittee in
charge OF the agriculture appropria-
ton bill. He also is a member of the
subcommittee in charge of deficiency
appropriate bills.
Attaches Of the Appropriations Conn
mittee feel that the chairman of the
District subcommittee should at least
have had some previous experiences
with the city's supply bill, especially
at the coming session, in view of the
action to be taken on the recommen-
dations Of the Ipecisl committee Ap-
pointed by President Roosevelt to
settle the perplexing fiscal relations
problem. The amount of the appro-
prlations for the coming fiscal year
will depend largely on the Federal pay.
ment toward District expenses.
The Commissioners have trans.
mitted to the Budget Bureau esti.
mates for the next fiscal year calling
Tor the appropriation of $47,sO0. 900
out OF District revenues. Even if all
proposed Capital improvements ara
eliminated. as well as requested in.
creases In personnel and other Cd.
Grating costs, present District rev.
enue sources would fall short by more
than $3,000,0o0 Of meeting the bill.
II Congress approved the proposed
new expenditures for improvements
and services, the expected District
revenues in 1888 would be nearly ST..
100000 less than the sum required.
For these reasons the Commissioners
have divided the budget into two Sec
tions. The first part covers only CD.
Grafton costs. plus necessary con-
tractural obligations. The second
part. dependent entirely on either an
increased Federal payment, or higher
taxes. or both. provides what the
Commissioners believe to be the mimi
mum needs for new improvements
and enlarged municipal services.