Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-27
Home Rule Bill
.GetsApprovaIof
Senate Group
Move Sparks Drive
For Higher Federal
Payment to City
BY DON S. WARREN

oy DO4N w AkNNLkN
The Senate District Commit
tee. as expected, today voted its
unanimous approval of a bill to
give the District ap elected
"home-rule" form Of govern
ment in an action that spanked
a drive for a higher Federal pay
ment to this city.
The committee wrote into the
city suffrage measure a preanl-
BILE that declares that the grant
of home-rule government here
would in no wise change the
need for an adequate Federal
payment.
But members of the commit.
tee did not stop there. Senator
Morse, Democrat. of Oregon, in
favor of the suffrage bill, said
he proposed to raise the issue
of the Federal payment when
the Senate takes up the meas
ure. He said he had long felt
the Federal payment was not
large enough and that in the past
year his conviction on this point
had deepened.
Endorsed by Beall.
His views were quickly in
dorsed by Senator Beall, Repub-
lican. of Maryland and Senator
Nicely, Democrat. of West Vir-
ginia, committee chairman.
The West Virginian said he
wanted to echo the traditional
amen" that was shouted in the
House by a former Congressman
from Texas he referred to as
Cyclone" Davis. Senator Nicely
said, Il want to say amen to
what has been expressed here
by Senator Morse and what was
said by Senator Beall."
1t was Immediately planned
for three members of the SEN
ate District Committee, who are
ex-officio members of the Sem
ate Appropriations Committee
when it acts on the District
budget, to make an appeal there
for a higher Federal share.
Senator Morse was asked if he
would appear as a witness and
he said he would.
Tax Increase Planned
The move is timely because
District officials, contemplating
the need for about $l2 million
more in city revenues to meet
expected pay raise costs, are
planning an increase In taxes
which they hope will be matched
by an increase in the Federal
payment.
The District Committee. in As
minutes. did a land Office BUSH
ness. In addition to the home
rule bill and action on the nomi-
nation of John A. Remop for a
new five-year term on the Re
development Land Agency, it
recommended Senate approval
Of:
/. A pay raise for members
of the city courts amounting to
$500 for the Municipal Court
of Appeals, the Municipal Court
and the District Tax Court and
a pay raise of 5000 for the
judge of the Juvenile Court,
whose salary now is below that
of the others.
2. An omnibus bill increasing
the powers of the District Pub
lie Utilities Commission in many
respects and including authority
for it to set the school children's
transit fare and to raise it to
as much as one-half Of the reg
ular cash fare.
3. A bill providing that the
District government shall pay
the premiums for bonds which
must be obtained by a long
string Of city officials having
to do with city finances.
In connection with the school
children's fare, now set at three
cents ride by a special act Of
Congress. Senator Beall revived
his argument that the Board Of
Education, meaning the city
Government, should bear the
cost of transporting pupils to
and from school.
He said he wanted school and
District officials to come forward
with proposals to carry this into
effect. He said he planned to
appear before the Senate Appro-
priation Committee to ask for
funds to start this program and
that if legislation was needed he
had in mind the preparation Of q
bill.