Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-22
INNING FOR DISTRICT
Senate Quickly Passes Seven
important Bills.
POLICE AND FIRE PENSIONS
Deficiencies Provided for-Dentists'
Measure Also Gets
o. K.

Senator Gallinger, chairman Of the
Senate District committee, obtained an
inning for District legislation in the Sem
ate yesterday afternoon, and within a
few minutes seven measures of impor-
lance to the National Capital were agreed
to by the Senate The bills passed were:
To make up deficiencies in the police
and firemen's pension funds from all
license fees, other than fees for liquor
licenses.
To regulate more stringently the prac-
tice of dentistry in the District.
To establish a home for feeble-minded,
imbecile and idiotic children in the Dis
trfct.
To extend New Hampshire avenue in a
straight line from its present terminus to
the District line.
To give the Police Court jurisdiction
over cases of threats, ARRAYS and keep
ing disorderly houses.
: To extend Buchanan street between
Piney Branch road and 18th street and
the abandonment of Piney Branch road
between Allison and Buchanan streets.
To allow the disinterment Of bodies from
abandoned cemeteries by order of the Dis
trict Supreme Court.
Pension Legislation.
The bill for the relief Of the police
and firemen's pension funds, which was
passed, was introduced by Senator Mar
tin Of Virginia In few lines it speci-
1es that when there are deficiencies In
the pension funds the receipts from IL
censes other than liquor licenses are to
be available. No change is made In the
present pension system, although the
Commissioners have advocated the pas
sage of measure for a general revision
Of the pension plan.
The plan. which has now received the
approval Of the Senate, differs from the
plan proposed by the House District COM
mittee. That body proposes to create the
pension fund entirely out Of taxes-that
u.s. entirely out Of District revenues.
The bill for the more stringent regula-
ton Of the practice of dentistry in the Dis
trict was drafted at the District building
under the supervision Of the District Com
dental examiners greater powers to re-
woke or suspend licenses to practice dem
tistry for specific reasons, such as maxi
ing false statements to patients or hiring
unlicensed assistants.
Funds Are Appropriated.
The home for feeble-minded, imbecile
another of the bills passed. would be
under the control Of the Commissioners
and admissions would be to it on the GER
tificate of the board Of children's guard
ians that the children are residents of the
District and are feeble-minded, imbecile
or idiotic. The institution is to be 10
Gated at Blue Plains, near the Home for
the Aged and for the erection OF buildings
800, 600 is appropriated. one-half from the
District revenues and one-half from the
United States Treasury.
The passage of the bill for the extension
of New Hampshire avenue to the District
line in a straight line goes far to settling
a controversy over the extension OF that
thoroughfare. The District Commission
ers have recommended DETECTED extern
sion, so that some established roads
would be taken into New Hampshire ave-
nue. extended. But members of the Sen
ate District committee, after looking over
the lines of extension. decided that it was
better to follow the old plan of the city
for streets running in straight lines, ana
that in the future when the city has
grown out along New Hampshire avenue
il would then be a matter Of regret that
New Hampshire avenue had not been ex-
tended in a straight line.
Police Court Gets Cases.
The passage of the bill giving the Police
Court jurisdiction over cases of ARRAYS,
threats and keeping disOrderly houses
was made necessary by decision of the
District Court Of Appeals, holding that the
Police Court did not have such jurisdic-
ton, although it had been exercising it
for a number of years.
Under the ruling of the Court Of APP
peals charges of engaging in ARRAYS, of
making threats and of keeping disorder
Nv houses had to be taken before the
grand Jury. The cases are usually minor
ones and, in the rush Of bigger cases.
they received little attention from the
grand Jury. Such course, too. meant
a delay Of some time. The bill was
recommended by Clarence r. Wilson.
United States district attorney, and by
ATTORNEY General Wickersham.
The hill to allow the disinterment Of
bodies from abandoned cemeteries was
recommended by the District Commits
sioners, because of difficulties encounter
ed under present laws. Unless the rela-
tiyes Of the deceased can be located it
is practically impossible under present
laws to transfer bodies from an abandon
ed cemetery to a new one. And In the
case of abandoned cemeteries 1t is found
that the bodies have been inferred long
time and the relatives of the deceased
are frequently hard to find because OF
the length Of time that has elapsed. And
this situation has held up building de-
velopment.