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STATEMENT

The managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. R. 11133) making appropriations for the government of the District of Columbia and other activities chargeable in whole or in part against the revenues of such District for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1929, and for other purposes, submit the following statement in explanation of the effect of the action agreed upon by the conference committee and embodied in the accompanying conference report as to each of such amendments, namely:

On amendment No. 2: Accepts the language as provided by the House, stricken out by the Senate, prohibiting the practice of phrenology in the District of Columbia without paying a license tax as provided in paragraph 32, section 7, of the District of Columbia appropriation act approved July 1, 1902, and subject to the proviso contained in said paragraph.

On amendments Nos. 3 and 4: Appropriates $58,340, as provided by the House, instead of $60,920, as provided by the Senate, for the office of the corporation counsel, which figures contemplate the retention of the police officers detailed in this office as clerks.

On amendment No. 5: Appropriates $42,545 for personal services in the office of superintendent of weights, measures, and markets, instead of $41,045, as provided by the House, and $43,685, as provided by the Senate.

On amendment No. 6: Appropriates $7,750, as provided by the Senate, instead of $6,000, as provided by the House, for maintenance and repairs to markets.

On amendment No. 7: Appropriates $35,000 instead of $50,000, as provided by the Senate, for repairs, alterations, additions, and purchase and installment of equipment for the Western Market.

On amendment No. 8: Appropriates $29,600 for personal services in the office of the director of traffic instead of $25,940, as provided by the House, and $31,280, as provided by the Senate.

On amendment No. 9: Appropriates $96,000, as provided by the Senate, instead of $92,500, as provided by the House, for the office of recorder of deeds for personal services.

On amendment No. 10: Accepts language as provided by the Senate providing for a rest room for sick and injured employees and medical equipment therefor, under the appropriation for contingent expenses for the office of recorder of deeds, but limits the expenditure therefor, as provided by the House, to $100.

On amendment No. 11: Appropriates $14,500, as provided by the House, instead of $15,000, as provided by the Senate, for contingent and miscellaneous expenses for the office of recorder of deeds.

On amendment No. 12: Appropriates $80,000 for the paving of Sixteenth Street NW. from Alaska Avenue to Kalmia Road instead of $132,000, as provided by the Senate, for the paving of Sixteenth Street NW. from Alaska Avenue to the District line.

On amendment No. 13. Appropriates $9,500, as provided by the House and stricken out by the Senate, for the paving of Garfield Street NW., Wisconsin Avenue to Bellevue Terrace.

On amendment No. 14: Appropriates $13,100, as provided by the House and stricken out by the Senate, for the paving of Bellevue Terrace NW. from Fulton Street to Cathedral Avenue. On amendment No. 15: Appropriates $4,800, as provided by the Senate, for the paving of Reno Road NW., Quebec Street to Rodmand Street.

On amendment No. 16: Appropriates $7,500, as provided by the House and stricken out by the Senate, for the paving of Allison Street NW., New Hampshire Avenue to Illinois Avenue. On amendment No. 17: Strikes out the appropriation of $5,100, as provided by the House, for the paving of Thirty-eighth Street NW., S Street to T Street.

On amendment No. 18: Strikes out the appropriation of $8,600, as provided by the House, for the paving of Forty-second Street NW., Jenifer Street to Military Road.

On amendment No. 19: Appropriates $16,300, as provided by the House and stricken out by the Senate, for the paving of B Street SE., Fifteenth Street to Eighteenth Street.

On amendment No. 20: Appropriates $8,400, as provided by the Senate, for the paving of Hurst Terrace NW., Fulton Street northward.

On amendment No. 21 : Strikes out the appropriation, as provided by the House, of $36,900 for the paving of New York Avenue NE., Florida Avenue to West Virginia Avenue.

On amendment No. 22: Accepts the language, as provided by the Senate, appropriating $65,000 for the widening and repaving the roadway of Connecticut Avenue NW., instead of $60,000, as provided by the House.

On amendment No. 23: Appropriates $30,000, as provided by the Senate, for widening and repaving H Street NW., Seventeenth Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.

On amendment No. 24: Appropriates $250,000 for construction of curbs and gutters, instead of $200,000, as provided by the House, and $290,000, as provided by the Senate.

On amendment No. 25: Corrects the total for disbursements under the "gasoline tax, road and street improvement" fund. On amendments Nos. 26, 27, and 28: Accepts corrections in language in the appropriation for street repairs, as suggested by the Senate, and appropriates $1,475,000, as provided by the House, instead of $1,675,000, as provided by the Senate, for this purpose, and strikes out the language, as proposed by the House, making $90,000 of the appropriation payable out of the gasoline tax, road and street fund.”

On amendment No. 29: Strikes out the language and appropriation of $5,000, as provided by the Senate, for the preparation of plans and specifications for the elimination of the Michigan Avenue grade crossing.

On amendment No. 30: Appropriates $112,500 for trees and parkings instead of $100,000, as provided by the House, and $125,000, as provided by the Senate.

On amendment No. 31: Makes a correction in language, as provided by the Senate, in the appropriation for general maintenance under public playgrounds.

On amendment No. 32: Appropriates $33,000, as provided by the Senate, instead of $31,050, as provided by the House, for general supplies under the electrical department.

On amendment No. 33: Accepts language, as provided by the Senate, including part cost of maintenance of lights at Bolling Field necessary for operation of the air mail, under the appropriation for lighting, electrical department.

On amendment No. 34: Appropriates $127,540, as provided by the House, instead of $134,680, as provided by the Senate, for personal services of clerks and other employees, under public schools.

On amendment No. 35: Strikes out language, as proposed by the House, prohibiting the expenditure of any appropriations made for the public schools of the District of Columbia for the instruction of pupils who dwell outside the District of Columbia. On amendment No. 37: Accepts language, as provided by the Senate, permitting certain school construction work to be performed by day labor or otherwise.

On amendment No. 38: Accepts language, as provided by the Senate, making the appropriation for Langley Junior and MeKinley High Schools immediately available.

On amendments Nos. 39 and 40: Appropriates $2,740,700, as provided by the Senate, instead of $2,694,727.08, as provided by the House, for the pay and allowances of officers and members of the Metropolitan police force; and appropriates $99,770, as provided by the Senate, instead of $148,536.92, as provided by the House, for clerical services in the police department.

On amendment No. 41: Appropriates $67,075, as provided by the Senate, instead of $64,225, as provided by the House, for uniforms for police.

On amendments Nos. 42, 43, and 44: Strikes out, as proposed by the Senate, language which heretofore permitted the care of children under 17 years of age under the house of detention, and appropriates $21,000 for the conduct of the house of detention, instead of $29,780, as proposed by the House, and $14,480, as proposed by the Senate.

On amendments Nos. 45 and 47: Transfers an appropriation of $8,000 for a health department clinic from the house of detention to the health department, District of Columbia.

On amendment No. 48: Appropriates $54,910, for personal services under the juvenile court, instead of $53,050, as proposed by the House, and $56,770, as proposed by the Senate.

On amendment No. 49: Appropriates $74.900 for salaries, Supreme Court, District of Columbia, as provided by the Senate, instead of $72,020, as proposed by the House.

On amendment No. 50: Appropriates $41,903, as proposed by the Senate, instead of $41.660, as proposed by the House, for pay of bailiffs.

On amendments Nos. 51 and 52: Appropriates $9,420, as provided by the Senate, instead of $9.220, as proposed by the House, for personal services under the probation system.

On amendment No. 53: Appropriates $29,704, as provided by the Senate, instead of $29,300, as proposed by the House, for | personal services in the courthouse.

On amendments Nos. 54 and 55: Appropriates $62.640, as provided by the Senate, instead of $24,190, as proposed by the House, for salaries, court of appeals.

On amendment No. 58: Appropriates $17,000, as provided by the Senate, instead of $15.300, as proposed by the House, for the Columbia Hospital for Women.

On amendment No. 59: Appropriates $27,000, as provided by the House, instead of $30,000, as proposed by the Senate, for the Children's Hospital.

On amendments Nos. 60 and 61 : Appropriates $15,300, as provided by the House, instead of $17,000, as proposed by the Senate, in each instance, for the Providence and Garfield Memorial Hospitals.

On amendments Nos. 62 and 63: Appropriates $7.200, as provided by the House, instead of $8,000, as proposed by the Senate, in each instance for the Georgetown University and George Washington University Hospitals.

On amendment No. 64: Corrects House language, as proposed by the Senate, providing for artesian wells, etc., at the District Training School.

On amendment No. 65: Appropriates $24,600, as provided by the House, instead of $21,600, as proposed by the Senate, for maintenance, etc., at the Industrial Home School.

On amendment No. 66: Appropriates $15,000, as provided by the Senate, instead of $12,000, as proposed by the House for repairs, etc., at the home for aged and infirm, and makes $3,000 of the appropriation immediately available, as proposed by the Senate.

On amendments Nos. 67 and 68: Appropriates $12,860, as provided by the Senate, instead of $12,740, as proposed by the House, for personal services at the Temporary Home for Union ex-Soldiers and Sailors.

On amendment No. 69: Corrects House language, as proposed by the Senate, in the appropriation for relief of the poor.

On amendment No. 70: Appropriates $355,460, as provided by the House, instead of $368,200, as proposed by the Senate, for personal services, Public Buildings and Public Parks.

On amendments Nos. 71 to 75, inclusive: Appropriates | $486,975, as a lump-sum appropriation for general expenses, instead of $386,975, as proposed by the House, and $523,975, as proposed by the Senate; makes available $93,000, as proposed by the House, instead of $125,000, as proposed by the Senate, for the improvement, Rock Creek and Potomac connecting parkway; makes available, as proposed by the Senate, $100,000, for the improvement of Meridian Hill Park; makes available for the erection of minor auxiliary structures, $5,000, as proposed by the House, instead of $10,000, as proposed by the Senate, and strikes out language, as proposed by the Senate, making available $5,000, for the construction of a comfort station and shelter at Seventeenth and Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

On amendment No. 76: Accepts language as proposed by the Senate, making available $2,000 out of a balance of a prior appropriation, for the alteration of the Franklin Park comfort station.

On amendments Nos. 77 and 78: Appropriates $850,000 for the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, instead of $600,000 as proposed by the House, and $1,000,000 as proposed by the Senate; and makes available $300,000 for the purchase of sites without limitation as to price based on assessed value, instead of $150,000 as proposed by the House and $400,000 as proposed by the Senate.

On amendment No. 79: Appropriates $182,050, as proposed by the Senate, instead of $180,250, as proposed by the House for the National Zoological Park.

The committee of conference have not agreed to the following amendments:

No. 1: Striking out the paragraph, as proposed by the House, appropriating a $9,000,000 lump-sum amount as a Federal contribution toward the expenses of conducting the government of the District of Columbia, and inserting in lieu thereof, as proposed by the Senate, a paragraph dividing the expenses of the District of Columbia government, 40 per cent to be paid out of the Treasury of the United States and 60 per cent to be paid out of the revenues of the District of Columbia; unless otherwise provided.

No. 36: Providing that the children of officers and men of the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, and children of other employees of the United States stationed outside the District of Columbia shall be admitted to the public schools without payment of tuition.

No. 46: Providing for the erection of a fire-engine house upon Government-owned property on Sixteenth Street NW.

Mr. SIMMONS.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the conference report be agreed to; and, pending that motion, I desire to state to the House that the report we have here, with one exception, will be an agreement with the Senate. It is the result of several conferences. The Senate has receded over one-half million dollars in their amendments, and we are below the Budget by $67,000.

Mr. LINTHICUM. Will the gentleman yield for a question? Mr. SIMMONS. Yes, sir.

Mr. LINTHICUM. Will the gentleman explain what arrangement was made about the school children, and also the appropriation for the extension of Sixteenth Street of $134,000? Mr. SIMMONS. I expect to move to concur in the Senate proposal on the school proposition and the paving of Sixteenth Street is to be carried to Kalmia Road this year.

Mr. GRIFFIN. I would like to ask the gentleman if he will yield me five minutes.

Mr. SIMMONS. We are not going to discuss that question. I move the previous question on the conference report, Mr. Speaker.

The previous question was ordered.

The conference report was agreed to.

The SPEAKER. The Clerk will report the first amendment in disagreement.

The Clerk read as follows:

Amendment No. 1: Page 1, after the enacting clause, strike out all of lines 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 on page 1 and all of lines 1 to 10, inclusive, on page 2 and insert in lieu thereof the following:

"That in order to defray the expenses of the District of Columbia for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1929, 40 per cent of each of the following sums, except those herein directed to be paid otherwise. is appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and all of the remainder out of the combined revenues of the District of Columbia, and the tax rate in effect in the fiscal year 1928 on real estate and tangible personal property subject to taxation in the District of Columbia shall be continued for the fiscal year 1929, namely."

Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, this is the fiscal relations paragraph. The Senate amendment to the House bill substitutes 60-40 in lieu of the $9,000,000 that heretofore the Congress has carried in this bill for a number of years. On this I expect to ask for a roll call. I move now that the House further insist on its disagreement to Senate amendment No. 1, and on that I move the previous question.

The previous question was ordered.

The SPEAKER. The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Nebraska [Mr. SIMMONS] that the House further insist upon its disagreement to the Senate amendment. Mr. SIMMONS. On that I ask the yeas and nays, Mr. Speaker.

The yeas and nays were ordered. The question was taken; and there were yeas 288, nays 55, not voting 87, as follows:

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No. 56: Providing for a receiving home for the reception and detention of children under 17 years of age, and appropriating Browning $25,000 therefor, as proposed by the Senate.

No. 57: Providing a working capital fund at the District workhouse and reformatory, as proposed by the Senate.

ROBT. G. SIMMONS, WM. P. HOLADAY, ANTHONY J. GRIFFIN,

Managers on the part of the House.

Buchanan

Buckbee Burdick

Burtness

Burton

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Colton

Connolly, Pa.
Cooper, Ohio
Cooper, Wis.
Cox
Crail
('ranton
Crisp

Crosser
Crowther
Cullen
Dallinger
Darrow

Davey
Davis

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Frear
Freeman
French
Frothingham
Fullbright
Furlow
Gambrill

Garber
Gardner, Ind.
Garner, Tex.

Garrett, Tenn. Garrett, Tex. Gifford

Glynn

Goldsborough Goodwin

Graham

Gregory
Green

Greenwood

Griest

Guyer

Hadley

Hale
Hall, Ill.

Ifall, Ind.
Hancock

Hogg

Holaday

Hooper

Hope
Houston, Del.
Howard, Nebr.
Howard, Okla.
Hudson
Hull, Wm. E.
Irwin

James

Jenkins

Johnson, 111
Johnson, Ind.
Johnson, S. Dak.
Johnson, Tex
Jones
Kading
Kahn
Kemp
Kendali
Kent

Kerr

Ketcham Knutson Kopp Korell

Kurtz

Kvale

Lampert

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Until further notice:

Mr. Manlove with Mr. Oldfield,

Mr. Begg with Mr. Boylan.

Mr. Lehlbach with Mr. Stevenson.

Mr. Reid of Illinois with Mr. Fisher.

Mr. Clancy with Mr. Sullivan.

Mr. Beers with Mr. Underwood.

Mr. Wurzbach with Mr. Hammer.

Mr. Eaton with Mr. Hudspeth.

Mr. Kearns with Mr. Kunz.

Mr. Wolverton with Mrs. Norton of New Jersey.

Mr. Strother with Mr. McSweeney.

Mr. Murphy with Mr. Garrett of Texas.

Mr. Britten with Mr. Drane.

Mr. Leatherwood with Mr. Blanton.

Mr. Anthony with Mr. Jeffers.

Mr. Maas with Mr. Wingo.

Underwood Weaver Welch, Calif. White, Kans. Williamson Wilson, Miss. Wingo Wolverton Wood

Wurzbach

Mr. Beck of Pennsylvania with Mr. Hull of Tennessee.

Mr. Michaelson with Mr. Dominick.

Mr. Butler with Mr. Connaily of Texas,

Mr. White of Kansas with Mr. Bowling.

Mr. Curry with Mr. Aligood.

Mr. Dempsey with Mr. Tucker.

Mr. Gibson with Mr. Johnson of Oklahoma.

Mr. Hughes with Mr. Yon.

Mr. Yates with Mr. Rayburn.
Mr. Golder with Mr. Weaver.

Mr. Haugen with Mr. Fulmer.

Mrs. Langley with Mr. Casey.

Mr. Sinnott with Mr. Auf der Heide.

Mr. Welch of California with Mr. Sears of Florida.

Mr. Boies with Mr. Gilbert.

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Mr. Doutrich with Mr. Douglass of Massachusetts.
Mr. Hull, Morton D., with Mr. Igoe.

Mr. Davenport with Mr. Huddleston.

Mr. Strong of Pennsylvania with Mr. Kincheloe.

Mr. Fitzgerald. W. T., with Mr. Moore, of New Jersey.
Mr. Hall of North Dakota with Mr. Lyon.

Mr. Palmer with Mr. O'Connor of New York.

Mr. Bushong with Mr. Bloom.

Mr. FULMER. Mr. Speaker, I desire to vote "yea."

The SPEAKER. Was the gentleman present and listening when his name was called?

Mr. FULMER. No, sir; I was not.

The SPEAKER.

Mr. BRITTEN.

The gentleman does not qualify.

Mr. Speaker, I desire to vote “ no." The SPEAKER. Was the gentleman present and listening when his name was called?

Mr. BRITTEN. Mr. Speaker, I was not present; but I will make the definite statement that the bells ringing in the House Office Building rang three times instead of twice, and therefore I took my time in coming over.

The SPEAKER. The gentleman does not qualify.

Mr. WELCH of California. Mr. Speaker, I desire to vote. The SPEAKER. Was the gentleman present and listening

when his name was called?

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Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for two minutes.

The SPEAKER. The gentleman from New York asks unanimous consent to proceed for two minutes. Is there objection? Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I think I shall have to object. The House leaders on both sides are desirous of expediting this matter.

Mr. GRIFFIN. Then, Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for one minute.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?

There was no objection.

Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. Speaker, ladies, and gentlemen of the House, the vote has been taken, but I assert that the matter was presented to the House in such a way that the Members were not made acquainted with the actual situation. The Senate did not refuse to recede from the 60-40 proposition but made the offer of one-third to two-thirds and desired that proposition be submitted to the House. One of the Senate conferees even agreed to accept as low as 27 per cent as against 73 per cent. The question is not one of mere dollars and cents but rather a struggle to attain some formula of contribution instead of the hard and inflexible flat sum.

Not having time allowed me on the question, I refer to the extension of remarks, which I prepared and printed in the RECORD of April 20.

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Senate amendment 46: Page 61 of the bill, after line 7, insert: "The Commissioners of the District of Columbia are authorized to dispose of, by public or private sale in their discretion, the site acquired for an engine house at Sixteenth and Webster Streets NW., and the proceeds thereof shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the District of Columbia, and the said commissioners are authorized to acquire another site in the vicinity of Sixteenth Street and Piney Branch Road NW., and the sum of $35,000 is hereby appropriated for this purpose: Provided, That the commissioners are au

thorized, in their discretion, to locate the said engine house on land now owned by the District of Columbia, in lieu of purchasing another site therefor: Provided further, That the unexpended balances of appropriations made in previous acts for house, site, furniture and furnishings, etc., for a new engine company in the vicinity of Sixteenth Street and Piney Branch Road NW., are hereby continued and made available for expenditure for such purposes during the fiscal year 1929." Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House recede and concur with an amendment, as follows:

The Clerk read as follows:

In lieu of the matter inserted by said amendment insert the following:

"The Commissioners of the District of Columbia are hereby authorized and directed to sell the property at the corner of Sixteenth and Webster Streets, heretofore acquired for a fire-engine house site at public or private sale at not less than the purchase price paid therefor by the District of Columbia and pay the proceeds thereof into the Treasury of the United States, to the credit of the District of Columbia; and the commissioners are hereby authorized and directed to erect a fire-engine house, with furniture and furnishings for a fire-engine company, at the northwest corner of Sixteenth Street and Colorado Avenue, on property belonging to the United States, and there is hereby set aside for such purpose a plot of ground running north from the junction of Sixteenth Street and Colorado Avenue, as now publicly owned, 100 feet on Sixteenth Street; thence west at right angles to the street 160 feet; thence south at right angles to the line of Colorado Avenue. The balance of the appropriations carried in the acts of May 10, 1926, and March 2, 1927, for an engine house in the vicinity of Sixteenth Street and Piney Branch Road NW., is made available for the purpose aforesaid."

The SPEAKER. The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Nebraska.

The motion was agreed to.

The SPEAKER. The Clerk will read the next amendment in disagreement.

The Clerk read as follows:

Senate amendment No. 56: Page 74 of the bill, after line 2, insert: "For the maintenance, under the jurisdiction of the Board of Public Welfare, of a suitable place for the reception and detention of children under 17 years of age arrested by the police on charge of offense against any laws in force in the District of Columbia, or committed to the guardianship of the board, or held as witnesses, or held temporarily, or pending hearing, or otherwise, including transportation, purchase of one passenger-carrying motor vehicle at a cost not to exceed $750, operation and maintenance of motor vehicles, food, clothing, medicine and medical supplies, rental and repair and upkeep of buildings, fuel, gas, electricity, ice, supplies and equipment, and other necessary expenses, including personal services in accordance with the classification act of 1923, $25,000, to be immediately available: Provided, That such portion as the Commissioners of the District of Columbia may determine of the appropriation of $25,000 for rent, under the heading Contingent and miscellaneous expenses, District of Columbia,' contained in the first deficiency act, fiscal year 1928, shall be available for the purposes of this paragraph."

Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House recede and concur with an amendment.

The Clerk read as follows:

After the words, "For the maintenance, under the jurisdiction of

the Board of Public Welfare, of a suitable place," sert the following: "in a building entirely separate and apart from the use of Detention."

The motion was agreed to.

The SPEAKER. The Clerk will report the next amendment in disagreement.

The Clerk read as follows:

Senate amendment No. 57, page 78, after line 12 insert the following:

"Working capital: To provide working capital for industrial enterprises at the workhouse and the reformatory, the commissioners shall transfer to a fund, to be known as the working-capital fund, such amounts appropriated herein for the workhouse and reformatory, not to exceed $50,000, as are available for industrial work at these institutions. The various departments and institutions of the District of Columbia and the Federal Government may purchase. at fair market prices, as determined by the commissioners, such industrial or farm products as meet their requirements. Receipts from the sale of such products shall be deposited to the credit of said working-capital fund, and the said fund, including all receipts credited thereto, may be used as a revolving fund during the fiscal year 1929. This fund shall be available for the purchase and repair of machinery and equipment, for the purchase of raw materials and manufacturing supplies, for personal services in accordance with the classification act of 1923, and

for the payment to the inmates or their dependents of such pecuniary earnings as the commissioners may deem proper. The commissioners shall include in their annual report to Congress a detailed report of the receipts and expenditures on account of said working-capital fund." Mr. SIMMONS. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House recede and concur with an amendment. The Clerk read as follows:

In lieu of the sum inserted by said amendment, insert "$25,000." The SPEAKER. The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Nebraska.

The motion was agreed to.

PENSIONS

Mr. ELLIOTT. Mr. Speaker, I call up a conference report on II. R. 10159, an act granting pensions and increase of pensions to widows and former widows and certain soldiers, sailors, and marines of the Civil War, and for other purposes. The Clerk read the conference report.

The conference report and statement are as follows:

CONFERENCE REPORT

The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (II. R. 10159) entitled "An act granting pensions and increase of pensions to widows and former widows of certain soldiers, sailors, and marines of the Civil War, and for other purposes," having met, after full and free conference have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows:

That the Senate recede from its amendment numbered 1. That the House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate numbered 2 and agree to the same. W. T. FITZGERALD, R. N. ELLIOTT, E. M. BEERS,

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The managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the bill (H. R. 10159) granting pensions and increase of pensions to widows and former widows of certain soldiers, sailors, and marines of the Civil War, and for other purposes, submit the following statement in explanation of the effect of the action agreed upon and embodied in the accompanying conference report as to each such amendments, namely:

On No. 1: The amendment of the Senate provides that widows shall be eligible to receive the pension provided for in said act when they arrive at the age of 72 years instead of 75. The bill as it passed the House would grant increases of pension to approximately 90,000 widows and would entail an additional cost on the Government of $10,800.000 for the first year. The amendment of the Senate would bring in approximately 32,320 more widows at this time, making an additional annual cost of $3,878,400, but inasmuch as the amendment of the Senate was seriously endangering the passage of any bill the conferees unanimously agreed to leave the age limit at 75 years. All of the widows who are now drawing $30 per month under existing general law as fast as they arrive at the age of 75 years will be entitled to the benefits of this act.

On No. 2: The amendment provides that the pensions shall begin on the fourth day of the month next after the approval of this act instead of the fourth day of the next month after the approval of the same.

W. T. FITZGERALD,
R. N. ELLIOTT,

E. M. BEERS,

MELL G. UNDERWOOD,
RALPH F. LOZIER,

Managers on the part of the House.

The SPEAKER. The question is on agreeing to the conference report.

The conference report was agreed to.

Mr. ELLIOTT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H. R. 13511) grant ing pensions and increase of pensions to certain soldiers and sailors of the Civil War and certain widows and dependent children

of soldiers and sailors of said war, with Senate amendments, and agree to Senate amendments.

The Senate amendments were read.

The Senate amendments were agreed to.

AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT BOARD

Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to extend my remarks in the RECORD on the bill (H. R. 471) relating to the Aircraft Procurement Board.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Michigan?

There was no objection.

the Congress with a definite and authoritative point of contact with all phases of aviation, both governmental and civil.

"It's a fine job. Good luck to you."

Mr. VINSON deserves the thanks of the whole aircraft industry for having devised this highly progressive and constructive measure, which will bring into closer cooperation those branches of the Government which purchase in this field, thereby not only assuring economical use of money, but exercising a good influence in various directions.

DEVELOPMENT OF INLAND WATERWAYS

Mr. PARKER. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for the further discussion of the bill H. R. 13512. Mr. TILSON. Before that motion is put, Mr. Speaker, I should like to ask the gentleman as to the time that will be

sition to prolong the consideration of this bill?

Mr. JAMES. Mr. Speaker, during the Sixty-ninth Congress the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. VINSON] introduced a bill providing for the establishment of an Aircraft Procurement Board, to consist of an Assistant Secretary of War, an Assist-required to finish consideration of the bill. Is there any dispoant Secretary of the Navy, an Assistant Secretary of Commerce, an Assistant Postmaster General, the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, and the Chief of the Air Corps. Those officials represent the executive departments of our Government interested in the development of aviation and vitally concerned with the problem of aircraft procurement.

Mr. VINSON'S bill was the result of painstaking and diligent study on his part and was recognized by those best informed on this subject as a valuable and constructive measure, the enactment of which would mean much to the development of Government aeronautics and at the same time make aircraft procurement more economical and efficient.

In the last days of the Congress it passed the House, but, unfortunately for our Government, this important bill did not become a law in the Sixty-ninth Congress. However, on January 16 of this year the House by unanimous consent passed the bill, II. R. 471. It has not yet passed the Senate. Too much valuable time has already been lost. It means a great deal to the Air Service and also to the American taxpayers. It is earnestly hoped that this much-needed legislation will be enacted before the adjournment of the present session.

It has attracted wide attention in circles interested in aircraft development, as is evidenced by an interesting article by Mr. Frank A. Tichenor in the February, 1928, issue of the Aero Digest, published at New York City. That article, laudatory of both Mr. VINSON and his bill, is worthy of quotation, and under the leave granted me I include the following excerpt from it:

A CONSTRUCTIVE BILL

It is an agreeable change to turn from Mr. Wilbur to the Hon. FRED M. VINSON, Member of Congress from the ninth Kentucky district. Не does not come to the floor of the House with any demand for millions to be spent on useless steel flotillas that would be transformed into "sunkotillas" by the judicious application of a few small bombs. Instead he appears bearing in his strong right hand House bill 471, to provide for an aircraft procurement board.

That might go a long way toward assuring for the various services the best aircraft that can be built in the United States, and, by coordination, would do away with a lot of useless effort. The board is to be intrusted with the procurement of all aircraft purchased by the Government, naval, military, and commercial. This board will be a good thing for the Government,

In originating and fighting for this bill Congressman VINSON offers the country a plan calculated to eliminate waste and assure suitable planes for every department. By assuring all of the air services the very best equipment his plan will achieve another useful, needful service.

It passed the House on January 16, and doubtless will pass the Senate. Howard Coffin, who was active in aircraft procurement during the war and a member of the President's aircraft board, stated in a letter to Congressman VINSON:

"I have read with much interest your speech on the floor in favor of the proposal for the establishment of an aircraft procurement board to consist of the Assistant Secretaries of the War, Navy, Commerce, and Post Office Departments.

"I should say that one of the greatest difficulties of the past, both during and since the war, has been the fact that there has not previously been lodged in any one place of high authority a definite executive responsibility for the handling of aviation affairs. This has been peculiarly true with regard to the procurement of aeronautical material. This has been one of the main causes of the inability of Congress to obtain dependable information and for the distrust and misunderstandings thereby engendered. These activities have,

during the past several years, certainly had a destructive effect upon the progress of the art in this country, and greatly delayed the passage of constructive legislation. The creation of this board of Assistant Secretaries, whose job it is to devote their attention to the subject of aviation, will go a long way to offset these abuses and will provide

LXIX-5C6

Mr. PARKER. I will say that when the House adjourned on Tuesday evening we had this bill under consideration. The bill had been debated at length, it had been read, and the men in charge of the bill were doing everything they could to expedite the passage of the legislation. I will assure the gentleman that everything will be done to take as little time as possible. Mr. BANKHEAD. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. PARKER. Yes.

Mr. BANKHEAD. On any amendments that are to be offered the gentleman can move to close debate. I have heard no substantial opposition to the bill.

Mr. PARKER. In answer to the gentleman, I will say that that was the very thing that was done, that was the motion I made when a point of no quorum was raised. I was endeavoring to do what the gentleman suggests.

Mr. TILSON. Will the gentleman state if, in his judgment, it may be finished within a half hour? Mr. PARKER. Yes.

Mr. TILSON. If it is not, will the gentleman be willing to have the committee rise at that time?

Mr. PARKER. With the House thoroughly understanding my position I will make that agreement. That is, if it is not finished in half an hour, I agree to move that the committee rise, but I want it thoroughly understood that I am doing this because I have to do it.

Mr. OLIVER of Alabama. Half an hour is too limited a time. Say, 45 minutes.

Mr. TILSON. There is no request or demand for time for: debate upon the subject, as I understand.

SPECIAL ORDER THE "S-4" DISASTER

The SPEAKER. The Chair asks the gentleman from New York [Mr. PARKER] to withhold his motion for 10 minutes in order that he may recognize the gentleman from New York [Mr. GRIFFIN] for 10 minutes, under the special order.

Mr. GRIFFIN. Mr. Speaker, this is a busy, practical, cold world. The kindlier emotions of mankind may be aroused at times in the face of some great calamity, but after a few days or weeks we forget the tragic happenings and go about our business. We forget the sorrow, the suffering of the bereaved. We forget not only the event but the lessons of the event. I am not complaining about this. It is a truism which all the world admits. Occasionally busy men forget their cares and responsibilities and do give thought to these delicate, kindly sentiments which actuate the human heart. Then they go through certain forms of memorials. They stand demurely and bow their heads in prayer and give all the appearance of interest and sympathy. Even though the world should forget, I submit it is a violation of our duty to ignore an event such as that which occurred on December 17 last, just five months ago to-day, when the S-4 went down with all hands. Let us go back a moment to those thrilling days when all were hoping and praying for prompt rescue. Everyone said that such an event would never take place again, that there were certain lessons to be learned from the disaster, and that we were going to profit by those lessons. Even the President of the United States was aroused sufficiently to send a special message to this House on January 7, and a resolution (H. J. Res. 131) was presented by our dear friend and colleague, Mr. BUTLER, of Pennsylvania, in which he called for an investigation of the disaster. This resolution had two features: One directed toward the investigation of safety devices and appliances, and the other covering an investigation of the causes of the disaster. The resolution passed the House on January 7 and went over to the Senate. The Senate was willing to permit an inquiry into the question of safety devices, but felt that the investigation of the causes of the disaster. ought to be made by Congress itself.

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