Evening star., 1937-06-08

bill, the Commissioners would have
to raise the realty tax rate unless
the authority for the temporary loans
also goes through.
After acting to transfer control over
the public hospitals, the Senate group
also reversed the action of the House in
snlftlng other city activities from one
department to another The House had
voted to transfer is Fairgrounds that
are near schools from the playground
department to the community center
once. and to transfer the issuance of
business licenses from the assessors
once to the weights and measures
once. The Senate bill leaves them
as they are at present.
The formal committee report shows
the total of the bill at s46.3Ol.1s or
an increase of only Sl,184,597 above
the House.
Chairman Thomas was authorized.
however, to offer several more amend
ments on the floor of the Senate, in
cluding s325,o00 to start construc-
ton of new Pennsylvania Avenue
dOODI6O.
VIII make the total of the bill s46,-
600 900, as previously stated, and the
increase over the House more than
$l,5oo, 900.
S2000,000 Limit on Bridge.
In anticipation of adoption of plans
Tor the new bridge the Senate COM
mlttee struck out $4,000 the House
had proposed be spent repairing the
Old structure. The limit of cost on
the new bridge will be s2.OOO0O0.
Another important change is in
clusion of sl4,32O for salaries and
other expenses of re-esta ablishing the
Minimum Wage Board, which went out
OF existence about IA years ago when
the Supreme Court declared the Dis
tr1cts minimum wage law for women
and minors invalid. In passing on a
similar law in the State of Washing
ton recently, the Supreme Court re-
versed its earlier decision, opening
the way for revival of the District
statute.
Senator Thomas also announced
that an amendment will be offered
on the floor today giving the Com
missioners discretionary authority to
install automobile parking meters on
the streets here. A similar provision
WAS placed in last years bill in the
Senate, but went out in conference.
Teacher Restrictions Lifted.
Two House riders affecting school
teachers that have provoked much
discussion were stricken out by the
Senate. One restricted the amount
OF clerical work teachers could be
called on to perform, which would
have affected assignment of teachers
to research work. The other sought
to place the average of salaries of
school librarians on level with the
average for similar work in the Pub
lie Library System.
There will be no controversy be-
tween the two branches of Congress
In conference this year over the
amount of the Federal payment, the
Senate committee having ratified the
action OF the House in voting to
continue for the coming year the
$5000,000 lump sum fixed for the
The Senate committee however.
took new step in this bill to rec
ognize the Federal Governments OBJ
legation to make a direct payment
toward the upkeep of the higher
courts Of the District because of the
large volume of national litigation
thrown into those courts.
Ratio Prescribed.
The Senate committee wrote into
the court section of the bill a provi-
sion under which the District would
be required to meet so per cent of
the expenses Of the United States
District Court, and 80 per cent of
the cost OF maintaining the United
States Court of Appeals, the remain
der tn rome fro,,, tbo E,od.r,1 rr1~o..