Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-18

bers Of the House showed that the bill
could not be put through with the g.
cent tax feature, and series of con-
ferenceS were started between the
delegates who sponsored the bill and
representatives of the billboard COM
panieS.
These conferences lasted over a
period Of several weeks and resulted in
| the original bill being modified in some
Lindsay, jr., chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee, was apathetic
| toward the bill, he agreed to hold 1t in
the committee pending the outcome OF
! the conferences.
Meanwhile the situation was further
complicated by the existence of MIR.
Metzerott's bill to make the advertiser
responsible, which was also before the
same committee. Every one realized
that this BILL which was approved from
! the start by the billboard interests,
constituted menace to the other meas
ure. Being less stringent and involving
no tax feature, it was feared that men,
bers of the Legislature who we're only
| "lukewarm" toward billboard legisla-
/ ton would vote for that bill and against
! the other. Mr.. Metzerott himself an
/ nounced that he did not want to use
! his bill to kill the other, but was anx-
! end of the session neared.
Agree to Reduce Tax.
| Finally, with only two weeks of the
/ session remaining and the danger OF
/ the two bills being caught in legisla-
| tive jam in the Senate becoming daily
more ominouS, the proponents OF the
taxation bill finally agreed to reduce
the Scent tax TO y cent per square
! foot. This paved the way for commit
tee action on both OF the billboard bills
and they were promptly given favorable
reports.
The printing Of the various amend
ments to the taxation bill delayed its
| journey through the House somewhat
but both bills arrived in the Senate al
/ the start of the final week.
In the upper branch the proponents
had friend in Senator Lansdale G.
/ Sasscer, chairman of the Finance Com
mittee, to which the taxation bill was
/ referred, but President Walter j. Mitch
ell was openly opposed to the bill.
| When the measure first came before
/ the Finance Committee several mem
/ bers whom Senator SasScer expected to
vote for it were noticed to vote against
it when an oral vote was taken. Seeing
| the committee was about evenly divided
the chairman refused to poll it and take
chance of getting an unfavorable re-
port. Instead, he agreed to a hearing
| the following day a move that proved
wise in the light Of developments which
| followed.
The hearing revealed complete accord
between representatives of the billboard
| industry mad sponsors of the bill, and
at its conclusion a favorable report was
adopted by vote of to 8. This ia
vorable report was accepted in the Sen
ate few hours later without debate.
With only one more reading required
| to put the bill before the Governor it
! developed that few Senators were
! planning to conduct fight on the floor
I to kill It. The bill was calendered for
third reading on a night when pro-
tracted debate on a regulatory measure
! affecting another industry broke out
The next day, with all supporters
present, the bill was passed easily after
| a short debate by vote of 10 to 8. A
| short time later the Metzerott bill
which had been given favorable re-
| port by the Judicial Proceedings Com
mittee and advanced in third reading,
passed without opposition.