Evening star., 1942-06-13
Conferees 0. K.
DC. Supply Bill
Most of Senote's
Fund Increases
Are Agreed On
By J. A. O'LEARY.


today agreed on a District ap-
preparation bill Of approximately
$56,3l8,000 for the year begin
ming July /, with most of the
Senate increases allowed.
The Senators. at the same time.
agreed to restore the cut the
Senate made, from $4,000 to S70.-
900. in the amount allowed the
Board of Education to expand
physical training in the high
schools.
The House also won out on res
toration of the $l620O the Senate
ment of fringe automobile park
ing facilities under recent act
of Congress.
Meeting in a spirit of compro-
mise, the conferees set record by
settling all points of difference at
one session. They we're headed
by Senator OMahoney. Democrat.
of Wyoming and Representative
Mahon, Democrat, of Texas.
The House accepted the $4,000
added by the Senate for new fire
engine house at North Capitol and
Crittenden streets NV. but in
sisted on elimination of $40 900 that
had been added for a new police
precinct at Forty second street and
Benning road NE.
Medical Inspectors Approved.
Final compromise figures had not
been tabulated this afternoon. but
indications were that approximately
$18l 800 was left in the bill out of
the Senate's net increase of $780,
$40.
In addition to restoring the $40
600 for physical training in the
schools. the conferees compromised
their difference over the number of
medical inspectors the Health De-
partment would need to examine
the pupils. The House wanted IL.
the Senate four. An agreement was
reached on five at $1,000 annually
each instead of the House salary
rate OF $500.
The $50, 900 physical toughening
item, together with two provisions
for medical and dental inspection of
high school pupils in the Health De-
partment budget, was included in
the supply bill by the House after a
series Of articles in The Star dis
closed that many District youths
were being rejected for military
service because of physical defects
which might have been corrected
earlier had they been detected The
series also revealed that although
the School Board had adopted
comprehensive physical training
program in 1886, only one senior
high school was completely on a
five e-period- "a week basis. The War
and Navy Departments have both
called on the school systems of the
country to provide physical tough
ening of youth
The Senate fund of $l86 ,920 to
reopen and operate the old Tubercu-
losis Hospital at Fourteenth and
Upshur streets NV. during the war
was retained.
Tuition Proposal Defeated.
The House insisted on restoring
the schedule of maximum payments
that may be made to families on
public relief.
The Senate succeeded in elimin-
ating the House proposal to require
nonresident pupils enrolling here
after in District schools to pay tu-
ition. The House for a number of
years has endeavored to require
tuition, but the Senate has consis-
tently prevented it.
The House agreed to Senate
amendments stopping the sale of
securities in the Water Departments
reserve fund to meet current re-
quirements. The fund was started
several years ago to prepare in ad-
vance for large capital improve
ments that were expected to become
necessary. The House originally
authorized sale of the securities to
meet s644,895 of the departments
current requirements. And the
House conferees made it clear they
were accepting the Senate ban only
pending further study of the depart
ment's needs.
The House agreed to Senate funds
for the rental of new branch pub
lie library in Anacostia, but ellml-
mated some of the added personnel
the Senate had allowed for other
phases of library work.
Recreation Funds Regrouped.
The conferees accepted the Sem
ate amendments regrouping scat
tered recreation funds under one
heading, with a $79,474 increase, to
carry out the new law creating
board 10 coordinate the recreation
activities of the schools. the mu-
nicipal Fairgrounds and the ma
tional parks in Washington.
The conferees decided to let the
House settle by q separate vote next
week the fate of the McCarran
amendment, which does not relate
directly to the District, but is de-
signed to enable all Government de-
partments to continue to pay the
salaries of employees who are lent
to congressional investigating COM
mittees from time to time.
The House accepted Senate funds
for II more food and sanitation in
spectors in the Health Department
to include boarding houses in the
category of public inspection. The
conferees gave the Health Depart
ment four instead of five new public
health nurses at an annual salary
Of 81 800 each.
The House agreed to Senate inclu-
sion OF $l1 $40 for added personnel
for the Public Welfare Board, in
cludins $500 for . principal assist
ant director.