Evening star., 1951-10-07
Civilian Defense
Expansion Gets
Senate Boost
Federal and District
Funds to Be Acted
On This Week
By Don S. Warren

the Senate APPROPRIATIONS COms
mittee although total funds still
fall far short of objectives.
There was a new note of en-
couragement, however. despite the
lack of finances for much pro-
grammed work.
II am much encouraged" said
Senator Hill, Democrat, of Ala
bama, interested in both District
and national programs. He said
he thought the Senate early this
week would approve the new COM
mittee plan. sending the bill back
to the House for approval Of in
creased outlays.
AS to the District, the Senate
Committee bill Senator Hill said,
would provide an adequate foun-
dation for stockpiling of medical
supplies and other essential equip
Iment against the day of an enemy
atomic attack.
/ In addition, he said, it would
grant more adequate funds for an
educational program, including
enlistment of wardens, and money
Ifor surveys of existing structures
to find bomb-proof protective
shelters.
100000 Urged for District.
For the District, the Senate Ap-
preparations Committee recon-
lmended an outlay of 100000 for
civil defense. This is more than
double the amount approved by
the House, which granted only
Is234,ooo
The Commissioners and District
Civilian Defense Director had re-
quested $4,000.
The Senate committee grant.
however, filed up some big holes
in the program, that seemed far
to outweigh the bare money fig
.ures, for Senator Hill said it would
enable the District to gain match
ing fderal money for stockpiling
medical supplies.
The Senate figure, he said.
makes available an outlay OF
Is178.000 for this purpose. Under
the House bill, officials said. the
District could not have spent a
dime for the purpose because the
House did not provide any District
matching money.
No Funds For Shelters.
! The Senate bill, like the House
measure, provides no money for
the construction of shelters. Cons
gress has called such a program
mathematically and financially
impossible.
The Senate Appropriations Com
mittee, however. has moved to
step up the alternative program
> of finding existing structures that
would afford public protection.
I 1t added to the bill a new item
of SOS million for surveys of pro-
Itective facilities. This would be
used for engineering surveys OF
available shelters in existing build
ings in the Nations critical tar
get areas"
District officials said this and
and other new items in the Senate
version of the supplemental bill
would increase survey work now
being conducted in a limited way
by some of the Districts volunteer
workers.
Amount For Supplies Cut.
For Federal Civil defense, the
Senate Committee allowed a total
of S97l2 billion as compared with
1852 million in the House bill
Federal Civil Defense authorities
have asked for total of $535 mill
lion.
The Senate Committee, follow.
ing the example of the House,
, made its biggest cuts in civilian de-
fense in amounts requested for
emergency supplies and protective
! facilities. For emergency supply
5 the Budget Bureau asked 5000 mil
lion. The. House allowed $50 mil
lion. The Senate Committee raised
this to $60.5 million.
: The supplemental bill covers a
wide variety of Government Bu-
'Ireaus. The Senate Committee pro-
poses a grand total outlay Of
I$1.751 900 900, an increase of about
$165 million over the House total.
Some Cuts Restored,
l The Senators restored some
House cuts in funds for operating
emergency defense functions in
most of the ofd-line departments.
For these functions the budget
requested an aggregate of $261.2
million.
/ In some departments the
House eliminated the emergency
funds entirely and in others
made cuts which brought the to-
tai down to $131.8 million. The
Senate committee increased the
various items to a total of $190
million.
The Economic Sterilization
Agency, covering price. rent and
wage controls, had budget re-
quest of $1418 million. The House
allowed only $75 million. and the
Senate committee raised the fl
gure to $1239 million.
Treasury Fund Allowed.
In giving the Treasury 81 mil
lion for the expense of admins
tering the public debt, Senators
wrote in ban against using any
of it to advertise the Savings
Bond drive by press, radio or
television.
A House allotment of $3.50 mil
lion additional for the Atomic
Energy Commission was increased
by the Senators to $271.9 million.
To provide accommodations and
facilities for new defense agencies,
the General Services Administra-
ton had requested $42.7 million.
which the House cut out entirely.
The Senate committee restored
1855 million.
Arlington Recreation Leader