Evening star., 1937-02-13
HOUSE COMMITTEE,
TO HEAR VIEWS OFF
DC. BUSINESS MEM
Select Group to Be Invited
to Appear Before Appro.
priations Unit.
CONFERENCE TUESDAY
WILL BE C0NFIDENTIAL,|
Civic Organization Representa-.
tives Also to Be Permitted to
Outline 0bjectives.
BY JAMES E. CHM.

Chairman Collins of the House Sub
committee on Appropriations in charge
OF the 1888 District supply bill an
nounced today he planned to intro-
duce an innovation this year by in-
viting a select group of business and
professional men to appear before his
group for an informal discussion Of
District needs.
The conference will be held Tues
day behind closed doors without the
presence of the official subcommittee
stenographer. Collins explained he
wanted TO find out what the business
and professional men "have on their
chest" and hopes to get some ideas
from them that will aid the subcom-
mittee in preparing New Deal" ap-
preparation bill for the District.
No specific subjects are to be listed
for the discussion. The business and
professional men, Collins said, will be
free to discuss any matter they wish
without fear of having their remarks
put into the record of the hearings.
List Not Completed.
The list of business and profes.
sional leaders to be invited has not yet
been completed, but Collins pointed
out it would include some who have
never sought an appearance before a
congressional committee to appeal for
a particular project.
Collins intimated that among those
to be invited are Robert " Fleming.
president of Riggs National Banks
William Montgomery, president of the
Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Co., and
DR.. Sterling Ruf1in, former president
of the District Medical Society.
The conference with the business
and professional men, Collins ex-
planned, will not result in elimination
of the usual custom Of permitting CIVIC
organization representatives to appear
before the subcommittee to stress im1
provements in which they are particu1
larly interested. These civic repre1
sentatives, he said, will be granted a
hearing as soon as the subcommittee
completes questioning Of District de (
partment heads.
Budget Items Considered.
The subcommittee devoted its at 1
tention yesterday chiefly to budget
items affecting the Department od
Vehicles and Traffic, the Alcohol Bev1 4
erage Control Board, and the District
Surveyors Office. The witnesses in 4
cluded Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer, H. K. Kugel of the Smoke and
Boiler Inspection Bureau. Isaac Gand
Of the Alcohol Beverage Control Board
J. B. Moor. superintendent Of in1
surance of the District; E. 8. Dawsonl
inspector of claims; E. A. Dent, Dis I
trict surveyor; Theodore Cogswellj
register Of wills, and William u
Thompkins, recorder of deeds.
The hearings were resumed at ID
o'clock this morning with Capt. Her
bert C. Whitehurst. director Of high1
ways, on the witness stand. The entire
morning session Is to be devoted to d
discussion of the condition of ths|
streets and bridges.
School estimates are to be taken
up Monday. The estimates of thd
Public Library also are to be considered
the early part Of next week.
The subcommittee is making marked
progress in its consideration of tha
1888 budget estimates. Collins expects
to conclude the hearings before tho
end of next week and start drafting
the appropriation bill.