Evening star., 1924-12-08
4 D. c. BILLS PASS
HOUSE; HOLIDAY
MEASURE TAKEN Up
Fourth Street Widening,
Architect Licensing, Aid
for Coroner Approved.
PARK SITES PURCHASE
HELD ALREADY PASSED
Move to Give Federal Workers
Day Of on Lincoln's Birth
day Debated.

The House took quick action on four
bills affecting the National Capital
today and then started consideration
of the legislative proposal to declare
Lincoln's birthday a legal holiday in
the District.
While there are several important
District measures awaiting action,
the effort today was to clear UP
number of minor measures on which
there would be no serious controversy
before attempting to pass such major
propositions as authorization for pur-
chase of certain tracts of land for
park purposes 1t was emphasized by
members of the committee that this
authorizing legislation is not really
needed at this time because this legis-
lation was introduced before the
establishment of the National Capital
Park Commission which already has
sufficient authority to purchase any
desirable tracts for park purposes as
soon as Congress appropriates suffi-
cient funds.
Four Measures Passed.
the House today were the widening OF
Fourth street northwest; changing
the name of Third place northeast TO
Abbey place; regulating the practice of
architecture and amending the code of
laws for the District so as to provide
for the appointment OF an additional
deputy coroner.
The bill providing for the widening
of Fourth street authorizes the Com
missioners of the District to institute
in the Supreme Court condemnation
fnr he Ia Iot
be necessary for the widening of the
street Immediately south of Cedar
street northwest to it's full width of
80 feet.
The bill also provides that there
| is appropriated out of the revenues
of the District an amount sufficient
to pay the necessary costs and ex-
penditures of the condemnation pro-
lceedfngs and for the aneyHtss award
ed as damages. The amounts ases-
sed as benifits when collected shalt be
repaid to the Districe of Columbia.
In the change of name of Third
place to Abbey place, the. bill pro-
vides that although the street has
not yet been cut through it is listed
as Third place and the change in
! name shall be placed in the records
of the surveyor of the District.
No Expense InyoIved.
The architect bill was recommended
by the Commissioners of the District
1t does not involve any expense TO
| the District and is protection which
| the architects of % States now enjoy
Representative Thomas L. Blanton,
Democrat, of Texas, callel attention
| to the House to the fact that the
| deputy coroner bill was not on the
/ program which the committee had
announced 1t would call up for action
| today When Acting Chairman Zfhl-
man assured him that this was the
only unlisted piece of legislation
! that he proposed to bring before the
House, Mr.. Blanton withdrew his OBJ
| lection. While the bill was under
consideration, however. he made a
speech regarding traffic conditions
and said that if traffic were properly
| regulated in the National Capital the
/ services of. an additional deputy cor
| oner would not be needed
/ When the Lincoln birthday bill was
called up Representative Tincher, Re-
publican. of Kansas asked if there was
anything else in the proposed legisIa :
ton than to grant an additional holi-
day to Government employees
| Acting Chairman Zihlman pointed
out to the House that this legislation
has the support of all the big patriotic
| organizations and that it has been in
dorsed by the White House in response
to their pleas. He said the effect of
the passage of this bill would be the
observance of Lincoln's birthday SIS a
legal holiday in the District of Coium-
bia in the same manner as is now pro-
vided for the observance of Washing
toms birthday
Measure Oace Passed.
A similar bill unanimously reported
from the committee on judiciary dur
| ing the Sixty-sixth Congress passed
the House by large majority nearly
five years ago, but was not reported
! to the Senate from the committee
| the House District committee reported
/ favorably similar bill, but that did
not pass the House.
| A bill to make Lincoln's birthday a
! legal holiday in the District has been
unanimously indorsed by the Depart
ment of the Potomac. G. A. r., on
| several occasions. Resolutions were
adopted at the fifty-seyenth national
encampment of the Grand Army of
the Republic at Milwaukee, last year.
supporting this legislation A large
number of governors of Southern States
have indorsed similar measure.
The Legislatures of % States have
passed laws making LincolnSs birth
day a legal holiday and the popula-
| ton of these States Is a majority of
| the population of the United States.
Representative Zihlman told the
House.
Bisnfon Opposed.
Representative Blanton In oppos-
ing the legislation said that there
are 10000 Federal employees in the
District of Columbia, and aside from
giving them another holiday, passage
of the bill would require extra em-
ployes to do the work that would
| otherwise be lost through this day
| being holiday.
Cramton Flights BuI.
Representative Louis c. Cranton
| of Michigan, Republican, Joined with
Representative Blanton In opposing
| the measure. He said that If the
purpose really was to honor Lincoln
there would be no division, but the
| main purpose of the bin would DE tc
give 10000 Government employees In
the District another holiday, which
! would cost the Government $3.50. 900
Representative Kva1e OF Minnesots
!. spoke earnestly in favor of the bill
1 and thought such legislation would
make q strong impression on new
citizens absorbed from other couu.