Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-29
D. c. LEGISLATION
TO Be CONSIDERED
Commissioners to Draw Up
Program for Coming Ses-
sion in Few Weeks.

trict at the coming session of Con.
gress will be considered by the Com
missioners within a few weeks, now
that the estimates for next year are
practically complete and ready to go
to the budget bureau September 1.
Engineer Commissioner Bell said
yesterday that he probably would ask
the Citizens Advisory Council early
in October to go over the legislation
that failed at the last session as we'll
as any new matters that may come
to their attention.
The city heads have. in mind several
important measures that were left
pending when the gavel fell for ad
journment in July. but they pointed
out yesterday that additional legis.
lative proposals may grow out of the
survey of District affairs expected to
be made by subcommittee of the
House District committee before Con
greSS meets.
May Await Survey.
The Commissioners feel. therefore
that the Districts legislative program
for the next session will not be final
or complete until after the proposed
congressional surveys, Il they are
made as contemplated. The House
District committee created a special
subcommittee just before adjournment
to make the study Of District needs
but, so far as local officials have learn
ed. the subcommittee has not yet
made definite plans for beginning its
work Several Of the members have
been cut of the city.
Tho Sonofo I1isfriCt CnY1r11itfaa did
not create a similar subcommittee. but
1t was understood when the session
closed that Senator King of Utah
would meet Chairman Capper in
Washington in September or October
to discuss the advisability Of having
a Senate subcommittee also make a
study OF District affairs before De
cember.
Aside from any suggestions for new
legislation that may grow out Of the
work of these committees. the Com
missioners have at least three inn
portant bills coming over from the last
session to form the nucleus OF a new
legislative program, namely:
Abolition of railroad grade cross
ings, modification of the Borland law.
which assesses half the cost of street
paving against abutting property
owners, and the long-pending question
of extending Fourteenth street through
the Walter Reed grounds.
Railway Merger Studied.
In addition to these matters, the
Public Utilities Commission is now en-
gagged in Ievamping former plans de-
signed to bring about merger Of the
street railway lines, and this is likely
to receive a place on the legislative
program.
The Commission on Public Welfare
Legislation, which comes under Com
missioner Rudolph. has been in re-
cess during the Summer, but Is eX.
pected to convene late in September
or early In October and may be ready
to recommend a new Juvenile Court
law before December.
In the jurisdiction of Commissioner
Dougherty, Supt. Of Police Hesse is
expected to recommend that a sti'in-
gent measure to regulate the sale and
possession OF dangerous weapons be
placed on the legislative program for
the next session
Engineer Commissioner Bell de-
clared yesterday that the proposed
study of the District government by
House subcommittee will serve to
emphasize, in his opinion. the desir-
ability of giving the Commissioners
the power to pass on some OF the
more or less minor problems that now
require the time and attention of Con-
greSS.
Changing the name Of a street. for
example, is n matter that requires
congressional approval committee
of District officials several years ago
listed a score OF other routine munich
pal functions that might be left TO
= Of 10 = afnnQrS
At that time, however, they also in
cluded in the list Of proposed new
powers the question of allowing the
Commissioners to appoint the Board
of Education and the judges of the
lower courts, and this feature Of the
report provoked considerable debate
among the civic organizations. Since
then the question of extending the
powers of the Commissioners has been
discussed from time to time, but has
not been framed into bill.
Col. Bell Enthusiastic.
Col. Bell is enthusiastic over the
outlook for the future growth and inn
provement of Washington. with the
newly created National Capital Park
and Planning Commission to make
careful studies and recommendations
on the various problems entering into
future development and with the Citi-
zens' Advisory Council 10 give unof-
fetal cooperation from the citizens
associations.
Since the coming session will he a
short one, ending in March, the Com
missioners do not look for as much
important local legislation as they Oh
tanned at the last session. and in
shaping a program they probably will
endeavor to confine * to the more
important issues.
With regard to the Borland law, the
bill which the Commissioners had
pending on the Senate calendar when
Congress adjourned, would merely re-
lieve property owners Of the so per
cent assessment for replacement of
a street after they have paid for the
original street. The Citizens Ad-
visory Council. however. took stand
in favor Of outright repeal of the law.
A study Of the question made since
Congress adjourned has revealed that
the bill pending in the Senate would
offer relief to hut small part of the
population. and then only after a
number Of years. In other words. it
would abolish the assessment only
for the replacement of a street where
the original street bore an assess
ment 1t has been learned that the
placing of an asphalt topping on an
existing concrete street would not be
regarded as a replacement. but as the
completion of the original street, ana
under the pending bill the surfacinng
of concrete streets with asphalt would
he subject to another assessment
even If the pending bill passes, &C
coriing to District officials.
AVIATOR WAKES PEASANT