Evening star., 1932-02-06
FIVE D. c. MEASURES
GIVEN APPROVAL
Capper Group Postpones Ac-
ton on Bill to Increase Com
mjssiOners' Power.

The Senate District Committee re-
ported favorably on five bills yesterday
afternoon, including the Capper meas
ure to authorize incorporation OF credlt
unions here, after postponing action on
Senator Kings bill to increase the
powers of the District Commissioners. .
The four other measures approved
we're: the resolution to name the SIX
teenth street entrance to the National
Capital Montgomery Blair Portal, In
commemoration of the late Montgomery
Blair, who was Postmaster General In
Lincolns cabinet; the bill to close
portion of Water street between TWen-
ty-second and Twenty third streets, the
bill to give police and fire trial boards
additional power in issuing subpoenas,
and bill to rearrange roadWays at the
work house at Occoquan.
Senator Carey, Republican, OF Wyom-
ing, also submitted the favorable re-
mort of a subcommittee on the two
bills recommended by District Attorney
Rover to increase penalties for gambling
and to paddock gambling places, out
Senator King blocked committee action,
asking they be postponed until he could
study them, declaring the bills appeared
to be too drastic and "puritanical.'
Bride to Draft Bills.
AS the result Of yesterdays hearing,
Corporation Counsel Bride Will dratt TWO
alternative substitutes for the bill to
increase the Commissioners powers.
The pending bill, which was objected
to as being too sweeping by several
committee members, would give the
city heads broad general powers to
make new regulations and ordinances,
with view to relieving Congress OF
some OF the less important local queS-
tions. Chairman Capper suggested to
Mr.. Bride that he rewrite this measure,
seeking to overcome the objections to
the general Technology, and that he
also prepare bill that would define the
specific subjects on which the Commits
sioners would be given new authority.
The postponement also was granted
to allow civic organizations time to
study the question after William NICK.
Clayton, George E. Sullivan and Evan
H. Tucker of citizens associations had
spoken briefly.
Power Held Too Broad.
Senator Bankhead, Democrat, of Ala
bama, said he realized there are some
questions being acted on by Congress
that could well be left to the Commis-
sioners to handle, but he thought the
broad unless Congress wants to wash
its hands of the District"
Senator Gore, Democrat, of Okla
homa, also suggested it would be ad-
visable to specify in more detail the
powers to be transferred and those to
be retained by Congress, and Chairman
Capper added that undoubtedly "the
bill is far-reaching in its present form"
Senator King replied he wanted to
give the Commissioners as much power
as can be conferred on them consistent
with the Constitution, but agreed to de-
fer the matter until citizens can give 1t
more study.
Senator Bankhead was inclined to
think the broad language Of the bill
would include taxation among the
powers the Commissioners could exer-
else. When it was suggested the bill
would enable the Commissioners to
extend the time for payment Of delin-
quent taxes, Senator Gore said he
thought matters relating to the finances
of the city ought to be reserved to
Congress.
Citizens Give Views.
Speaking for the Brightwood Citizens
Association, Mr.. Clayton said the pend
ing bill goes beyond what we would
want" He said he woGld be willing to
go further in granting more power If
the Commissioners were elected instead
of appointed. Mr.. Tucker also de-
scribed the bill as broad and asked time
for the Northeast Association to study it.
Apart from the question of increas-
ing the powers Of the Commissioners,
Senator King suggested to Corporation
Counsel Bride that he prepare bill to
create commission that could go over
all the laws Of the District with a
view to drafting an entire new code,
including a general incorporation law
Mr. Bride concurred in the sugges-
tion declaring "our legislation is ar
chaic" Mr. Bride said what the Dis
trict needs is not a compilation of
existing laws in code form, but new
code.
The credit union bill, which Senator
Capper was authorized to report favor
ably to the Senate. provides for the