Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-04
Referred to Committees,
Where Full Hearings Will
Be Granted Citizens.
PROPOSAL ALSO MADE
FOR BATHING BEACHES
Zihlmar Offers Five Other Meas.
ures, Increasing Park Police and
for Widening Streets.

I'Sl!t4tdi DllIS TO NlICn 1ne power o.
/ the District Commissioners were in
reduced in the Senate and House to-
day by Senator Capper and Represent.
alive Iihlman. respective chairmen OF
The District committees Of the two
I bodies.
The bills were offered in the form
in which the city heads prepared them.
/ The Commissioners bill was one OF
/ six for the District introduced by
! Chairman Zihlman.
/ Capper Makes Reservation.
Although favoring the general pur-
/ pose of the bill to increase the power
Of the Commissioners, Senator Capper
today declared his opposition TO the
! section which would ira nsfer appoint
ment of the Board of Education by
the justices of the District Supreme
Court 10 the Commissioners.
While l am of the opinion that the
general purpose of the bill is good, and
! will inure to the benefit of the half
million residents of the District,
! Senator Capper said, the fact that
{ I have introduced it in the Senate
! does not mean that I favor each and
every provision. In the main. think
! il embodies a decided advance toward
better government for Washington,
: but undoubtedly some provisions are
! open to question as to their advisa-
, bility.
! For instance, ! have serious doubts
I that appointment of the Board OF
; Educa ton by the Commissioners VIII
either be acceptable to the people OF
! the District or in line with the gen.
orally accepted principles of the abso-
lutte enforcement OF the public schools
! OF America and the business and po-
: itical affairs of our cities.
Prior to 1906 the Commissioners
lid appoint the Board of Education,
! and so unsatisfactory was the result
/ of this system that in the year men
| toned the power of appointment was
{; lodged in the District Supreme Court.
I do not think that people of the Dis
Z; trict would look with favor upon
/ return at this time to q system of
| governing the schools that proved
! failure in the past The problems of
! education are so disSimilar from any
| others involved in our system OF gov
ernment that we should keep them en-
: tirely separate, in my opinion.
! Center Control in People.
, 1 favor, HIS eau u tllIS pl d
| carefully worked out plan whereby the
people of the District will have more
| direct control of the public schools.
which were for so many years sadly
neglected"
! In discussing the bill as a whole,
Senator Capper said he introduced it
! because he thought that three men
living in Washington practically all
/! the time and devoting the greater
part of their time to the welfare oil
the city are in a better position TO
handle matters of purely local con-
Germ than are the 531 members Of Con
gress.
There is probably not a single
member of Congress who has not the
greatest pride in the Nations Cal
! ital." Senator Capper continued, and
who is not wholeheartedly in favor
of every measure that viii increase
its desirability as a place to live and
as the center and crowning achieve
ment of the art. beauty, culture and
intelligence of America. But we all
have the interest and problems of
our own districts and our own States
to consider, as we'll as the broader
and graver problems affecting the
country as a whole. Too often in
times past Washington has been treat
ed as a stepchild merely because the
NdllOH . ld"IlldkeIS nave HOl IldAl
time to give proper consideration TO
its growth and development"
Hearings Promised on Bill.
The chairman of the District com.
mittee indorsed the sections of the bill
which would give the Commissioners
power to regulate license fees and the
conduct of various trades, and au-
thority to make the necessary rules
in times of large gatherings in Wash
ington. such as the Inauguration. The
Senator said that the District commit
tee would give local organizations and
individuals full opportunity to present
their views on the bill before it is
finally passed on by the committee.
The measures introduced by Mr..
Zihlman recommended:
Establishment Of two artificial bath
ing beaches with suitable buildings
subject to the approval of the Com
mission of Fine Arts and the National
Capital Park Commission, to be locat,
ed on lands already acquired. or to be
acquired. for park or playground pur-
Iposes. The building of the two bathing
beaches and necessary structures
would come within the proposed ap-
preparation of not more than $345.00D.
Widening of First street. between
G and Myrtle streets northeast.
Authorizing the opening of a street
! from Georgia avenue to Ninth street
northwest, on squares .2s75 and 2s77.
to relieve traffic congestion in the
vicinity of the base ball park.
More Park Police.
Providing for an increase in the
force Of the United States Park Police
so as to allow each man one day
off in seven and providing for disabii-
ity pay when injured in direct line
of duty.
Creating a commission to prepare a
design for a distinctive flag for the
! District of Columbia.
All these measures were referred to
! the House District committee. Prompt
, action is expected, particularly upon
the measure to enlarge the powers
of the Commissioners, because this
legislation would relieve the House
| and Senate District committees from
| consideration of many minor measures
| and allow them to concentrate their
attentions upon the major legislative
propositions. and would also expedite
! passage OF District legislation through
both houses of Congress.