Evening star., 1951-07-08
Ferguson Undecided
On SIoshing Funds;
Other Bills Pending
By Harold B. ROGERS

by 7oIoio D. NOSefS
The record-breaking $137.7 mil
lion supply bill for the District
government may be acted on early
this week by a Senate Appropria-
tions Subcommittee headed BY
Senator Hill, Democrat, Of Ala
bama.
No exact time has been set BY
the group. But hearings have
been available in transcript form
for some time, and subcommittee
members have had opportunity
to consider how a proposed cut
of 10 per cent in personnel would
curtail city services.
Senator Ferguson, Republican,
OF Michigan, who has been driv-
ing for a 10 per cent slash in
personnel funds on all appropria-
tion bills, said yesterday he was
not ready yet to decide how far
he would go in slicing city money.
He is still studying the CommiS-
sioners' reports on effects of such
a cut.
Merrick to Return.
The subcommittee clerk, Harold
E. Merrick, who recently suffered
a back injury is improving, and,
hopes to be able to return to the
Capitol, for part-time work, some
time early this week.
The nomination of Minnesota
Gov Luther w. Youngdahl to be
a Federal District judge here
reached the Senate Judiciary
Committee yesterday. and is to be
referred shortly to a subcommittee
for public hearings. The subcom-
mittee may be set up tomorrow
when the full Judiciary Commit
tee meets
The hearings probably will be
slated to start in about a week or
10 days.
House to Act on Grants.
The House will act, probably
Thursday, on a bill to authorize
Federal grants to private non
profit hospitals here which are
not included in the proposed
Washington Hospital Center, The
measure was sent to the House
floor sometime ago by the District
Committee by an almost unani-
nous vote.
Sponsored by House Majority
Leader Mccormack, the bill would
offer grants to any of the several
institutions here qualifying. But
the institution ready to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity first is
expected to be Providence Hos
pital. which has plans for new
institution in the northeast sec
ton of the city. .-....s..
Several District measures are
pending before both House and
Senate District Committees with
prospects of some action this week,
if subcommittee meetings can be
arranged.
William N. Mcleod, clerk of the
House committee, said he plans to
work out date for the Judiciary
subcommittee to take up some of
the 16 bills already passed by the
Senate and sent to the House.
Latest proposed measure sent to
Congress by the District Commis-
sioners is one to amend the Ju-
venile Court law. 1t went to both
House and Senate District Com
mitteeS. No definite plans have
been made so far for considera-
ton of the measure. but it prob
ably will be introduced and as
signed to subcommittee this week.
The court bill probably will go
to judiciary subcommittee on both
sides of the Capitol.
To Prepare Own Bill.
The Senate judiciary subcom-
mittee, headed by Senator john
ston, Democrat, of South Carolina
already has asked the committee
counsel Gerhard P. van Arkel to
prepare a bill of its own. Senator
Welker, Republican, of Idaho,
hopes to sponsor a measure de-
priving the Juvenile Court judge
of discretion in refusing to make
court records available to in
terested agencies.
Senator Johnston said last night
however, he will be busy most of
this week with Federal employees
legislation before the Senate Civil
Service Committee of which he is
chairman. He felt he probably
would be unable to give much il
any time this week to District bills
The House-passed bill to make
many changes in criminal law here
to tighten law enforcement i.
pending before the Senate District
Committee. Some decision may bt
reached this week as to whether
to hold public hearings, probably
by the judiciary subcommittee
and when.
The Senate Committee staff il
still working on compromise bill
to incorporate features of both tht
Kefauver-Taft home rule bill ant
the Case measure providing fol
an elected advisory council to tht
District Commissioners