Evening star., 1925-02-17
SCHOOL BUILDING
PROGRAM PASSED
Move Pressed to Get Action
In Senate on Other ESSEN
tial District Measures.

program bill safely passed at ses
sion OF the Senate last night Chair
man Ball of the Senate District COM
mittee and others interested In the
District will seek action on the pub
lie welfare bill, the traffic regula-
ton, the street railway merger bill
and the rent bill.
Whether or not 1t will be possible
to obtain another night session OF
the Senate set aside strictly for Dis-
trict business Is problematicaL But
1t Is hoped that time Will be given at
some of the evening sessions, ana
perhaps during the day. for eonsid-
Grafton of these important measures.
School Bill Unchanged.
The bill setting up nve-year
school building program. which is es-
timated to cost s19.o00.eo0, was put
through without change, except for
the amendments recommended by the
Senate District committee. The meas
ure now goes to the House. A similar
bill, which has been reported to the
House from the District committee
is one of those slated to come up IN
the House next Monday, District day.
in that body. Sentiment In favor or
District Is so strong as to give mucn
hope that this bill will become law
before the close OF the session.
Debate on Traffic Bill.
The traffic regulation bill occupied
z hours and As minutes OF the hours
allotted to the consideration OF Dis
trtct business at the Senate session
last night. AS on Friday night. the
bill met with strong opposition on
the part of Senators who hold that II
is entirely too drastic A NUMBER
of important amendments were adopt
ed and others were still pending when
the measure was laid aside In order
to give opportunity for the consider
alton of less controversial bills
Senator Curtis of Kansas. Republican
leader, declaring that 1t was apparent
that the traffic bill could not pass
last night, asked that II be laid aside
to go ahead with the school bill and
others. This action was taken at
the suggestion of Senator Ball.
The Senate then proceeded without
debate to put through a bill author
izing the closing of Thirty fourth
place northwest north of Garfield
street. The land embraced therein
reverts to the Protestant Episcopal
Cathedral Foundation of the District.
the owners of the abutting property.
The measure now goes to the House.
Debate Is Avoided.
An effort was made next to con-
slider the public welfare bill. which
already has been passed by the
House. Senator King of Utah, how
ever, declared that the bill would
lead to considerable debate. and 1t
was not pressed.
The school bill was then taken up,
seemingly with the approval Of all
the Senators present. and was put
through as rapidly as the clerk could
read the committee amendments.
The bill gives authorization for q
program of schoolhouse construc-
tton which. If carried out. will pro-
vide in the District of Columbia "a
sufficient number of school buildings
to mako 1t possible to abandon all
portables; to eliminate the use Of
rented buildings: to abandon the
use of undesirable rooms; to reduce
elementary school classes to a stand
ard of not more than 10 pupils per
class; to provide a five-hour day Of
instruction for elementary school
pupils, thereby eliminating part
time classes; to abandon all school
buildings recommended for immedi-
ate or early abandonment in 1908; to
abandon other school buildings which
have become unfit for further use
since 1908; to provide full day of
instruction for high sch pupils,
thereby eliminating the double shift
program in the high schools; to pro-
vide for the annual increase in en-
rollment of pupils during said five
year period: and, in general. to pro-
vide In the District Of Columbia
program of schoolhouse construction
which shall exemplify the best in
schoolhouse planning, schoolhouse con-
struction and educational accommoda-
tions."
Several Changes Made.
Although consideration of all the
provisions of the traffic bill was not
completed, the Senate only reaching
as far in the measure as the clause
relating to leaving the scene OF an ac-
cident without making identity known,
several important amendments were
adopted.
These amendments were: Raising Of
the speed limit to 80 miles an hour;
giving the right to appeal to the Su-
preme Court of the District from rev.
ocation Of permit, reducing the PEN
atty the traffic director may inflict
from a year to 10 days In Jail;
reducing the authority of the traffic
director in revocation Of permits and
changing the director Of traffic from
a separate official to an official under
the chief of police.
In increasing the speed limit from
25 to 80 miles an hour the Senate
also agreed to eliminate from the
bill a definition of reckless driving.
The increase in the limit is designed
to give the director OF traffic and the
Commissioners more leeway in the
making of speed and parking regu-
lot hon hay
If the limit had been set arbitrarily
at rs miles per hour.
Redress for Motortst.
The amendment relating to the
right of appeal to the court from q
decision of the director of traffic In
Spremit revocation was one OF SenA-
tor McKeliar's many amendments. He
told the Senate that he did not thiak
it wise to give such wide powers to
the director and that some form Of
redress should be provided for the
motorist.
The new clause reads:
The right to appeal to the Supreme
Court Of the District Of Columbia is
hereby given to any operator depr1v-
ed of his license hereinunder. and the
Supreme Court of the District Of Co.
lumbia shall have Jurisdiction to hear
and determine such appeals"
The powers of the new director were
curtailed by many changes made in
the original bill. AS the measure now
stands he will be stripped of much OF
his authority.
In the committee traffic bill he could
infiict punishment up to one year In
jail, deprive q motorist Of his permit
for cause. and would be q separate
and distinct official on an equal foot
ing with the COMMISSIONER.
Under Police Chief.