The Washington times., 1923-01-31
CHAIRMAN
RESTS ON
HOUSE
RULE
Turns Down BIanton Motion
That Suffrage Measure
Be Reconsidered.

At meeting of the House Dis
trict Committee this morning,
Chairman Focht announced that
the District delegate bill would
not be reconsidered in this session
of Congress. The House rules. he
said, prevented such action.
BlantOn Calls for Vote.
The question arose when Con
gresham Blanton of Texas, re-
quested that the vote on the bin
when it was tabled last week be re-
considered.
Mr.. Blanton disagreed with The
decision of Chairman Focht, and
asked that his motion be considered
as pending. He will bring up an
amended delegate bill at the next
committee meeting, provided q
quorum is present. Blanton denied
that the bill would be excluded from
hearing because of its failure last
week, pointing out that the amend
ments which would be offered com.
pletely change the context Of the
measure.
Other Measures Reported.
At today's session the COMMITTEES
ordered a favorable report on the
bill to control optometry in the
District; on the measure to change
the name of Keokuk street to NIL.
itary road, and on the resolution.
recently passed by the Senate, TO
open the parks of the city to the
Shriners for camping purposes at
the June convention.
A special meeting of the com
mittee was called for Friday morn.
ing at request of Congressman
Fred N. Zihlman of Maryland to
consider the proposed tax on gaso-
line, draft of which was sent to
the committee by the District Com
misSioners.
Tag Reciprocity Is Plan.
Through passage of this bill, by
agreement with Maryland officials,
automobile license reciprocity would
be established. In offering the sug-
gestion for a special committee
meeting, Congressman Zihlman said
that this measure deserved imme-
date attention, it being one of the
most important legislative matters
now before the committee.
Following consideration Of the
gasoline tax bill, the measure intro
duced by Congressman Hammer of
North Carolina yesterday, authoriz-
ing street railway companies Of the
District to purchase the capital stock
and bonds of other street railways,
will be considered.
See Merger only Solution.
In connection with the introduce
ton of this question today, Con
gresSmen Hammer and Zihlman
both declared that a merger of the
Washington street railways was the
only solution to the problem now
presented to the people with regard
to high car fare.
JamesT 7. Lloyd, former member of
Congress from Missouri, a member
of the District Board of Education,
appeared before the committee to
urge passage of the teachers sal
airy and school reorganization bills,
recently favorably reported by the
Charles G. Lancaster, representing
the Columbia Heights Citizens Asso-
citation and the Brightwood Citizens
denounced amendments
to the original bill which provide
for higher salaries for teachers
above the graded schools.
Free Bill To Be Heard.
The committee at Fridays meet
ing will also give a hearing on the
Free bill, which provides for the
defining ofthe legal status of chill
dren under eighteen years of age
in the District, and for the creation
Of parental court.
DR.. j. Stanley Durkee, of Howard
University, appeared before the COM
mittee today to urge immediate &C
ton on the bill providing for the
sale of the property owned by the
National Association for the Care
Of Destitute Colored Women and
Children. DIR. Durkee" commended
hat the association no longer re-
luired the property in question.
and that it's removal to smaller
quarters as contemplated would in
no way affect the work carried on.
He said that Howard University
needed this property in order to
properly carry out It's plans for ex.
lanSion.
BlantOn Raises Objection.
The association home. he pointed
mt was located at Eighth and Eu-
lid streets northwest, and that the
must extend to the west
which Is in the direction of the
present site of the home for the
tged. It cannot, he said, spread in
my other direction.