Evening star., 1921-05-11
LEGISLATORS VOTE
MOVIE PRICE PROBE
BACKED BY DECREE
Powers of D. C. Committee
Held to Be Broadened by
Court Decision.
CLAIM PUBLIC INTERESTS
INVOLVED AS IN HOUSING
Recent Ruling on Salisbury Act
Cited in Action Instructing
Subcommittee.


Constituting it's powers to have been
!! broadened by the Supreme Court de-
cision upholding the Salisbury act.
the House District committee today
laid down the rule that il has author
ity to investigate any matter affect
Ing the interests OF the people of the
District. and proceeded to inaugurate
the rule by authorizing an investiga-
ton into the prices charged by mo-
tion picture theaters in Washington.
The decision to investigate movie
prices was not reached, however.
until after there had been a sharp
skirmish between Representative
Blanton. author Of the motion. and
Representative Cnderhill. The latter
questioned the authority of the COM
mittee to investigate theater prices.
He said that the movies" are lux
! uries. and the committee would be
exceeding its authority in investigat-
ing the charges made for entertain
ments which are not necessity for
the public.
Representative Blanton insisted
that Washington's entire population
is interested in movies" and it is
the duty of Congress TO determine
whether the prices maintained for
this character of public diversion are
reasonable. He said the Supreme
Court decision upholding the Sauls-
bury act made certain the fact that
Congress is vested with police pow
ers for administering District affairs.
Makes Point Of Order.
After considerable discussion of the
ticipated. Representative Underhill
made a point of order against the
motion on the ground that there was
no bill before the committee. Mr..
Bianton retorted he would introduce
such a bill if necessary
Chairman F'ocht then overruled the
point of order on the ground that the
Supreme Court decision referred to
unQuestionab gives the committee
authority to consider any matters
which relate to the interests OF the
people of the District.
Representative kunZ, who. in the
earlier part OF the discussion. had
questioned the right of the committee
TO investigate theater prices. suggested
that the subcommittee. headed by
Representative Wheeler. which is now
considering bill to regulate attend
ance in the theaters. be authorized
to extend its inquiry to include the
question of admission prices. This
sentative Blanton, and when the mo-
ton was put 1t carried with but one
dissenting vote. which was cast by
Representative Underhill
Explains His Vote.
In voting for the resolution author
izing the Wheeler subcommittee TO
investigate motion picture charges.
committee that he did SO solely for
the reason that he favored the prece-
dent being established as to the COM
mittee's right to investigate any sub
ject relating to the people of the
District, for whose welfare Congress
reSn0nSihla in lpRiS1Qfiva
Mr.. Hammer said he thought the
question of rent more important than
that of theater prices. and suggested
the committee might more properly
look into charges maintained by land
lords for properties under lease in
tho District.
Although waiting for the sub-com-
mittee report on schools. which will
not be ready for several days. the
full committee today showed its in
terest in the needs of the District
school system by discussing several
of the matters which have been en-
phasized by District authorities in
charge of the schools as calling for
attention.
Out-of-Town Pupils.
Discussion centered in the disclosure
that there are twenty-four hundred
residing in Maryland and
Virginia who attend school in the
District without being required to
pay tuition charges. Representative
Blanton stated that he was opposed
to the District giving free tuition to
these children. even though it is
sa nctioned by existing law. which
permits parents VINO earn their living
in the District to educate their chill
dren here. He gave notice that when
the committee shaped its school pro-
gram he would recommend that this
[esislatio be repealed.
Ii was disclosed by Representative
Blanton that he has been investigat-
ing charges of congested conditions
in schools in he third division. He
stated that he had inspected the John
son and Powell Schools. and in al
most every classroom found a greater
number of desks than were required
for the pupils enrolled.
Chairman Focht interrupted at this
point to say that it was important
the committee should know the board
Of education had adopted the rule that
no classrooms should contain more
than forty desks. He called attention
10 the figures given by Mr.. Blanon.
showing that in practically all of the
rooms in the Johnson and Powell
schools visited by the Texas member
here are more than forty desks. the
additional seats having been pro-
gided to accommodate a demand eX-
,eeding the normal number approved
,y the board Of education.
Chairman Focht stated that the two
most important matters before the
committee are the need Of additional
school facilities and a merger of the
street railway interests of the Dis
rict, and that he considered that the
committee should concentrate its ef-
orts to settle these questions to the
of the people Of the Dis
rict.
Merger Question.
He called upon Representative Zihl-
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