Evening star., 1938-12-23
0verton Delays
Taking Direction
C.Fiinan(es
To Decide on Heading
Appropriations Unit
On Return Here

Senator Overton, Democrat, Of
Louisiana, slated to be the new
chairman of the Senate Subcom-
m1ttee in charge of District ap-
preparations, indicated from his
home in Alexandria, La, today that
he wants to leave the question Of
acceptance open until he returns to
Washington January 2.
Chairman Glass of the Senate
Appropriations Committee made
known last night that Senator Elmer
Thomas, Democrat, of Oklahoma,
who has handled District supply
bills for six years, will become chair
man of the Subcommittee on War
Department Appropriations That
post was left vacant by the death Of
Senator Copeland of New York. At
the same time, Senator Glass said
he expected to appoint Senator
Overton to the District chairman
ship.
Il would have to look into that
before commenting" Senator Over
ton informed The Star today.
Glass Is Ranking Member.
Senator Glass himself is the rank
ing member of the District Subcom-
mittee, but he already is chairman
OF two other subcommittee, in addi-
ton to heading the full committee.
Senator Overton is next in line, fol-
lowed by Senator Burke of Nebraska.
Senator Overton, who has been on
the District Subcommittee for sew
eral years, praised the work of Sem
ator Thomas as chairman. Discuss
ing the question of how the cost of
maintaining the National Capital
should be apportioned between the
District and Federal governments,
Senator Overton said:
MY though is there should be
some equitable participation by the
Federal Government, but I have no
exact formula in mind"
Senator Thomas, who has been in
the Senate since 1926, has just been
reelected for another six-year term.
He has been on the District Appro-
priations Subcommittee during the
greater part of his Senate career,
and when the Democrats took over
control of the Senate in 1888 he be-
came chairman, succeeding former
Senator Hiram Bingham, Repub-
lican, of Connecticut.
The Oklanoman has steered six
annual District Appropriation bills
through the Senate His announced
policy as chairman has been to COM
ply as far as possible with the recon-
mendations of the District Commits
sloners, and to give local residents
ample opportunity to present their
views to the Senate subcommittee.
Senator Overton for several years
| has been a member of both the Ap-
preparations Subcommittee and OF
the Senate District Committee. ham
ding new laws for Washington un-
der the chairmanship of Senator
King, Democrat, of Utah. The
Louisiana Senator. therefore, will
bring to his new assignment
knowledge both of the financial and
legislative problems of the city. In
the last Congress he took direct
charge OF the new zoning law for
the District, and assisted in the
consideration of the local tax bill
in the Legislative Committee.
Senator Overton came to the Sem
ate in 1888. after prior service in
the House, and has just been re-
elected for six more years. He is 63
years old and native of Louisiana.
He graduated from Louisiana State
University and Agricultural and
Mechanical College in 1895, and
later from Tulane Law School.
Relief Question to Rrise.
AS the new Congress assemblies
the House and Senate Subcommittee
on District Appropriation will have
before them the question of future
relief needs of the District. In pass
ing the current District Appropria-
ton Act Congress ordered a COM
prehenslve survey of the relief Sit
uation here, and the report is ready
for submission.
Senator Thomas, first as a mem
ber and later as chairman, has gone
through number of the annual
battles between the House and Sem
ate over the amount of the Federal
Governments obligation toward the
upkeep of the National Capital. For
nearly decade the Senate fought
against House proposals to reduce
the Federal share. During the de-
preston years, the House succeeded
in bringing the Federal lump sum
down gradually from S95OO,OOO in
1882 to s5,000,000. 1t has remained
at that figure for the last two years
without contest between the two
| houses.