Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-20
HOPES TO INCREASE
D. c. HEADS POWER
Capper, Committee Leader,
to Offer BiII-LiSts Other
Things Needed.

Broader powers for the District
Commissioners, election OF the Board
! of Education creation of board OF
| public welfare and the granting of
increased authority to the director
of traffic were listed last night by
Senator Arthur Capper, chairman of
the Senate District committee. as fore
most pieces Of District legislation
awaiting action by this Congress.
The District committee also has be-
| fore it for consideration the resolu-
| ton of Senator Jones of Washing
| ton providing for an amendment to
| the Constitution under which Congress
would be empowered to grant the peo-
| pie of the District representation in
both houses of Congress and the right
| to vote for President.
Although bill has not yet been In
| troduced to confer increased powers
| on the Commissioners, Senator Cap
per said he regarded that question as
| one which should be given early con-
| Sideration by the Senate
| With this end in view, the chair
man of the committee advised Com
| missioner Rudolph yesterday that he
would be glad to introduce the meas
ure as soon as it is in shape. The
| Senator told Mr. Rudolph in a letter
members of the Senate that many
| minor matters which now call for
| action by Congress should be handled
| by the city authorities.
At the first meeting of the COM
| mittee "A few days ago Senator VII
| liam II. King, ranking minority mem
! Der, also urged the Commissioners to
| send forward bill enlarging their
powers.
Election of School Board.
The proposal to have the people
| elect the school board is a House bill,
| but Senator Capper said last night
| that he plans to introduce a similar
| measure in the Senate. He indicated
| he regards this as an important bill.
| The Senator stated his bin might
differ somewhat from the Gasque bill
| in the House, but would embody the
! same principle He Was not ready to
| disclose the details of his measure.
| Next to the powers of the Com
/ miSsioners and the proposed board OF
| education bill. Senator Capper men
toned the welfare bill and the re
vision IF the traffic law as measures
which he believes should be given
! prompt attention.
! The committee already has set the
wheels in motion on the Wadsworth
! bill to provide financial aid for depend
| ent children in the District the need
! for which was touched upon by Pres
/ ident Coolidge in his message to Con
| greSs. Senator Copeland is in charge
| of this proposal and is arranging TO
| hold a joint hearing with House
subcommittee early in January.
! Although the session is but two
weeks old, score of District meas
! ureS already have been introduced
| and il is known that the Commits
sioners have several more important
! bills in course of preparation.
Welfare Measure.
| The public welfare bill came very
| close to passage at the last session.
| and favorable action on it by this
! Congress is looked for. The bill would
| consolidate in the new board of pub
| lie welfare the functions now dis
| tributed among several independent
! boards. and is designed to bring about
| a more Co-ordinated, expeditions han
ding of welfare work.
The traffic bill would give Direc-
| tor Eldridge ample power 10 suspend
and revoke operators permits, with
| prOyiSO that the operator could ap-
peal to the District Court of Appeals
| 1t would enable him TO direct the
: activities Of policemen assigned to
| traffic Enforcement and would insure
|
| GERS and % footmen to ira fic work 1t
also would make street cars subject to
| the traffic regulations and would au-
| thorize installation Of the automatic
| traffic signal system on all OF the
main arteries of travel
| Another bill which is expected to be
| expedited is the one which would pro-
vide for completion of the connecting
| link between Rock Creek and Potomac
! Parks. The measure would authorize
, the final 5000 900 needed to complete
purchase Of the land to join the two
| big parkways.
: City Plan Proposal
! Another movement under way at
| this session is one to set up an agency
| to develop a comprehensive city plan
[ TO guide the growth of the Capital.
| One proposal is to broaden the scope
| of the National Capital Park Com
| mission to cover city planning An
alternate proposal by Senator King
would create a separate temporary
| commission to draft city plan which