Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-20
0. KS
3 DISTRICT BILLS
18th Street Extension, Insur-
anCe Code and G. A. r.
Measures Given Approval.

OF 14th street through the Walter
Reed Hospital grounds, another to
establish new insurance code for
the District and the third to incor-
porate the Grand Army of the District
were ordered favorabIy reported by
the House District committee today.
Representative Fred n. Zihlman of
Maryland, acting chairman Of the
District committee, who has for sew
eral years been fathering the proposal
to give a new entrance to the Ma
tional Capital through 18th street
which would open up attractive sub
urban territory to relieve housing
congestion, will write the report on
this measure. He told the committee
that it has the approval of the Sec
rotary of War, the highway commits
sion. the District Commissioners and
all interested agencies.
Provisions of Bill.
This bill provides for vacating GER
tain streets and alleys within the
area known as the Walter Reed Cen
eral Hospital and authorizes the ex-
tension and widening of 18th street
from Montague street to the southern
terminus south of Dahlia street, Mich
olson street from 18th street to 10th
tague street to 18th street, Concord
avenue from 18th street to- the west
ern terminus west Of 9Th street west.
18th street from Nicholson street and
Piney Branch road and Piney Branch
n
This proposed legislation was ia
Vorably reported three weeks ago
by the Senate District committee. 1t
passed the Senate in the Sixty-ssv-
enth Congress.
Representative Zihlman will in
clude in his report letters from the
District Commissioners and from the
Secretary of War emphasizing the
deslrability of the passage of this
bill.
New InsuFaAce Code.
The bill to establish new in
surance code for the District will be
reported to the House with the
favorable report written by Repre-
sentative lost of Missouri and the
minority report by Representa- tive
Thomas L. Blanton of Texas
Representative Charles Cnderhill
Of Massachusetts. chairman of a
subcommittee which conducted hear
ings on the bill, urged by the in
surance commissioner Of the District
committee had adopted the rating
laws now enforced in New York in
this code. 1t safeguards the inter
ests of the public in every epossible
alties. he said. 1T is bill to which
no objection can be made" said Rep
resentative Underhiil. and paid a
tribute to the hard work done by
the subcommittee in preparing it for
submission to the House
The other members Of the subcom-
mittee are: Representatives Jost.
Missouri: Rathbone, Illinois, and
Mcleod, Michigan.
There is no question but that the
District insurance laws are anti
quated and inadequate, Mr.. Under
hill said. Representative Blanton
questioned whether changes were
needed and in what respect they were
insufficient. Representative Under
hill replied that there was no rating
law and that any one can now come
into the District and do business. The
bill would establish a commission to
take charge of enforcement.
Opposes Salary Increase.
Representative Blanton brought out
the fact that the insurance commits
sioners' salary would be increased
from So, 500 to $500 and said the
farmers of the nation have protested
to Congress against granting salary
increases
Representative Blanton intimated
that the committee had not had time to
go into the bill carefully and thought
that the full committee ought TO con-
slider the measure. Representative
Underhill resented the suggestion and
declared that if the full District COM
mittee does not have confidence in the
subcommittee he would refuse to
serve on any more subcommittee and
would demand in the future that all
bills be considered by the full commit
tee.
This bill is of such great impor-
lance to the people of the District that
it should be favorably reported and
urged for action at the earliest poSSi-
BILE date" Representative Underhill
said.
The bill to incorporate the Grand
Army in the District was ordered ia
vorably reported after Representative
Jost. to whom it had been referred as
a committee of one to study legal
aspects of the proposal. had recon-
mended slight amendment to meet
any possible objection. Mr.. Jost was
instructed to draft the report on the
bill.