Evening star., 1949-09-04
Senate Group
TO Study D. {.
RetroactivePdy
= Approval Is Expected
For Measure to Give
Each EmpIoye $500
By Harold B. Roaers


by the Senate Appropriations
Committee after the Senate re-
turns Wednesday from a weeks
vacation.
Already approved by the House,
the sum of $4.200.000 to take care
of back pay for the last fiscal year
is before the committee in the
first supplemental bill. Since
funds are in sight to meet the
cost through the new revenue law,
1t is expected the committee will
approve the item, not now in con-
troverSy.
District government officials are
making plans to disburse the back
pay, which the city workers were
deprived of last year when Federal
classified employees were given a
similar raise.
There is no assurance as to
when the Appropriations Commit
tee will conclude consideration OF
the supplemental bill, however, as
its hearings will cover many items
for widely scattered Federal agen-
cies. The measure is scheduled
definitely for passage before Con-
gress adjourns.
New Sesqui Move Planned.
Appeals for other District funds
eliminated or curtailed by the
House are expected to be laid be-
fore the Senate Appropriations
Committee when public hearings
are resumed.
Officials of the National Capital
Sesquicentennial Commission will
make another last-ditch effort to
get the Senate to restore funds
for the celebration next year. The
House several times. however. has
stricken requests for the cele-
bration money. including $3,000.-
900 cut out of the pending first
supplementary supply bill.
Restoration also will be asked
by city officials of $103,065 denied
by the House, to reimburse three
hospitals here for INDECENT care
Efforts will be made to have the
Senate increase the appropriation
for day care centers here from
the House figure of $50,000 to
100000.
Nicely to Set Hearing Date.
Meantime Senator Neely. Demo-
erat, of West Virginia, new chair
man of the Senate District Com
mittee, plans to set a date soon
for a public meeting next week
to which he will invite spokesmen
for all leading organizations of
the city. He expects to return
Thursday from his home State
where he is making several
speeches over the holiday week
end.
At the meeting Senator Nicely
expects to get all kinds of sug-
gestions from the public as to
what the city needs and what
are the attainable objectives
among these needs. He hopes also
to solicit the cooperation of Or
ganizations in efforts to accom-
plish these purposes.
After the public meeting, it is
expected the new District Com
mittee chairman will go over the
suggestions received, and call a
meeting of the committee to con-
slider pending legislation. Already
several District bills have been
passed by the House. and are
awaiting action in the Senate
District Committee.
Delay in House Seen.
Among important House-passed
measures before Senate District
subcommittees are those to re-
wise the corporation law of the
city; to regulate the practice of
optometry here; to permit men,
bers of the District Commission on
Mental Health to reside in the
nearby metropolitan area, instead
of this city only; provide for ad-
mission of pay patients to the
Home for the Aged and infirm,
and to amend the Districts life
insurance act.
Because the House is not re-
turning from its recess until Sep
tember 81, action there on Dis
trict bills is expected to be de-
layed. One of the first moves
will be a conference between
House and Senate members to
iron out differences in separate
versions of a bill to provide sick
leave with pay for public school
teachers.
Representative Abernethy, DEM
ocrat. of Mississippi, head of the
House conferees, predicted the
conference will be held shortly
after the House reconvenes, and
agreement is assured. The House
had authorized so days sick leave,
and the Senate 80 days.
Two d. c. Bills on Agenda.
At least two District bills now
on the House calendar will be
called up for action before Con-
gress quits. They would add three
more judges to municipal court,
and authorize banks to consolidate
1maller trust funds into a common
fund for more advantageous in
vestment.
The judges bill was objected. TO
the last time it was brought up for
action, when it was opposed by
Republican Representatives Gross
of Iowa and Rich Of Pennsylvania.
Sponsors of the measure still hope
for its passage.
Chairman Mcmillan Of the
House District Committee expects
that a subcommittee may be able
to act before long on bills to amend
the Architects Registration Act
for the District, and to create a
new board of Registration for Pro-
ferr;oy,of Enpineers here Amend