Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-17
LITTLE HOPE HELD
|. FOR MERGER BILL
!. AT EXTRA SESSION
Wilson Asks Capper to Act,
but Senator Doubts
Possibility.
PLANS TO REINTR0DUCE
TEXT BOOK LEGISLATION
Changes Which He Believes Will
Eliminate Controversy Will
Be Made in Measure.

There is little, If any, prospect for
consideration OF the local street rail-
way merger plan at the special session
in the opinion of Chairman Capper OF
the Senate District committee.
= Senator Capper said Harley p. Will
son, sponsor of the merger proposal, has
been in communication with him to
see If it would be possible to have the
question taken up, but the committee
chairman does not believe it can be
done. The Senator said, his informa-
ton is that the leaders are anxious to
confine the special session to the main
national issues.
Chairman Capper is planning to REIN
troduce the bill to furnish free text
books to pupils in the District senior
schools and In all grades of the junior
high schools. He said he would intro
duce 1t in an amended form, which, he
believes, viii eliminate controversy over
the subject. He indicated he would in
clude the amendment Of Senator Hef-
lin making it clear that the books are
to be provided only in public schools.
It is Senator Capper's intention to
call meeting of the District committee
within a week or two to talk over the
local situation generally. The commit
tee would determine at that time wheth-
er to seek action at this session on the
textbook measure and also whether
there are any other measures that could
be considered now. Parent-teacher or
CARNATIONS made strong efforts to have
the textbook bill enacted at the last
session, but the Senate was not able to
agree on amendments after the House
had acted. Books already are furnished
in the elementary grades. and it was
felt that a hardship would be lifted
from the parents of older children by
making the practice uniform through
out the public school system.
Senator Capper's view of the situation
is that any District matter to be taken
up at this session would have to ibe
have to be free from controversy. He
pointed out that the form of the street
railway merger resolution is a contro-
versial subject.
Senator Capper. along with ma
jority of the committee. made favor
able report in the last Congress on a
rewritten street railway merger plan,
from which the fixed valuation of $50
100000 had been eliminated and pro-
vision made for new valuation to be
started Immediately following the con-
solidation. Senator Blaine, Republican,
of Wisconsin, however, filed minority
report advocating several other changes,
including the enactment of new valu-
alton law for the District. These
amendments it is believed, would lead
to considerable discussion If the ques-
ton were taken up.
There is no objection on the part of
the leaders to the introduction of bills
and the reference of then, IN noy,,,,,if
tees, so that the merger resolution may
be introduced. Senator Capper said he
had not decided definitely whether he
would introduce it prior to December.
Senator Capper indicated he saw little
to be gained by seeking Senate action
on the merger at this session, since the
House District committee is not to be
organized until the regular session in
December,