Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-13
ZihIman Introduces Measure,
Which Is Referred to
District Committee.
AIM TO GET QUICK
ACTION AFTER RECESS
Body Votes to Report Favorably
on Text Book Bill and
Architectural Plan.

The joint resolution drafted by the
Public Utilities Commission embodyins
an agreement for unification of Wash
ington's two street railway lines was
introduced in the House today by Rep
resentative Zihlman of Maryland, chair
man of the House District committee.
Members of the House District COM
mittee, to which it was referred,
promised to give the merger plan
prompt attention, and announced that
an effort would be made to get House
action upon the resolution soon after
the holiday recess.
The joint resolution also is before the
Senate District committee, where it was
referred by the Senate Wednesday after
its introduction by Senator Capper of
kansas, chairman Of the committee.
Getting off to an early start on a
legislative program for Washington, the
Senate District committee at its first
meeting voted to report ravorably the
free text book bill and the measure to
protect the architectural surroundings
OF Federal buildings, and at the same
time took steps to expedite considera-
ton of the merger
Il,
committee decided to hold one public
hearing at night, Immediately after the
CHRISTMAS holidays, and in the mean
Time TO obtain from DR.. Milo r. Malt
Die an opinion on the merger resolu-
tlon as recently rewritten by the Pub
lie Utilities Commission. DR.. Maltbie
was the expert advisor to the commit
tee last year
Senator Blaine, Republican, of Wis
consin; who opposed the plan of street
car consolidation reported by the COM
mittee last year, stated today that he
has "only gone over the new plan in a
cursory way, but I am convinced that
| many Of the major objections have been
overcome" He recalled that the old
agreement stated specifically wh:S the
financial set-up of the new company
would be and that he had regarded that
as unwise, because 1t might tie the
hands of Congress in the future. The
new plan leaves the financial set up to
be passed on by the Utilities ConnInis-
sion, and Senator Blaine pointed out
that under this arrangement I'VE could
not be any wore on than at present"
Aids Junior and Senior Schools.
The text book bill, which Chairman
Capper called up early in the meeting,
would give to the junior and senior high
schools the books and educational
supplies already provided for children
in the grade schools. Members OF the
Board of Education were present to
support the measure, but the committee
| indorSed 1t without debate after Sem
| ator Capper had explained that the bill
was on the Senate calendar the last
Congress and ready to be enacted when
the session ended. He explained that
Senator Hef1in of Alabama, who offered.
| amendments to the bill last year, has
| advised him that he is strongly in favor
not be any worse off than at present"
The bill to safeguard the surround
ings Of important Government areas is
the ShipStead measure, under which the
Fine Arts Commission would have
| authority to pass upon the height and
exterior design OF all private buildings
to be erected adjacent to the more i'm
portant Federal areas.
When this legislation was originally
proposed several years ago 1t would
have applied to private property within
200 feet of any Government reservation.
AS presented this year, and approved
by the committee today, it would apply
to the alteration or construction OF any
building any portion of which is to
front upon
The Capitol grounds, the grounds of
the White House, that part of Pennsyl-
vania avenue between the Capitol and
the White House and along the 'front.'
age of Rock Greek Park, Geological
Park, the Rock Creek and Potomac
Connecting Parkway, Potomac Park or
the Mall Park system.
Grant Gives His Views.
Lieut.. Col U. S. Grant, Sd, director of
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, told the committee
the commission would like to have the
bill Worded so as to cover any future
Government development, such as the
area surrounding the proposed United
States Supreme Court Building, but
since no objection has been raised to
the pending bill, they would rather
have that enacted.
Senator Copeland, Democrat, of New
York recalled that objection was made
in the old Congress to applying these
restrictions to the area surrounding
Lafayette Park and said that if that
area was affected by this bill he would
want to recommend an amendment. He
was told this bill does not include that
area.
When Senator Capper called up the
merger resolution, Senator Vandenberg.
Republican, of Michigan said he had
talked with other members of the COM
mittee and was confident that one pub
lie hearing, to be held at night early in
January, would be sufficient to get the
pubic viewpoint, aver WIllc0 the COM
mittee could act
Chairman Capper said he had foun:!
almost universal approval of this new
merger in the City of Washington"
Senator Copeland said he did no!
have to be converted to the merger, but
wanted to know if the new agreement
is radically different from the one Of
last year.
Senator vandenberg replied that it is
a better one.
VIII Ask Malbie for Report.
Senator Copeland then asked Senator
Blaine If this proposal is less objection
able to him than the previous plan. It
was at this point that Senator Blaine
said a casual study of the pending reSo-
luton indicated to him that many of
the major objections had been over
come.
Senator Vandenberg stated that he
had learned that DIR. Maltbie was will
nJ to give the committee his opinion
OF the modified unification plan If re-
quested by the committee. Senator
Capper was instructed to ask DR.. Malt
bic for a report.
The action of the Senate committee
today will place the text book measure
and the ShipStead bill cn the Senate
calendar. where they may be called up
whenever the Senate considers It's call
endar Of general business.