The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-03-24

| HITS BLUE LAW
The Washington Board Of Trade
declared against Sunday closing
Legislation, wider powers for the
/ Women's Bureau, an increased
water rate and the abolition OF
capital punishment In the District,
lat meeting attended by more than
700 members, in the New Willard
Hotel, last night.
The Commissioners were flayed
| by Asa e Phillips, consulting engi-
ner, former sanitary engineer for
the District, for sponsoring q higher
water rent in the pending District
appropriation bill.
He charged that the water con-
sumers Of Washington now pay
more than $1,000. 900 a year Tor
what costs half q million to pro-
duce, and bear the cost OF pro-
ducing and delivering free water to-
the United States and to the Dis
trict government"
Doubled In Twelve Years
The consumers water bin has
#OCCAA HOOu0Acu III tWGANG IGdIGS Alt
stated, and although neither She
Federal nor the District govern
ments pay anything for the water
they use, the net profit is over
$500, 900.
.aThis profit on the sale OF water,
large as 1t Is, II not large enough
i to pay the cost OF ali rhe new
water mains it il desired TO lay IN
the far corners OF the District: 80
they want $1,000,000 excess reye-
nue.. And the fact Is, that the
water rates should not pay for new
water mains, directly, at all.
i Odeli S. Smith. chairman Of the
public order COMMITTEES, had the
lliveIiest subjects IN hand. He first
outlined the proposed bill to In
crease the power Of Inc Women's
bureau
''Do you want the Women's Blu
reau abolished?" asked President
J.. Harry Cunningham, when Mr..
Smith had concluded. Lets make
this a rising vote"
Vote Almost Unanimous
j All but four of the membership
arose and, seeing their strength,
the opposition applauded.
I Mr.. Smith entrusted to Joseph
Al. Burkart, head OF the blue law
subcommittee OF the public order
group, the task Of explaining the
lprovisions OF the Edwards and
Lankford bills.
/ ''Your committee In this and all
similar matters he said, "are OPP
posed to the passage by Congress.
or any other legislative body, OF
lsumptuary laws, which by any
process Of Interpretation or en-
forcement can be used to invade
the rights OF citizens In matters
in which opinions may materially
differ; and the individual conscience
should be the guide.
He defended the right of man
to spend Sunday or any other day
as he pleased, provided his labor or
recreation was in accord with estab-
Iished law.
| The vote OF the board against the
Sunday laws was the same as thai
Iagainst the Women's Bureau bill.
/ Mr.. Smith explained that his COM
mittee did not favor the pending
McGregor or Pepper bills to legalize
Iprize fights in Washington, but
offered a substitute measure to
place such boxing under control OF
the Commissioners. He said:
| Want Local Boxing
THE reason for our action Is
this: We do not want national o.
international prize fights, but see
no reason why soldiers from Army
nosts in and near Washington
should not stage scientific boxing
contests in this hall or any other.
hall, and charge a reasonable admts-
He pointed out that the pending
bills would necessitate a change In
the United States criminal code.
so that the local measure would
affect Alaska and the Philippines
as well.
| Only a score of members voted
favorably on the bill to abolish
| capital punishment in the District.
John w. Fenton. representing the
committee on industrial interests,
read a report condemnipg the
Treadway bill to regulate local coal
dealers. The board approved the
| report, and disposed of various
minor matters brought up by A.
NJ. Hood, reporting for the law
committee.
Col. John Scott spoke in behalf
of citiZeAs' military training camps.
Representative Fl. Walton Moore,
spoke briefly on the impending cam
paign to purchase land for the
| 1NdIIOIAdl Ok hs SAAebA ASB
d. Moore sang.
Representative Carroll L. Beedy
of Maine, who was to have made
1.-THE principal address on the World
Court, asked permission to withdraw
from the program because Of the
time taken up by local legislative
affairs, and was told by President
Z Cunningham that he would he well
q come to address the board At the
April meeting,