Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04
TRAFFIC, UTILITIES
AND POLICE COURT
BILLS GET THROUGH
District Fares Better in New
Legislation Than for
Many Years.

The, National Capital Jared better
at the session of Congress which
closed at o'clock yesterday after
many years.
In the closing hours a number OF
meas Of Importance to Washing
ton were rushed through. Including:
\ liberaliZed civil service retirement
law, carrying a maximum annuity of
81 900 and increasing the employees
contribution from 2l1 to 3l2 per cent
of their salaries.
Creation of a new public utilities
commission. distinct from the Board of
District Commissioners. but with the
Engineer Commissioner specifically
named as a member of the new COM
mission. This measure also provides
for peoples counsel No appro.
priation has yet been made. however.
for salaries of the two civilian mem
bers of the new commission. The
President failed 10 sign the bill yes
terday and their Is some speculation
as to the outcome of the measure.
Stricter Traffic Law.
A Strlcter Lr6ll1c Jaw. WHICH VIII
give the traffic director a tighter grip
on control of traffic violators and
prevent congestion and delay in court
by giving him authority to revoke
permits. with certain provisions for
appeal. The feature of this law pro
viding for reisSuance of all drivers
permits will create a fund of S35O,000
to be used for extension of the au-
tomato traffic signal system.
A new Police Court Building is
provided for in n bill passed a few
weeks ago by the House. and on
which the Senate took concurrent ac-
ton yesterday. The appropriation
will be asked for at the next session.
The House passed on Friday and
the Senate conCurred yesterday in an
act advancing the dates for semi
annual tax payments and for annual
instead Of biennial assessment Of real
estate. An additional assistant as
SCISSOR is provided for.
The House concurred in the Senate
bill for new bridge across Rock
Creek at NJ street to replace the
present structure which had been de-
clared unsafe and put out of COM
mission for more than a year
Board of Parole Created.
The House agreed to the legislation
creating a board of parole for the
District of Columbia, which had pre-
viously been acted upon by the
Senate The President also failed to
sign this measure.
The Senate adopted a House con-
current resolution providing for an
investigation Of the administration of
Saint EliZabeth's Hospital covering
the last ten years, to be made by the
controller general and a report to be
made to the next session Of Congress.
The House completed enactment of
the resolution directing the Secretary
of War to call for bids to complete
the Tomb Of the Unknown Soldier and
its surroundings in Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery.
Among the important pieces of To-
cal legislation which failed in the
closing hours were:
The repeal of the Borland amend.
ment to the extent that when abut-
ting property owners have once paid
their share Of the cost of a street they
shall never again be assessed for re-
surfacing costs. The House passed
this measure, but action was blocked
in the Senate by objection of Senator
King of Utah.
National Arboretum Bill Fails.
The National Arboretum bill, passed
by the Senate on May 10. failed in the
House on objection of Representative
Black Of Texas, acting for Represen-
tative Kincheloe Of Kentucky, a mem
ber of the committe on agriculture.
Chairman Haugen of the committee
on agriculture withdrew his request
for consideration of this measure so
that it will be on the calendar to be
taken up in the December session.
The Senate also passed the measure
providing for relocation and enlarge
ment of the Botanic Garden, but
House leaders refused to let this
measure come up in the closing hours
The bill giving the Commissioners
general authority to abolish all rail.