Evening star., 1931-12-18
SENATE APPROVES
3DAY HOLIDAYS
FOR j. s. WORKERS
Measure Must Go to House.
Other D. c. Bills Pass
Committee.
CAPPER DELIVERS PLEA
TO DOWN OPPOSITION
District Senate Committee Organ
ized-subcommittees Are Named
by Chairman Capper.

by Chairman Capper.
Government employees will have three
day holidays for Christmas and New
Year under bill passed today by the
Senate.
The measure declaring December 26
and January legal holidays, must be
passed by the House, however. betoresit
becomes law. The Senate passed the
measure following a short debate after
it had been introduced by Senator
Capper, chairman of the District Com
mittee, on the recommendation of the
committee.
Since Christmas and New Year day
both fall on Friday, the bill was pro-
posed in order to eliminate the neces-
sity for banks opening for only few
hours on the following Saturday morn
ingS. Both Saturdays would be virtual
holidays. but banks would have to open
unless the legislation was passed.
Capper Explains Purpose.
In the debate preceding passage of
Utah, inquired why Congress should
discriminate in favor of Government
employees in the District as against
those outside. Senator Capper explained
that the bill was intended merely to
enable the limited number of per diem
employees to be paid for those two Satur-
days as all other employees will be paid.
Senator Dill, Democrat, of Wash
ington said he was in favor of legal
holiday for the Saturday following
Christmas, but thought the bill went too
far in fixing another legal holiday for
the Saturday after New Year.
Supporters of the bill pointed out that
Government employees have half day
on Saturday, anyhow, and that the bill
merely relieves them from the necessity
of going to their Offices for few hours
on those two Saturday mornings.
Pleads for Employees.
Senator Ashurst, Democrat, of Ari-
zona. author of the original bill, de-
Clared that inasmuch as the Senate had
reached a deadlock over the election
of a President Pro Tempore and was
planning to adjourn for II days, he said
he could not see why there should be
objection ito granting faithful, over
worked and underpaid employees in the
District an additional half day"
Senator Barkley, Democrat, of Ken
lucky, supporting the bill, pointed out
it was only being proposed this year
because Christmas and New Year fall
on Fridays. The bill was then passed
and sent to the House.
Committee Organized.
The Senate District Committee, with
Chairman Capper presiding, organized
into subcommittee at its first meeting
today and reported favorably on three |
measures. including the bill to make |
December 26 and January 2 legal holi-
days in Washington this year. The |!
other two bills approved we're one to |
authorize incorporation of the District |
of Columbia George Washington Bi- |
centennial Commission. to enable it to |
make contracts for the erection of re- |
viewing stands and to regulate other |
concessions during 1882, and bill to |
relieve the Commissioners of certain |
routine ministerial duties by permit |
ting the secretary of the board to !
sign official papers.
The legal holiday bill was introduced
by Senator Ashurst. Democrat, of |
Arizona to relieve banks OF the neces-
sity of opening for few hours on the
day after Christmas. which they would |
have to do unless Congress declared it |
a holiday. The committee decided to |
include also the Saturday following New
Year day together with an amendment |
to provide for the paying of per diem
employees of the Government for those
two holidays.
Objection Is Answered.
The Bicentennia! incorporation bill
was amended to make sure that the !
District Commissioners and the director
of public buildings and grounds would
,yN1a tO
erection of platforms and stands. The
amendment was made after Senator
Blaine, Republican, of Wisconsin, had
expressed the view that, as originally |
presented, the bill would make it pos
sible to surround Government areas
with temporary hot dog stands and
similar structures.
Corporation Counsel Bride and DR..
George c. Havenner. executive vice chair
man of the local commission, both as
sured the committee that local and |
Federal officials would supervise the
carrying out of the program in a proper
way, but they said they were perfectly |
willing to accept any amendment in ,
tended to make that control more |
certain.
The following subcommittee we're ap-
pointed by Chairman Capper to direct !
the legislative program during this ses- |;
sion of Congress:
Subcommittee Listed.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Jones, chairman; |
Blaine Glenn, Austin, King, Tydings !,
and Lewis. ,
Public Utilities - Senators Capper i
chairman: Blaine, Austin. Copeland i
Tydings. King and Shipstead. |
Education and Labor-SenatorS Cap |
T0r, chairman: Jones. Kean, King, |
Eankhead and Shipstead. |
Insurance and Banks - Senators i
Blaine, chairman; Kean, Carey, Tydings I
and Gore.
Public Health, Hospitals and Chari-
tieS-SenatorS Copeland, chairman:
Glenn, Austin, Glass, Gore and Ship /
stead.
Streets and Administrators Glenn,
chairman; Carey Lewis, Bankhead and
Shipstead.
rporations-Senators King, chair
man; Blaine, Glenn, Glass and Lewis.
Police and Fire-Senators Carey,
chairman; Jones, Kean, Copeland, Gore
and Bankhead.
Trafflc-Senators Kean. chairman;
Blaine, Carey, Glass and Lewis.