Evening star., 1944-05-24
D. {. Supply Bill
Expected toPass
House Today
Senote Also Plans
Quick Action on
S68, SOC, 900 Measure
BY DON S. WARREN.

$68,500000 supply bill for the next
fiscal year was taken up for action
by the House today, with full eX-
pectations it would be passed after
less than two hours debate, and
sent to the Senate.
Protests that District taxpayers
are required to carry heavy costs
which do not properly belong to
them and which result from opera
ton of Federal institutions were
voiced to the House by Representa-
tive Coffee, Democrat, of Washing
ton and Representative Stefan, Re-
publican, of Nebraska, the chair
man and the ranking minority
member of the District Appropria-
tions Subcommittee
After outlining generally ahe
terms of the District supply bill
Chairman Coffee also criticized the
division of authority and RESPONSE
bility in the operation of the
municipal government, declaring
"It is remarkable that we have
the efficiency that we do with such
a conglomeration of agencies and
number of separate little govern
ments, with 6. division of authority
and responsibility
Pay Federal Water Bills.
Chairman Coffee protested that
District taxpayers are required to
foot the bills for the huge quanti-
ties of free water used by the Fed
eral buildings, including not only
those in the District, but in neigh
boring counties as well, and he
mentioned specifically the Pentagon,
which, he explained, has $4,000 in
habitants.
He mentioned also the costs Of
the Zoo, the National Capital Parks,
the park police, the National Lii
brary for the Blind and other insti-
tutions, which he said the COM
mittee felt were mostly Federal in
character, though District taxpayers
pay most of the costs.
Specifically he suggested that the
Washington Aqueduct, the Districts
water supply system, now under the
control of the Army Engineer Corps,
should be made part of the Dis
trlct government structure.
MIR. Coffee protested also that
though there are more than 1000
employees in the Welfare Depart
ment, the Commissioners, as the
heads of the District government,
have little control, explaining that
under present law the Board of Pub
lie Welfare is in charge of the well
1are program. While praising the
public spirit of the volunteer mem
bers of the Welfare Board, Mr.. Cof-
fee said I'VE feel the function of the
board should be advisory only"
Senate Promises Action.
Prompt action is planned on the
Senate side, in view of the nearness
of the end of this fiscal year. Hear
1ngs are expected to be called soon
by the Senate District Appropria-
tions Subcommittee, headed by
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat, of
Wyoming
Under agreements reached among
House leaders, two full hours of
general debate has been reserved
today for consideration of the Dis
trict bill, but sponsors of the meas
ure anticipated the bill would pass
substantially as recommended by
the District Subcommittee headed
by Representative Coffee, Democrat.
of Washington. That groups recon-
mendations were approved yester-
day by the full Appropriations
Committee without change.
Estimates SIashed $500, 900.
While the subcommittee slashed
items totaling 100000 from the
estimates as submitted by the
Budget Bureau and the Commits
sioners, the grand total still was
increased by more than S1,OOO,O00
over the budget requests, principally
by reason of the boost of the post
war public works investment fund
from 100000 to 100000
Members of the subcommittee in
charge of the bill, in addition to
Chairman Coffee, are Represent
atlveS Anderson, Democrat, of New
Mexico, Norrell, Democrat, of Ark
ansas, Whitten, Democrat, of Mis-
sissippi; Stefan, Republican, of Ne
braska; Dworshak, Republican, of
Idaho, and Jensen, Republican of
Iowa.
Meanwhile the future of the Dis
trict Civilian War Services appeared
threatened today with disclosure
that the subcommittee deleted a
100000 item for the service.
Harry P. Somerville, head of
Civilian War Services, said that
while he had not seen the subcom-
mittee's report, he felt certain the
services would have to close down"
if the amount had been cut. He
said he did not know of any other
sources Of funds" at this time.
Salaries Endangered.
He said the $4,000 item covered
salaries of nine persons, including
the director, the director of the
draft aid center and the staff at
the central volunteer office. The
salaries totaled $25, 200. while tele-
phone, supplies and miscellaneous
amounted to $4,000.
He said. however. that the super
visor of Victory gardens was not in
volved in the deletion. of the budget
request and that the War Hospital
lty Committee received its funds
from the Community War Fund.
He said he believed means coulo
be found for carrying on the work
OF the Child Care and Protection
Committee, which is now under the
supervision of Civilian War Services