Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-20
81 Million Cut
Passes 1856
On House Floor

House leaders today predicted
ultimate restoration to the Dis
trict budget of at least a part Of
the 81 million cut from city reve-
nues yesterday by one-vote
margin in the House of Repre-
sentatives.
Chairman.Smith of the House
Rules Committee. a veteran Vir-
GINA member of that chambers
committee on the District, said
he was optimistic as a result
of the one-margin 86-85 vote in
the House.
Senator Butler, Republican, Of
Maryland promised to move for
an increase in the Federal pay
ment to $25 million, instead Of
the $40 million authorized by
law.
Even if the move should be
defeated, he argued, strong
showing of Senate support would
strengthen conference chances
of restoring the full $40 million.
The cut. he said, was absolute
welching on the Federal obli-
cation to the District. It is
time for the Federal Govern
ment to keep its promises.
Representative Harris, Demo-
crat, of Arkansas, declared, THE
Senate will restore the 81 mill
lion and they'll reach some COM
promise in conference" between
House and Senate conferees on
the final version of the Districts
budget for the fiscal year which
begins July /.
Others Agree
Similar views were voiced by
Representative Simpson, Repub-
lican, Of Illinois. former chair
man of the House District
Committee, and Representative
O'Hara, Republican, Of Mime
sofa, ex-chairman of the joint
Senate House subcommittee
which last year drafted a 10
year, $305 million public works
program for the Nations Capt.
tai. raising the Federal pay
ment from $11 million to $40
million a year, and increasing
local taxes by $12 million q
year
The one-vote margin, they ar
gued, will give Senate conferees
strong lever in debate with
House members for restoration
to the National Capitals budget
of a large part of the Federal
payment.
Chairman Mcmillan Of the
House District Committee aided
the drive to cut the Federal pay
ment and took the floor to argue
for it. He was Joined in voting
for the cut by Representative
Davis, Democrat, of Georgia, also
a member of the District Com
mittee.
Boosts Welfare Fund
Passing the Districts annual
money bill, the House made one
change-sponsored by Represen-
tative lRabaut, Democrat. Of
Michigan, chairman of the House
Appropriations subcommittee
which handled the measure. It
added $354,271 to the budget Of
the Department of Public Well
fare to maintain welfare grants
TO relief recipients.
This reduced by more than
half the largest cut made in the
operating budget of any District
department by the House APP
preparations Committee. It
brought the total appropriation
for the District to $166,901. 100
some $8.5 million less than was
requested by the District Com
missioners and the White House.
Efforts of Representative Broy-
hill. Republican, of Virginia to
add salaries for 18 special teach
ers' positions. IA elementary
school clerks and $145,000 for
maintenance and repairs were
defeated by voice vote.
Same Issue Last Year
The principal fight, though,
was over restoring 81 million
cut from the annual Federal
payment by the Appropriations
Committee. The vancouver was
successful last year in the same
situation, three months after
Congress approved an increase
in the Federal payment and local
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