Evening star., 1938-06-04
ACTION PRESSED
ON z D. c. BILLS
FOR 33 MILLIONS
Slum Reclamation and Equal
Nv. A. Terms With States
Involved in Measures.
ALLEY DWELLING PLAN
PASSAGE SEEN MONDAY
Jl
Authorization for Bigger Fund
Grants on Calendar for
Vote in House.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

With Congress speeding toward
adjournment, Chairman Palmisano of
the House District Committee made
preparations today to expedite final
legislative action on two important
bills, the enactment of which would
make $33 100000 available for public
improvements in Washington
One Of these measures, designed to
set in motion comprehensive $15,-
100000 program of slum reclamation
and low-rent housing developments,
needs only House approval of Senate
amendments to send it to The White
House for President Roosevelt's sigma
ture. The other would enable the
District to borrow $1S, $50 900 of Public
Works Administration funds to build
new schools, erect new buildings for
the Municipal and Juvenile Courts
and the recorder of deeds, and to add
another wing to Gallinger Hospital.
Representative Palmisano had plan
ned to seek House approval of the
Senate changes in the slum clearance
and low-rent housing bill late yester-
day, but was prevented by the parlia-
mentary situation that existed before
adjournment. Since the House is not
in session today, he said he would
call up the measure at the first op-
portunity Monday.
Broadens P. w. A. Benefits.
At the same time, he also plans to
ask the House to pass the P. w. A.
loan authorization bill which would
permit the District to share in the
new public works program on an equal
basis with the States, up to a limit
of S18, 8,150,000. This measure would
place local P. w. A, projects on a As
per cent grant and SIS per cent loan
ratio applying elsewhere, and allow
repayment of the loan portion in 25
years. At present the District is held
to the old P. w. A. ratio of 80 per cent
grant and 10 per cent loan and is re-
CURED to repay the loan at the rate
Of 81 100000 year.
The P. w. A. loan authorization bill
is not quite as near enactment as the
slurn clearance and low-rent housing
measure. However. it has reached
both the House and Senate calendars
and Mr.. Palmisano believes it can be
passed before the end of the session,
even if the sine die adjournment
comes at the end of next week as con-
templated.
Amends Alley Dwelling Law.
The slurn clearance and low-rent
housing program is involved in a bill
amending the existing Alley Dwelling
Authority law. This measure has
three principal objectives:
Ito clear the way for acceptance
of the A. D. A. of the offer of Ad-
ministrator Nathan Straus of the Fed
eral Housing Authority to lend from
$l0,000,000 to $15,000,000 for subsi-
died low-rent housing.
2-To authorize the Treasury to
loan A. D. A. not to exceed ST. ,00O, 900
a year for five years to enable that
agency to carry forward its own slum
reclamation and low-rent housing de-
velopments, for which self-iquidating
rentals would be fixed
$40 enable the A. D. A. to acquire
land to erect low-rent dwellings for
families substantially equal in num-
Der to those whose dwellings it de-
molishes in squares not adapted to
low-rent housing.
There are four other District bills
en- the House calendar awaiting ac-
tion, but Mr. Palmisano is dubious
as to their fate in view of adjourn
ment rush.
One Involves Ex-PoIicemen.
One directs the Commissioners to re-
store to duty two former policemen.
David R. Thompson and Ralph S.
Warner, who were dismissed in 1884,
following conviction by the Police
Trial Board on charges of having ac-
cepted $40 bribe from a notorious
bootlegger.
Another is intended to reorganize
and increase the efficiency in the tax
assessing and tax collecting offices at
the District Building. A third would
raise the heighth limit on the prop
erty at the southeast corner of Thir-
teenth street and Massachusetts, ave-
nue. NV. from 80 to ITO feet.
The final bill would amend the
charter of the Society of American
Florists and Ornamental Horticul-
turists.