Evening star., 1925-02-11

Minnesota called attention that there
are three important biils-the school
building program, the rent bill and
the trafhc bill. He moved that pro-
ceedings on the next District day
in the House should start at IL O'Clock
and proceed as late as necessary. This
was amended, fixing the program as
traffic, school and rent. Representa-
tive Lampert Of Wisconsin sought to
get the order reversed, putting the
rent bill hrst.
Measure Net ControversiaI.
Representative Rathbone empha-
sized that the rent measure is contro-
versiAl, while the traffic bill 10 not,
and therefore the traff1c bill should
be taken up first. so as to get II out
Of the way. Representative Lampert
stated that in his judgment the
rent bill In more vital to the people
Of the District than anything else.
Representative Charles L. UnderhilI
OF Massachusetts said: IF you take
up the rent proposition you will take
Up nothing else unless you have
special rule. think that the lives
and limbs OF the people are more i'm
portant than the amount Of money
they may have to pay for rents
! IF the gentlemen behind the bill
are pressing for q special rule, 1 will
support them. The trafic measure is
not controversial and should not be
delayed" --.
One Day Left.
Chairman Reed emphasized there is
only one more District day, and called
attention to the recognized record made
at this session Of Congress for putting
through much meritorious legislation
for the District. He said that he had
been In conference with the steering and
| rules committees. and has impressed
| upon them that the District had really
only had four days on which to pa SIS
iesieiation for community larger than
| six or seven, states Of the Union. He
said that he found the House lea ders in
sympathy, and that he had further urged
upon them the fact that during the days
Of the war District days had been re-
! peatedly used for other business and
! that consequently District legislation
had accumulated.
| The House leaders pleaded with him
| he said. not to insist upon a rule for the
| rent bill. saying that they were ready
/ TO cooperate on a night session, and
added that the chairman OF the rules
committee said he would help in an
I effort to get an extra District day. The
House leader and members of the steer
ing COMMITTEES thought this. however,
would be an impossbility.
| That's the situation" said Chair
man Reed, If the committee can
| unite on program we can get some
measures through and may get an
| extension of time"
Wants Tramc First.
| Representative Edward M. Beers Of
Penn sylvania said that after listen
'ng carefully to the hearings and
I conferences he is convinced that
tramc legisiation should come first
and that the school bill should not
| be overlooked. as 1T is one OF the
| most important measures effecting
| the District.
Representative Blanton forciblv
called attention of the committee to
the fact that IL the President really
| wants the rent bill passed he can do
1t. IF the President wanted the rent
bill passed he could have done it YES
| terday under suspension of the rules -
| he said. He also argued that Senator
| Bali has prepared a program of six
| or seven bills to be pa ssed with the
rent bill last, showing that he has
scant hope OF it being passed
/ Representative Lampert's motion
to put the rent bill first on the pro-
4 ioi tHc next CAV was
defeated by, vote Of four to six.
Representative Blanton's motion set
ting the program trafic. schools and
rent was unanimously carried
VIII Ask Night seasion.
! A motion by Representative Lam
pert and amended by Representative
Blanton then instructed the chairman
to sue for special rule to bring up
| the rent bill at a night session. with
debate limited. This was carried.
Lieut.. Col. c. o. Sheriff., representing
the Rock Creek and Potomac Park
! way Commission, consisting of the
Secretary of the Treasury, War and
Agriculture, urged prompt action or
the bill TO extend and enlarge the
authority given to this Commission
for the purchase of land in Rock
| Creek Valley. He said that the COM
| mission Is now held up as a result
of conflicting opinions by the At
torney General and Controller Gen
| eral. Seventeen condemnation cases
have been submitted as result OF
| this work, on which the Government
| had been engaged for Is years, and
| a number Of these are now on the
| Supreme Court docket
The Controller General. in confer
snce with the Attorney General, has
! ruled that the commission cannot
! continue with these condemns tion
cases until provision is made for pay
/ ing the claims when the court has
| aiyen its decision. The Senate com
mittee is ready TO act. There are
| some % OF 80 persons~with these con-
! demnation proceedings hanging over
| them on cases where there has been
cloud on the land for l. or Is years
In the interests of clearing up the
work of the commission and saving
| large sums for the Government, Col
Sheriff. urged that this authority for
! purchase should be extended. He ex-
planned that this purchase closes the
work of the commission. and ex-
! planned that 100000 carried in the
| District appropriation bill for the Ma :
/ tional Parks Commission is for an
| other commission, and that Congress
! had intended that the Rock Creek and
| Potomac Parkway Commission should
| finish the present job. and it would
complicate procedure to have it taken
over by the National Capital Park
Commission.
May Come Up To-day.
| On motion OF Representative Bian-
| ton, seconded by Representative
| Rathbone, l. favorable report on thii
bill was ordered. When the question
arose regarding whether 1t would be
possible to get this measure passed
Representative Blanton said that the
Speaker, he believed, would recognise
Chairman Reed to take this bill up