Evening star., 1923-01-01
DISTRICT In CONGRESS

was iuIHeu out by congress during
the year just closed. That which
touched residents of the capital more
widely than any other measure was
the new, permanent fiscal relations
policy for the District and the fed
eral government set up by the ap-
preparation bill for the fiscal year
1923.
The law extending the life of the
District Rent Commission for two
years and the law compelling the re-
hoNal OF snow and ice from the side
walks by the occupants of houses
auJdcent were other outstanding
measures enacted during the year.
IN the District appropriation act
the 6O-40 plan of appropriating for
the District, by which the federal
soVernment pays 40 per cent of the
expenses OF the capital and the people
which had been in effect for several
Ntars-was made permanent, taking
the place of the old 5000 statute
enacted in 1878.
Full Value AssexSments
me District appropriation act also
provided that assessments for the
purpose or taxation should be made
a. iuIl NaIue. and for semi-annual
payment of taxes on real property,
one-half on November and the
othef on May !. instead of an annual
payment. This change in the law was
Lldqe SO as To put the District on a
caSh-payIng basis and to obViate the
necessity of having the federal gov
erhfhent advance sums of money for
the District which were paid back
Mhen the taxes were collected The
District Commissioners were in
structed to levy sufficient taxes dur
ing the next five years to roll up a
surplus and thus make the cash-pay-
ing plan completely effective.
AT the same time provision was
made for an investigation to ascer-
tam Just how much surplus revenues
the District had to its credit in the
treasury at present. 1t has been
claimed that this surplus now
amounts To about $5.000.0O0 \ Joint
congreSSlonal committee was ap-
pointed. with Senator Phipps at its
mead. Fhis committee is now en-
gagged i'll this work of investigation
ana, under the law. must report to
both houses of Congress on or be-
tonS the hrst Monday in February.
The District appropriation bill car
RED important items for increasing
the water supply OF the capital and
Tor school and street improvements.
Rent Act Extended.
ON the ground that the housing sit
uatlon in the District still was acute
n
troduced by Senator Ball, chairman
Of the District committee extending
the lie of the Ball rent act until Nav
q 1924. The same bill provided for
increasing the membership of the
rent commission to five Although
this act has been in effect for seven
months, the President has not vet ap-
pointed the new commission and the
old commissioners are continuing in
office
The bill to compel residents of the
illStrlct to clean snow and ice from
the sidewalks adjacent to their homes
and places of business was put
through following the Knick erbocker
Thcater disaster. There had been a
movement on foot for MANY wears TO
put through Law which would
stand the test of the courts and force
the people to clean the snow from
the sidewalks, and it is believed that
the new law has been framed so il
Will hold If attacked in the courts.
The so-called bad check law was
another put on the statute books dur
ing the year. It regulates the issue
Of checks. drafts and orders for the
payment of money and provides pen
altieS for the making of such orders
when the drawer knows that there
are not funds in bank to meet the
orders
Under another act banks in the
District are prevented from estab-
il9illIi5 bIduCHeS III tne District With
! out first obtaining the consent of the
controller of the currency.
New Police Created.
At the urgent request of the Dis
trict Commissioners. Congress put
through a law postponing until June
/. 1923, the day on which alley dwell
ers in the District must move from
the alleys. 1t is expected. however.
that either a further extension will
have to be granted or that some steps
will have to be taken by Congress to
help house these people. some $4,000
in number, before June next.
A White House police force was
created by Congress, separate and
distinct from the metropolitan police
force. which in reality adds to the
strength of the police force, since
prior to this move the White House
was policed by the regular city police.
The laws regulating marine insur-
ance business in the District were re-
vised new law being put through,
designed to be model for the states.
Congress passed a law providing for
the restoration to it's former site of the
statue of Abraham Lincoln. a gift of
the citizens. which for years stood in
front of the District Supreme Court
building.
A number of important bills were
passed through either the Senate or
House without receiving action by
the other body necessary, with the
| Presidential approval, to make them
laws Some of these, it is hoped, will
be finally enacted before the close
of the present Congress. March 4 next.
! Among these are the Senate bills for
| increased pay for public school
| teachers of the District, the Capper
| bill for a school census and more
stringent compulsory education law,
\ and the Ball bill authorizing the
merger of the street railway com
panies of the District and the Po-
| tomac Electric Power Company.
school Needs PrObed.
/ Several hearings and investiga-
tions OF important matters in the
| District were conducted by congress
| sional committees. A joint committee
| of the Senate and House, headed by
| Senator Capper of Kansas, investi-
gated the school needs, and COM
prehensive report will be made by
| this committee within the next few
| weeks, it is said.
The Senate committee held hear
| ings on the Jones resolution for a
! constitutional amendment looking to
| national representation for the peo-
=! pie Of the District and reported ii
! favorably to the Senate, and it is
| now on the Senate calendar. The
| resolution proposes that the people
| here shall be entitled to elect SEN
| ators and representatives to Con-
! gress and to vote for presidential and
vice presidential electors
| The same committee reported ia
| Vorably also the Poindexter bill pro-
viding for the election by the people
here of a voteless delegate to the