Evening star., 1934-04-08
Local Legisla tion.

told the House District Committee
the other day that the proposed
stamp tax amendment to the liquor
control act, intended to simplify the
assessment and collection of the Dis
trict tax on wines and distilled liquors
is the most important local legisla-
ton awaiting action at this session
of Congress. That was demonstra-
tion Of how the point of view in
fiuences an estimate of the relative
importance of local legislation. For
the tax-collecting municipality, now
experiencing some difficulty in eff
cient liquor tax collection, this change
in the law is highly important. But
to those who are not responsible fer
administration of the law, it is OF
little interest
This applies more or less to the
seventeen bills now on the House
calendar awaiting action, which Chair
man Norton of the House District
Committee hopes to obtain tomor-
row. Changing the name of B street
southwest to Independence avenue is
being sought by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission. The
American University in Cairo, Egypt
is anxious for exemption from some
of the provisions of the so-called
diploma mill" law, which now inter-
fere with its granting of degrees.
Two insurance companies want
changes in their charters. Nothing
could be more important to individ-
uals than bills for their individual
relief. of which two are on the
House calendar. This is the sort of
legislation that makes the business
of exclusively legislating for the Dis
trict of Columbia onerous at times
to busy members of Congress. But
no one can contest the Importance
of such legislation and many people
suffer when routine business is al
lowed to lag.
In one respect, the most important
local legislation now on the House
calendar is the old age pension bill
which Mrs. Norton has sponsored, and
which has behind it an extraordinary
degree of support from local organi-
cations. Mrs Norton is pushing it,
despite Budget Bureau disapproval, in
response to demonstrated community
sentiment. The principle it embodies
has been widely recognized as sound,
and the bill should be passed. No
such local sentiment exists. however,
in connection with some other pro-
posed legislation on the House calen-
dar. The proposed amendment to the
liquor control act, granting the privi-
lege of license to on-conforming use
establishments located in residentially
zoned areas, has been protested by
the Commissioners and is plainly con-
trary to the expressed wishes of cit
liens anxious to protect home neigh
horhoods. In addition, the opinion
has been expressed that this amend
lations. Nor has there been any
popular demand for the legalization
of horse racing in the District.
OF the seventeen local measures
awaiting action in the House, only
six have been passed by the Senate,
and, with the exception of the bill
to permit amateur boxing contests,
these are routine bills for changes in
laws. Some of the bills passed by the
Senate, moreover, have not even been
considered by the House District
Committee-although there has been
time for such consideration. This,
together with the fact that the House
Committee has considered some i'm
portant legislation which has not
been discussed by the Senate Com
mittee, and vice versa, again sug-
gests the advantage of an occasional
Joint session between the two legis-
lative committees on the District OF
Columbia, at which some agreement
might be reached as to the local
legislation which is to be pressed in
both houses. The bill providing for
compulsory liability insurance for
taxicab operators, the so-called
"safety-responsibility" bill requiring
liability bonds for drivers convicted
of certain types of traffic violation,
the measure to broaden the Commis-
sioners' authority and amendment Of
the gambling laws to assure more ef-
fective enforcement should certainly
be included in any such program.
The time available for considering
local legislation is so limited in both
houses that agreements tending to CO.
ordinate the efforts Of the District
legislative committees would doubtless
prove helpful.