Evening star., 1942-10-04
Leaders Expect Elections
To Help Wartime Capital
Both Senate and House
District Committees May Profit
strict Committees May Profit

farmer gets and the ultimate price
to the consumer.
Following a partial report. the
Senate District Committee Is con-
tinuing its study of the water sys-
tenn. with one of the principal ques-
tions still to be considered - the
equity OF furnishing the Federal
Government with all of the water
it uses-free.
Chairman McCarran was convinced
by the partial report of Frederick
H. Weed, committee investigator,
that no increase in rates to private
consumers is necessary or justified
at this time.
The substance of the partial re-
port was that large capital outlays
for enlargement of the system could
be avoided by more economical use
of the available supply OF filtered
water. It pointed out that by rela-
lively minor adjustments, the output
of the existing filtration system can
be substantially increased. 1t showed
that an average of about 1875 100000
gallons of filtered water goes into
the system daily, Of which about
IS 100000 gallons is revenue produc-
ing. OF the remaining 60,000000 gall
Ions, the report found that 100000.
gallons is leakage from mains.
Senator McCarran recognizes that
there is bound to be some under
ground leakage in any water system,
but he believes that the figure in
the District system is too high. In
dicating a belief that some of the
wastage is in Federal buildings,
which receive water free, the report
states: THE extent of the wastage
in Government buildings, most of
which are Office buildings. can be
visualized by the statement that
measurements of water flowing into
such buildings on normal summer
day average about 10 gallons per
regular occupant"
Recognizing the Importance Of
water conservation, District officials
have asked the Commissioners for
a new budget item of $4,000. to
conduct a search for wastage in the
system. A similar survey during the
period from 1906 to 1921, in which
water mains were checked, resulted
in a marked saving of water. Dis
| trict authorities doubt, however. that
the present wastage is as high as
100000 gallons. Their last annual
report placed the daily amount un-
accounted for at about 21,6OO 900
| gallons.
In looking forward to appointment
OF the strongest possible District
Committees in both Senate and
House in the next Congress, which
starts on January 3, and during
which extraordinary and unpre-
dictable demands for District legis-
lation will be made, the House Lead
ership regrets that the District Com
rlittee probably will lose its present
chairman, Representative Jennings
Randolph, whose services have been
repeatedly applauded by the Com
missioners, civic and business asso-
Citations, citizens associations and
the public generally. He is slated
to become chairman of the Roads
Committee, where he can give bet
ter service to his home district and
State, West Virginia. and can CO.
operate nationally in building up a
good roads and superhighway sys-
tenn so essential as a measure of ma
tional defense.
While his seasoned and syn1pa =
thetic services as District Committee
chairman are likely to be lost to the
District, his probable successor in
the Craftsmanship, representative
John F. Hunter of Ohio, will be
welcomed as a worthy successor.
Mr.. Hunter has served a valuable
apprenticeship in assisting Chair
man Randolph in several very i'm
portant studies, Investigations and
hearings, as chairman of the Fiscal
Affairs Subcommittee. He has al
ready established himself as a good
friend of the District, an able legis-
lator and popular with residents of
the Capital City.
There are four other vacancies on
the District Committee for the
incoming Congress - William T.
Schultz, Democrat, of Indiana. the
present ranking Democrat, who has
been one of the most active mem
bers on District legislation, espe-
claly in the reorganization of the
Metropolitan Police Department
Representative Michael J. Kennedy
Democrat, Of New York: Re,re-
sentative Oren S. Copeland, Repub-
llcan, Nebraska, and Representative
William G. Stratton, Republican, OF
Illinois.
The Senate District Committee
has only one certain vacancy, caused
by the primary defeat of Senator
James H. Hughes of Delaware
However, some of his colleagues
suggest that Chairman Pat McCar.
. ran of Nevada might be shifted tc
| the craftsmanship of the Judiciary
Committee. There was close con-
,, test between Senator McCarran anc
Senator Frederick Van Nuys of In.
diana for the Judiciary post, theil
} seniority being the same. 1t is not
, likely that any change will be madt
, in the organization in the new Con.
, gress.