Evening star., 1939-07-12
House Vote
Sought Today
On D. T.. Tax Bill
Nichols to Ask
Unanimous Consent
For Action
BY ]. A. OLEARY,


on the compromise local tax bill
in the House at noon today, Repre-
sentative Nichols, Democrat, Of
Oklahoma gave notice he would
ask unanimous consent later in the
day to call it up for action.
This means that before evening
the House may decide the fate of
the agreement already approved by
the Senate to settle the fiscal rela-
tions controversy by making the
Federal payment $6,50O,000 a year,
and adding an income levy to the
local tax structure.
Before the House met, Speaker
Bankhead, just back in the city
from trip to Canada, indicated
he had not had time to become
familiar with developments over the
deadlocked District legislation dur
ing his absence.
Informed that Saturday will be
pay day for 1850 District employees,
with no funds yet authorized, the
Speaker said he would do whatever
he could to have the conference re-
port considered, but observed that
this Is only Wednesday. He gave no
intimation of what he thought the
decision of the House would be.
The conference agreement could
be called up today only by unani-
nous consent, since it was not filed
in that body yesterday.
The agreement received prompt
approval in the Senate yesterday
after Senator Overton of Louisiana
had explained briefly the basis on
which the conferees finally got to-
gether.
Quick Settlement Might Follow.
If the House, therefore, approves
it, the tax bill would be ready to
go to the White House, and prob
ably would be followed by a quick
settlement of remaining differences
over the appropriation bill, in which
the main issue also is the amount
of the Federal lump sum toward a
total outlay of about $48, ,000, 900 for
the ensuing year.
The District governments en-
ployes contemplated a payless pay
day Saturday with considerable mis-
givings, but Commissioner Melvin
C. Hazen declared the municipal
functions would continue without a
break
I'VE are still living on faith" said
Mr.. HaZen. "We are all nervous over
the situation but we are not quit
ting"
Questions were raised in some
quarters as to whether it would be
legal for District employees to con-
tinue to work after Saturday, un-
less they received their pay, but
some District officials brushed these
questions aside, insisting 1t would be
violation of public trust" if es-
sential services were to stop. They
held that Congress would not leave
Washington without at least pass
ing continuing resolution, pro-
viding for back pay due, as we'll as
for continuation of bare salary and
maintenance items.
Milk to Be Supplied Needy.
Meanwhile, at the suggestion Of
Commissioner George E. Allen, Dis
trict officials decided to place or
ders for milk for families on the
District relief roster, regardless of
lack OF money for the new fiscal
year. Persons on relief, not re-
ceiving cash because of failure of
passage Of the appropriation bill,
are being supplied with surplus COM
modities, but milk is not one of
these. District officials decided they
would have to run the chance of
being prosecuted for creating un-
licensed bills in this regard, as with
salaries for District employees.
The story as to, 5000 cases of
needy aged, blind and families with
dependent children was different.
District officials received warrants
signed by the Treasury and the
Government Accounting Office for
the advancing of $4,000 from the
Social Security Board for these
cases, as had been planned last
week.
The pay roll for District employees
on Saturday will amount to some
$3.50, 900 or more, District officials es-
timated. When asked what could be
(See D. c. FISCAL. PAGE A-40