Evening star., 1928-11-17
FOUR MATTERS SET
BY GIBSON GROUP
FOR EARLY SURVEY
"Prime Importance" Is At
tached to Question of Street
Railway Merger.
POLICE INVESTIGATION
WILL BE POSTPONED
Fiscal Relations, Licensing and
Taxation Will Get Imme-
diate Study.

The street railway merger, fiscal re-
lations, the licensing system and tax
alton problems will have precedence be-
fore the Gibson subcommittee, which
is making survey of the municipal ad-
ministration, before the police trou-
bles are again taken up for study.
Chairman Gibson, who returned to
washington yesterday, made this state
ment today and is busy marshaling
detailed information on these subjects
for presentation in the coming short
session of Congress. He said that the
merger report is of prime Importance
because this matter has been reported
to the House and is awaiting action
there.
Groupes to Meet Soon.
Mr.. Gibson expects to call the sub
committee together within the next
three or four days.
The legislation authorizing a mer-
ger of the street railway companies Is
of direct concern to many thousands
Of car riders and all of Washington has
taken great interest in this question
for the last 20 years, Mr.. Gibson said
and expressed hope that some definite
action may be taken at the incoming
session of Congress.
report on this subject from the Bu-
reau OF Efficiency, as requested by Sena-
tor Capper of the Senate District COM
mittee, should be ready by November
27 or %, Mr.. Gibson said, and his
subcommittee hopes to have this report
available for information of the House
k14A&
OIL VIII be the first District legisla-
ton to be brought up in the short ses-
sion.
Fiscal Report Asked.
Another report in regard to fiscal
| relations has been asked from the Bu-
reau of Efficiency by the Gibson sub
committee. which Mr.. Gibson says prob
ably will be ready as soon as Congress
| meets.
The third subject which he viii ask
his committee to consider Is o report
from special COMMITTEES. representing
the corporation counsels Office, the
Bureau of Efficiency, the District Com
missioners and other interested units,
which will recommend the passage of
| the bill revamping the entire system
| OF issuing licenses in the District.
Ringgold Hart is representing the cor
| poration counSel'S Office in the drafting
of this measure.
A fourth item that will be given
prompt consideration is in regard to
the system OF taxation in the District,
which was covered to a considerable
extent in the report made by the Glib
son subcommittee at the close of the
last session of Congress. Practically
every member of the Gibson Subcom-
mittee has taken an individual interest
in this subject and chairman Gibson
has made special study of it.
Should Precede Police Probe.
Mr. Gibson emphasized that these
four subjects should take precedence
over the investigation of the police sit
uation, because Congress is demanding
information. Members of the subcom-
nlittee believe that giving priority to
these other four subjects will mean that
the police investigation will be forced to
simmer until the new Congress con-
venes.
Prohibition enforcement in the Dis
trict of Columbia will, however, get
prompt consideration before the Gibson
subcommittee. Chairman Gibson for
mally invited Douthitt, formerly inves-
tigator for Citizens Service Association,
to appear before the subcommittee on
Tuesday, December 4, at 10 am. Mr..
Douthitt will be given an opportunity
to tell the committee fully regarding his
claim that there are 5000 places in
operation in the District, where intoxi-
eating liquor can be purchased. The
subcommittee, Mr.. Gibson said, had
never had an opportunity to cross-ques-
ton Mr.. Douthitt on this claim and as
Representative Blanton of Texas ex-
pressed particular desire to go thor
oughly into this matter Mr.. Gibson has
placed the date for the hearing at a
time when Mr.. Blanton is expected to
be back in Washington.