Evening star., 1939-07-14
Supply Bill Conferees Aqree
On 100000 Lump Sum After
President Asks Action Toduy
Urges Temporary
Provision for D. 6.
Employees Pay
BULLETIN.

@"'f'S/SS
BULLETIN.
The long deadlock on the
S48,O00,000 District supply bill
was broken this afternoon
when the cOnfereeS agreed on
a S6,O00,O00 Federal payment
for the current year.
Representative Collins of
Mississippi and Senator Over
ton of Louisiana announced
they would make every effort
to put the agreement through
the Senate and House before
adjournment today, saving the
1850 employees of the Nation
al Capital from going without
their pay tomorrow.
Dispatch of a letter from PreSi-
dent Roosevelt to Chairmen Over
. ton and Collins of the Senate and
locked District appropriation bill.
urging a joint resolution authorizing
sufficient money to meet the munich
pal payroll tomorrow, was followed
this afternoon by reported offer
from the House end of the Capitol
to compromise on one-year $6,OOO,-
600 Federal payment to the Dis
trict.
While the conferees made deter
mined efforts to shape an appropri-
alton that would break the stale
mate between the two branches OF
Congress, 1880 District employees
still faced a payless pay day tomor-
row, and District officials, just it
case some way might be found to
provide the money, prepared to cut
red tape and disburse any available
funds without delay.
The necessary warrants which
. must go through the Commissioners,
the Treasury and the general &C
counting Office were prepared for
speedy handling. If the money is
freed, special agent of the Com
missioners will be assigned at once
to expedite the machinery in an
effort to pay off on time tomorrow.
Another development at the Capt.
tol was the likelihood. reported On
good authority, that the conferees
on the District supply bill also would
be called into session during the aft
ernoon, for the first time in two
weeks.
These conferees have been mark
ing time while the tax bill conferees
have been trying to settle the lump
sum battle raging between the TWO
houses.
Although Senate conferees could
not be reached Immediately for COM
ment on the reported offer of House
leaders to accept a one-year $60O0,-
600 compromise on the Federal pay
ment, there were NO indications that
Senate members were ready to re-
treat from the stand they took yes
friday. They then insisted on So
100000 as fair compromise between
the House figure of $5,O0OOOO anc
the s7,750,000 which the Senate
voted.
Feels House May Yield.
Majority Leader Rayburn predict
ed meanwhile the House probably
would yield to the Senate and agree
to a S6,500,000 Federal payment to
the District if it is fixed for this
fiscal year only.
Meanwhile, without even having
knowledge of the Presidents letter,
Speaker Bankhead at his daily press
conference expressed the hope a
move would be made this afternoon
to remove the impasse that con-
fronts 1850 District employees with
a payless pay day tomorrow and
creates serious fiscal crisis for the
municipal government.
The President announced the
sending of his letter to Senator
Overton and Representative Collins
at his bi-weekly press conference
during the forenoon. Through the
letter he announced the text would
be given out at the Capitol. He
added he did not think it would be
proper for him to make the letter
public until it had been received
At the Capitol, however, Mr.. Col
Inns said he and Senator Overton
had agreed not to give out the con-
tents of the letter.
AT the same time Mr.. Collins pre-
dlcted there would be a break be-
fore nightfall in the deadlock be-
tween the Senate and House on
both the tax and the appropriation
bills. He refused, however, even to
intimate what steps if any had been
taken.
Resolution Suggested.
The President, in answer to ques-
tions from newspapermen said his
letter would serve the purpose of the
(See D. c. FISCAL, Page A-4)