Evening star., 1940-03-30
Senate HEARINGS
On D. {. Bill
Likely April 8
Item for Underposs
Killed in Passage
By House Yesterday
BY DON S. WARREN.


supply bill. as approved late yes
terday by the House. probably will
be started a week from Monday be-
fore the Senate District Appropria-
tions Subcommittee, according to
plans made by Senator Overton,
Democrat, of Louisiana, chairman
of the group. The bill now carries a
total of s48.276,7l7.
After the House had beaten of
several proposed amendments to
the measure, the supply bill was
passed after less than four hours
of debates with but two major
changes.
One of these struck from the bill
an item paving the way for con-
struction of vehicular underpass
at Scott Circle. and the other pro-
vided that none of the appropria-
tions may be used for salary of any
District employe who is not citizen
of the United States or who has
not applied for citizenship papers
by the time the bill is enacted.
The citizenship rule was offered by
Representative Van Zandt, Repub-
lican, of Pennsylvania.
Supporting positions taken by
Representative Caldwell, Democrat,
of Florida, chairman of the House
District Appropriations Subcommit-
tee, the House rejected:
l. An amendment offered by Rep
resentative Schultz, Democrat, of
Indiana calling for the addition of
Is men to the Metropolitan Police
force, which he held were needed
to give adequate protection to the
public.
Tuition Stand Unchanged.
2. A move by Representative Sas-
seer, Democrat. of Maryland to
strike from the bill the section
banning tuition-free education to
any more pupils of nonresident
parents This would not apply to
nonresident pupils already ad-
mitted tuition free to District
schools, but would forbid additional
numbers without payment.
3. An amendment by Representa-
tive Boren. Democrat, of Oklahoma
to strike from the bill provision
for free textbooks for public school
pupils.
There are reports that an effort
will be made on the Senate side
for reinsertion of the item of $4,000
for drafting of plans for the Scott
Circle underpass. Financing for the
project itself, estimated at 100000,
would come from District Federal
aid road funds, half coming from
the Districts share of Federal grants
and half from matching District
funds carried in the supply bill. In
urging the $4,000 for plans, the
Caldwell group had recommended
authorization to the Commissioners
to proceed with construction as soon
as plans were approved by the
Public Roads Administration.
Bolles Wins Point.
This $4,000 item, however, was
stricken from the bill on a point of
order raised by Representative
Bolles, Republican, of Wisconsin
Chairman Caldwell did not contest
the point. Later, Mr.. Bolles said
he was moved by the thought that
such projects first should be author
iezd on motion by the legislation
before an appropriation is sought;
and that if the Caldwell subcom-
mlttee could not find funds avail
able for providing a shorter work
week for District flremen, he won-
dered how funds were available for
the underpass.
Elsewhere, it was explained that
pay for firemen comes out of the
Districts general" revenue fund,
whereas funds for highway prof.
ects are charged against the sepa-
rate highway fund.
1t had been expected that Repre-
sentative Howard Smith, Democrat.
OF Virginia, a member of the House
Rules Committee, would support
the move to continue free educa-
ton for nonresident pupils, but
he was not on the floor at the
time the Sasscer proposal was con-
eidered.
Mr.. Sasscer argued that some
District pupils now are given free
schooling in Prince Georges County
and he said he was sure that the
same was true with MONTGOMERY
County. He added that between
700 and 800 District pupils attend
Maryland University, where, he said,
they pay but little more tuition
than Maryland pupils. He asked
approval of his plan on the grounds
there should be reciprocity" in
the matter between the District
and neighboring States.
Cites Cost to Taxpayers.
In reply Mr.. Caldwell explained that
nonresident pupils, now numbering
between 2,700 and 2.80O placed a cost
on the District of some $265 900,
which he said his committee felt
was an unfair" burden to place
on District taxpayers. He was sup
ported by Representative Stefan,
Republican, of Nebraska, who said
that while only small part of the
Federal payment of $4,000, 900 would
go for this purpose, he did not be-
heve the taxpayers in his State
would be IN favor of having any of
their funds go to provide for pupils
OF Maryland or Virginia parents.
The Sasscer proposal was defeated
by a vote of % to 8.
Representative Cochran, Demo-
crat, of Missouri interposed an OBJ
lection against appropriation of
funds for continuation next fiscal
year of construction of the new
home for the District National
Guard, demanding to know whether
any Federal funds were to be spent
for construction of any auditorium,
sports arena or the like. He was
assured by Mr.. Caldwell that an
auditorium or arena was not the
object of the appropriation, but
rather an armory for National
Guard, and that all the cost would
be placed against District tax rev.
enues except insofar as the Fed
eral pAyment of "a O0O nm uos in