The Washington times., 1924-05-26
BILLS
ACTION IS
SOUGHT
Congress to Adjourn This SEES.
sion With Host of Local
Measures Untouched


Today, according to plans of
House leaders, will be the last
District day in the House during
the present session of Congress.
June 2 has been set as tenta-
tive date for adjournment.
While a number of very i'm
portant District bills have been
passed during the present session,
there are a host of others, many
Of them of vital Importance which
are left untouched.
Tax Bill to Be Called.
The District will not be allowed
its full time today, on this last
District day. Floor Leader Nicholas
Longworth, owing to the pressure
Of national business, which threat.
ems to postpone the date for ad-
journment, felt compelled to call
up the conference report on the
tax bill this afternoon. In order
that the District might have as
much Of the day as possible, how.
ever, he secured the consent Of the
House Saturday for the House to
convene an hour earlier than usual
today.
The most important bills, from a
District standpoint, to be presented
to the House are the Gibson park
bills, to be presented as one, and
diseases. The park bill would
create a National Capital Park
Commission and would provide
approximately $1,OOO,O00 a year for
the extension and improvement of
the park and playground system
In and around the District.
Congress has already passed bills
Tor which residents of the District
have been pleading for many years.
The gasoline tax bill, providing for
automobile reciprocity between the
District and Maryland, long sore
point with motorists on both sides
Of the line, is now law.
Police Pay Bill Passed.
Congress has passed a bill grant
ing marked increases in pay to all
officers and men on the District
police and fire departments and the
members of the park police force.
The bill also grants one day off IN
seven and necessitates an augment
ed force in both departments to
take care of this feature. THIS in
creased force will be Of material aid
In time of emergency. The meas
ure is expected to give the District
police and fire fighting force
without superior in the nation.
The bill now requires only the sig
nature of President Coolidge TO be-
come law.
The Senate and House have pass
ed a bill providing increased pay
for District school teachers and
members Of the Board of Education.
The measure is now awaiting an
adjustment of differences betwe an
the two bodies on the bill. Tho
principle issue Is over the salary CT
the superintendent of schools. The
House set his salary at $500. The
Senate increased it to $4,000. Pro
ponents Of the bill will attempt to
have the House agree to the Sen.
ate change without sending the
measure to conference, where Il
might be tied up until the last mo.
1nent pressure of business forced
its failure. This bill, the goa' Of a
fight lasting for years, is expect
ed to give the National Capital a
teaching force second to none in tie
country.
Rent Act Extended.
Extension of the District rent act
has been provided for one year.
Congress is expected within the
next few days to pass the District
appropriation bill carrying a pro-
vision which will make the 81 900, 90
a year revenues from the gasoline
tax bill Immediately available for
street repair and extension. The
bill provides that the first years
revenues from this source shall be
expended to improve the arterial
highways OF the city and Is granted
In addition to the regular street
funds carried in the bill.
A large number of minor bills,
covering erection Of monuments and
memorials, changes Of street names
and other routine needs of the Dis
trict and groups Of It's citizens have
been enacted into law. The Senate
and House each have passed ap.
proximately thirty Of these minor
bills. The most important OF them
Is the so-called Fourteenth street
extension bill. The Senate passed
bill authorizing the extension of
Fourteenth street through the Wal.
ter Reed Hospital grounds SO as to
give a traffic artery to the rapidly
growing residential section north OF
the hospital. The House amended
the bill to provide that the street
shall be carried around the limits
o. the hospital grounds. The bin 4
Continued on Page 20l