Evening star., 1926-11-19
CAPPER APPROVES
/ DISTRICT PROGRAM
Plan to Concentrate on Four
Major Problems Favored.
Would Change BorIand Law.

The plan Of the District Commits
sioners to concentrate OF four ma jor
pieces of local legislation at the shor.
session OF Congress won the approval
Of Senator Arthur Capper Of Kansas
chairman Of the Senate District com.
mittee. who reached the city from the
West late yesterday afternoon.
The four problems the city fathers
have decided to push are: The OBJ
tanning OF an equita BILE adjustment OF
the fiscal policy between the United
States and District governments
street railway merger, elimination
IF remaining railroad grade crossings
and modification or repeal OF the Bor-
land street paving assessment law.
All Are OF Importance.
"All Of those questions are extreme.
~ important and deserving of thor.
oueh considerati ton" said Senator Cap
per when he had read the announce
ment OF what the Commissioners have
In mind. He seemed in accord with
the theory Of directing attention to a
few essential balls at short session.
In preference to a long legisla tive pro
gram
Although Senator Capper Is heartily
In favor Of modifying the Borland law
10 eliminate assessments for resIrfac.
Ing when the abutting properly own
ers have paid for one street. he was
inclined to doubt whether complete re-
peal Of this law could he obtained
from Congress.
The citizens associations OF the
District have been urging outright
repeal Of this special assessment act
for numoer of wears on the theory
fha street il worn ont by the public
generally and should not be paid for
directly by the people living along It..
Especially Is this true in this era Of
automobiles. when people OF every sec
tion Of the city ride over the streets
Of all other sections frequently. the
citizens a'eue
Senator Capper called attention to
the argument that since many streets
have been paved unde" the BOrland
law with half the cost assessed
against ahutting property. it would he
unfair TO pave the remaining new sec
tions of the DISCREET without assess
ment.
FavOrs Modification Of Plan.
The proposed modification Of the
law to abolish the assessment on re-
placements. however. is a fair propo-
sition and should be enacted Senator
tapper continued. He recalled that
the bill TO make this modification is
on the Senate calendar for early con
sideration at this session.
The Citizens Advisory Council is on
record to work for full repeal nf the
Borland law and probably will en-
deavor to have the proposition taken
UP in Congress this Winter
The HonSe District committee ii is
expected will support the citizens as
sociatiou and other local organizations
In seeking outright repeal Of the law.
AS to the possibility Of street car
merger legislation being enacted at
the short session. Senator Capper said
the answer to that question will de-
pend largely on the nature Of the
measure sent forward by the Utilities
Commission. The commission itself
has not Yet taken final action on the
new merger bill, except 10 indicate
that It will provide penalties for not
consolidating and rewards IL a merger
is effected
Does Not Expect Special Session.
Sena.rr Capper does not antiri pa e
any difficulty In enacting the bill to
rid the District of the half dozen re-
naming grade crossings.
Senator Capper does not believe
there will he a special session of Con-
Rress after March 4.
THE country" he said is not In
favor Of An extra session. The people
want us 10 transact the essential bust
ness as eXpeditiously AS possible.
and feel sure that can be done with
out special session"
Senator Capper will he In Washing
ton. keeping in touch with local as
well as national affairs from now on.
but he does not expect to have Dis
tfict committee meetings until De-
cember