Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-24
EARLY VOTE SEEN
ON TRAFFIC BILL
BY SENATOR KEAN
Measure Gets Favorable Re-
port When Committee Learns
All Objections Are Overcome.
HEARINGS ARE OPENED
ON LOANS MEASURES
One Would Allow Establishment
Of Credit Unions, Other Fixes
Interest on Small Debts.

Early action In the Senate on the
Districts new traffic bill was predicted
today by Senator Kean. Republican. Of
New Jersey. chairman of the traffic
subcommittee, following the action of
the Senate District Committee late YES
teroay IN favorably reporting the meas
ure.
With all Of the Objectionable features
removed through series Of eight mod
lncations, the bill, in Senator Kean's
opinion, has clear path ahead in the
Senate and probably will be passed In
time for action by the House before the
adjournment Of the short session Of
Congress.
Favorable Report Ordered.
The District Committee ordered a
favorable report on the bill without
discussion when Senator Kean an
nounced that opposition had been en-
tirely removed. Corporation Counsel
William w. Bride also explained that
feature found Objectionable by the
Public Utilities Commission had been
eliminated In the latest revision and
the commission and the District
Commissioners are now in harmonious
accord. The Bureau Of Efficiency,
which had participated in earlier dis
NS~-eaSAAnt Az otAAAs AAd0 OnCIC0 no OQ-
lection to the latest modification.
The bill is designed to centrallze
trahc control in a department of
vehicles and traffc under the direction
OF the District Commissioners. It was
drafted as q result of an exhaustive
study Of traffic conditions in Washing
ton by committee appointed by the
Commissioners.
The committee also ordered favorable
reports on two other measures affecting
the District. One authorizes the Com
missioners to close any useless or nm
necessary streets, roads, highways and
alleys, while the other authorizes the
Gull Refining Co. to construct oil pipe
lines beneath certain streets in the
southwest section to tanks to be placed
underground at Buzzards Point.
Street Bin Important.
Lieut.. Col. U. s. Grant, Sd, executive
officer OF the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, told the commit
Tee that there was no opposition to
either of these bills He also pointed
out that the measure authorizing the
commissioners to close useless streets
and alleys is important to the correct
planning of the undeveloped sections of
the District and that it would eliminate
certain expensive work which the high
way plan now provides resulting In a
saving to the taxpayers of approximate
ly $3,700,000.
After ordering favorable reports on
the three bills, the committee began
hearings on two other measures in
tended to put Washington's loan sharks
out Of business. One would authorize
the incorporation of credit unions and
the other would legalize small loans at
an interest rate Of or 81 per cent a
month.
The credit union bill met with whole
hearted Endorsement, but strong oppo-
sition was registered to the small loans
measure. The chief opponents Of the
small loans bill were Mercer G. John
ston, director of the Peoples Legislative
Bureau; Thomas E. Lodge of the Fed
Grafton Of Citizens Association, Miss
Mary LaZenby of the Woman's City
Club and Miss Gertrude McNally, secre-
tary treasurer Of the National Fedora
ton Of Federal Employees. The bill,
however, was Endorsed by Miss Selma
Borchardt of the Central Labor Union,
w. G. flushing of the American Fedora
ton OF Labor, Representative Dyer of
Missouri, father of the Districts ex-
isting loan law limiting interest rates
on small loans, and Leon Henderson of
the Russell Sage Foundation.
Cameron Favors Bill.
4A4O&AIdo NdIicIOIl, dSS1SI0Llt CUT
poratton counsel, also spoke in favor of
the bill after telling the committee the
result OF his investigation into the op-
erationS of loan sharks In the District
we must do something to stamp out
the loan sharks" Cameron declared
dramatically. II found in my investi-
cation that they are exacting fees rang
ing from 40 to 500 per cent
Johnston characterized the rate of
interest which the bill would legalize
as robbery and thievery," and under
took to show that a nation wide group
of loan sharks Is sponsoring the present
bill. These loan sharks who want to
charge AZ or 36 per cent interest are
throwing up smoke screen" he de-
sharks, who. they say, charge much
higher rates of interest. When a man
gets into the grip Of q shark, 1t does
not matter much to him whether the
shark has 36. AZ or $40 teeth, because
he is going to be devoured, irrespective
of the number of teeth.
Lodge called the committees atten-
ton to the fact that the bill provides
that an employe can be required to
assign his salary or wages to loan
company to secure a loan. This, he
said, Is contrary to a provision in the
District code.
Doubts Benefits Claimed.
Miss Lazenby declared that the wage
earners of Washington would not be
benefited by enactment of the bill
ut would be equally logical" she de-
clared, "for some one to suggest that
we restore the open saloon to cure
the bootlegging evil There are some
cases in which the remedy is worse than
the disease and this bill presents one
of those cases."
r. F. Berhengren Of the Credit Union
National Extension Bureau of Boston
led the group 1ndorsing the credit union
bill. Included were j. Brehm Of the
Post ONCE Department, Frank J. Cole
man and william w. Keller of the
Central Labor Union; e. D. Sartwel
of local 262 of the Federal Employees
Union, Leo e. George Of the National
Federation of Post Office Clerks, A. J.
Driscoll of the Midcity Citizens Asso-
citation, Mrs. Margaret Hopkins WorreN,
president of the Civil Service League;
Frank O'EIara of the National Catholic
Welfare Council and John r. Noonon
NJ tho district Federation IF Eadarol