Evening star., 1933-02-08
CITIZENS DEMAND
TAX|CAB INSURANCE
Columbia Heights Group Asks
Congress to Make Pro-
lection Compulsory.

Stressing the helplessness OF pedes-
trians or passengers to secure financial
Judgment from drivers Of taxicabs in
case Of accident or death, the Colum-
bia HEIGHTS Citizens Association last
night unanimously adopted a resolution
asking Congress to make compulsory a
public liability and property damage
insurance for all taxicab drivers.
Albert E. Stephan, who introduced
the resolution, also requested that the
association investigate the practicability
Of having congressional action taken to
compel all licensed automobile drivers to
carry like liability and property dam
age insurance. This was favored by
the group.
The resolution further pointed out
the financial reserves and tangible
property possessed by the street railway
and motor bus companies which taxi
cabs did not possess .-
Food for School ChildreR.
The association also unanimously in
dorsed the measures adopted By school
executives in making available the
cooking facilities of schools for use in
welfare work necessary to give aid to
undernourished school children
Miss Lucy Swanton. chairman Of the
Education Committee Of the associa-
ton, told how many pupils in local
schools attended without proper nour-
ishment She said the Board of Edu-
cation had facilitated re-eStablishment
Of the centralized control of the funds
OF the District Congress of Parents and
Teachers, abandoned two years ago, to
distribute financial responsibility in
buying milk for some students.
Following Miss Swanton's address
the association adopted another reso-
luton unanimously asking for suff-
cient accommodations in the District
night schools for all applicants. Be-
cause Of lack of teachers, it was neces-
sary to turn down approximately 500
students requesting night school studies,
she stated
Efforts to have the association indorse
the birth control bill now before the
Senate Judiciary Committee were blocked
by Mr.. Stephan, a delegate to the
Federation of Citizens Associations, on
the ground the subject'is not within the
province of a citizens association.
Approval Of the birth control legisla-
ton was urged by Mrs. Lucy Swanton
after W. w. Milan president of the
Board of Public Welfare and recently
elected president of the District Bar
Association, told the gathering of a
large number of children and mothers
In distress in Washington.
Copeland Plan Indorsed.
Senator Royal S. Copeland's proposed
Ian for congressional action to meet
the needs of hungry school. children
were indorsed by the organization.
Miss Svanton also introduced this reso-
luton. She told of an Investigation
now in progress by her committee into
the relief work being carried on in
Washington. She estimated that Is to
80 per cent Of the persons being cared
for by the Central Union Mission were
under 2l years Of age, and that 60 to
- per cent were under 30
Another resolution opposing any con-
gressional action which would permit
the Washington Gas Light Co. to in
crease its capital stock unless its for
cign stockholder corporations are re-
quired to divest themselves of their
holdings, was adopted by the associa-
tion, which stated further opposition to
section 2 of Senate bill 5225, relieving
the stockholders of liability for the
debts Of the corporation. The resolu-
ton also opposed any increase of the
powers Of the Public Utilities Commits
sion to regulate the public utilities of
the District.
MILAN Speaks on Welfare.
Mr.. MILAN addressed the group
ON Public Welfare Work in the Dis
trict" and explained the functioning of
the board.
Mr.. Stephan introduced resolution,
also adopted by the group, asking the
District Commissioners to have in
stalled on all fire apparatus the red re-
volv1ng lights as a warning to mortor-
lists. The action was taken because of
several recent accidents, which the as
sociation contended might possibly have
been avoided had the fire apparatus
possessed such warning equipment.
The District Commissioners were
asked to arrange for an educational
week to precede the annual Spring
cleanup campaign so as to acquaint
citizens with modern facilities for dis
posal of rubbish.
Chairman Mary T. Norton of the
House District Committee was COM
mended by the association for demand
ing an investigation of the hospital
treatment received by Eugene Houghton,
injured IN an automobile accident jan
uary s. The resolution also requested
the appointment of committee to
take up with her the question of i'm
proving traffic conditions in Washing
ton.
Margaret Hopkins Worrell, president,
and w. I. Swanton, corresponding Sec
retary, officiated at the meeting, held in
the Fourth Presbyterian Church, Thir-
teenth and Fairmont streets.