Evening star., 1944-05-25
|0verton toUrge
Increase in DC.
|lunlp-SuI1l Plan
6 Million Too Little
In View of Greater
Burden, He Finds

of Louisiana announced today
he will usge an increase in the
Sc, 100000 lump-sun Federal
payment toward the $68, ,58s ,607
District appropriation bill. for
the year starting July l.. on
grounds that the present amount
"is too small in proportion to
the increasing local burden"
Senator Overton said he had been
encouraged to make such a recom-
mendation to Chairman OMahohey
of the Senate subcommittee that will
handle the bill by the sympathetic
attitude shown by members Of the
House, this year in calling attention
to the services the Federal Govern
ment receives from the local gQv-
ernment.
When he was in charge of the
District bill five years ago, Senator
Overton tried to have Congress re-
turn to a fixed percentage formula
for apportioning the expenses Of the
Capital, based on the land area OF
the city required for national pur.
poses. but the House at that time
insisted on adhering. to the lump
sum payment method. 1t conn
promised, however, by increasing the
lump sum from 5000 900 to 3s,ooo,-
900 year.
War Increases Burden.
Since that time the war has
caused further expansion of Federal
activities In and around Washinr-
ton, adding to the municipal serv-
Ices furnished Federal agencies,
particularly in free water supply
I still think the practical and
businesslike way to handle the prob
lem of fiscal relations would be
through formula, and I still favor
the Overton plan,o the Louisiana
Senator said. But IL a formula Ia
not to be adopted, equity requires
that q more adequate lump sum be
provided
Senator Overton said he WOULD
suggest to Senator O'Mahoney that
the $4,000. 600 figure be increased
temporarily while legislative studies
are being made OF the increased
services now being rendered Federal
agencies in the form Of free water
and other facilities.
Hearings on the supply bill are
expected to be called soon by Sem
ator O'Mahoney.
The measure went sailing through
the House yesterday without q
change or dissenting vote.
Pleas for inclusion of a number
OF items left out of the House bill.
however, already were being pre-
pared for submission to the Senate
subcommittee.
Among these are funds for en-
ployment of so housekeeper aides.
for designation of more teachers
for handicapped, shutin children:
for provision of housing for the
Children's Museum, now located In
the Villa Rosa Mansion, which has
been purchased by a private in
vestor; and for a separate psychic
atrlc clinic for Juvenile Court.
Housing Inspection.
Col. Joseph D. Arthur, jr., Assist
ant Engineer Commissioner, follow.
ing conference yesterday between
the commissioners and a number Of
key municipal officials, said requests
may be made for more inspectors
to check on rooming and apartment
houses. The present staff, he said,
was inadequate to permit speedy in
spections of buildings.
Elimination from the bill as passed
by the House of requested 10000
to finance the Civilian War Services
brought protest from Joseph D.
Kaufman, vice president of the
CWS Board, who said the Senate
subcommittee would be asked to re-
store the sum.
1t was pointed out the Draft-Aid
| Center here has attracted Nation
wide attention and was set up by the
division with the approval of the
War and Navy Departments, Army
and Navy Relief, the Red Cross and
Selective Service.
While two hours was reserved for
debate in the House yesterday be-
fore Representative Coffee, Demo-
crat, of Washington, chairman OF
the subcommittee in charge of the
supply bill. called for vote, much
Of the time was devoted to other
subjects.
Both Chairman Coffee and Rep
resentative Stefan, ranking minority
member of the subcommittee, en-
phasized that with the growth of
the District appropriation total, the
portion of National Capital expenses
borne by the United States in the
continued $6,000,000 Federal pay
ment has dwindled to we'll below 10
per cent.
This s6,000,0O0 payment is offset
(See BUDGET. Page A-3J