Evening star., 1937-04-07
D. c. SUPPLY BILL
HEARINGS DELAYED
Study by Senate May Start
Next Week, Thomas
Indicates.
BY ]. A. O'LEARY

WIN TWO OLner appIOprlaLlOn DlllS
In process of revision in Senate sub
committees this week, work cn tie
1888 District supply bill is not expected
to start before next Tuesday. Chair
man Thomas of the District Subcom-
mittee indicated today. A definite
date for the start of hearings will be
announced later.
Meanwhile, there is keen specula-
ton as to what course the Senate will
take on a series of House provisions
which transfer some municipal activ-
tiles from one agency to another, and
leave the appropriations for several
other activities in need of clarifcation
Among the more important of these
questions are those relating to ap-
preparations for Gallinger Hospital and
the tuberculosis Sanatoria. Although
the House struck out on point of
order the clause that would have
transferred control over these hospitals
from the Public Welfare Board to the
Health Department, the maintenance
money for the institutions remained
AL C4AC 2ASh1UAl CSSllOll VI tllC Ul1l
Present Control Seen Kept.
One Official expressed the view today
that merely placing the appropriations
for the hospitals under the Health
Department heading in the bill would
not affect the Welfare Boards present
control, If the paragraphs specifically
transferring jurisdiction remains out
Of the bill At the same time some
parliamentarians at the Capitol be-
lieved the same point of order on
which the transfer of control was
eliminated in the House could be raised
in the Senate if the clause is restored.
The point of order raised in the House
was that the transfer was legislation
on an appropriation bill
The House bill also places the funds
for medical charity work in other
hospitals in the health instead of the
welfare section.
When the House eliminated a para
graph seeking to have the operating
expenses of the Department Of
Vehicles and Traffic, and purchase Of
motor vehicle plates, financed out Of
the gasoline tax instead of the gen.
eral fund, it had the effect of elm
mating these funds from the bill
entirely. 1t is expected, however, the
Senate will restore these items.
amounting to about $4,000.
AS it now stands, the bill also
transfers the funds for operation of
1S y,lovoro,,pdc Voor ecboo1 h,,;lCir oc
from the Municipal Playground De-
partment to the Community Center
Once of the school system. The
amount involved is $97,565.
Assessors Transfer.
Another reorganization move which
went through the House was the trans
fer OF personnel engaged in issuing
miscellaneous business licenses from
the assessors Office to the superin-
tendent OF weights and measures. The
amount involved was $l0,o80. This
was done on the theory the inspection
force Of the weights and measures
ONCE could help, enforce the license
laws.
As q move toward empowering the
superintendent Of insurance to regu-
late fire-insurance rates in the Dis
trict, the House bill allows $4,000 for
the employment of fire insurance
rate expert Separate legislation will
have to be enacted, however, to en-
able the superintendent to fix the
rates. It was testified in the House
hearings that the insurance super
intendent at present has no control
over fire-insurance rates.
A similar item was the allowance
of $1,000 for four new positions in
the corporation counsel's Office, with
view to having the District handle
bonds required In the courts, the fees
for such bonds to be collected by the
city q 4 new source Of revenue. The