Evening star., 1935-05-28
ID DISTRICT BILLS
SENT TO SENATE
BY SPEEDY HOUSE.
Measures Are Approved
Without Debate in so
Minutes.
TWO WOULD HELP
J0BLESS AND AGED
Liquor Control Tightened-New
Underpass and Bridges
Provided.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

virtually al HdQ Deen peI1QIlS OH
the House calendar for more than
month. but in one sweep yesterday
| they were called up and passed in
rapid succession without debate with
in so minutes.
The House. in fact, established
record for speed by passing these 10
bills and another which the Senate
had approved April 9, providing sal
ary Of 81 800 year for director of
military science and tactics in the
Washington high schools.
Unemployed Are Aided.
Outstanding among the IL measures
are two authorizing aid for aged indi-
gent and unemployed-the Ellenbogen
compensation and Norton old-age PEN
sion measures. The other major
measures passed are these:
A bill to tighten the liquor control
| act.
Bills giving police and firemen the
! privilege Of living outside the Dis
trict within the so-called metropoli-
tan area
Bills authorizing construction OF
two new bridges and an underpass
across New York avenue northeast in
the area between Florida and West
Virginia avenues.
A bill to name a boulevard in the
Mall Maine avenue.
Two other bills, minor in character,
would change the name of the Ger
i man Orphan Asylum to the German
Orphan Home and give authority to
the Commissioners to make special
regulations for the seventieth national
encampment Of the Grand Army of
the Republic in September, 1886.
Few Members on Floor.
Fewer than so members were on
the floor of the House as the IL
measures were rushed through.
In passing them, the House vir-
tually cleared its calendar of Dis
trict legislation, leaving only three
highly controversial measures for con-
sideration on the next District day
in June. One provides a special COM
mission to flx and control rentals.
Another is designed to abolish Wash
ingtons so-called hidden bars" and
the third would create q commits
sion Of seven members to select a
site for the long proposed municipal
airport.
The Ellenbogen compensation bill
Is intended to provide financial sup
port for the jobIess in times of I'M
employment. It would set Up an un-
employment compensation system COW
ering all employees in private estab-
lishments which employ four or more
persons for at least l3 weeks year.
Federal and District employees on an
annual salary basis would be ex-
empted
Funds for unemployment compen-
sation would be raised through con-
tributions Of employers and the Dis
trict government. Employers would
be required to contribute an amount
equal to 3 per cent of their pay roll,
and the District would contribute an
amount equal to / per cent of the
contribution of the employers. Con-
tributions would begin January /,
1896.
Minimum Is Raised.
A major change in the unemploy-
ment compensation bill raises the
minimum set for future rates. Orig
inally, in the manner of a merit
clause, it had been provided that en-
ployer contributions after 1910 might
be as low as / y per cent or as high
as per cent, depending upon degree
of employment sterilization achieved.
In any event, however, the average
contribution rate of all employers was
to be per cent, thus making the
total contributed approach q fixed
sum.
An amendment by the District
Committee, which the House adopted,
maintains the minimum contribution
at per cent, rather than l "a, but
still allows an increase to per cent
If sufficient stabilization Is not
achieved. The increase likely to &C
cure to the fund by this increase in
the tax rate is taken care of in a
slightly wider range Of those eligible
for benefits.
The Norton old-age pension bill is
intended to provide financial assist
ance for Washington's INDECENT who
have reached the age Of IS.
Liquor Restrictions frightened.
The bill to tighten the liquor con-
troll act has q number of ramifica-
tions. Its primary purpose, however,
is to prevent consumption of liquor
in on-sale establishments after the
legal deadline on the sale. This re-
striction Is aimed at the practice of
some hotels, night clubs and res
taurants of selling number of drinks
to customer just prior to the cur
few
The bill also would give the Liquor
Control Board power to suspend as
well as revoke q license, and reduces
the local tax on light wines from IS
to Is cents . gallon. Another pro-
vision limits to $40 the value Of any
article which . manufacturer may
give to a wholesaler or retailer.
One Of the bills providing for q
new bridge across New York avenue
was sponsored by the Pennsylvania
Railroad. It will permit this carrier
to construct a span to carry its tracks
fIom the main line to a siding In a
newly-developed commercial area in
the vicinity Of West Virginia avenue.
Passes Replace Bridges.
The other bill amends the Union
Terminal act of 1908, and substitutes
two railroad crossings-an overhead
bridge and an underpass-for the
original plan Of three bridges to COM
pensate the District for closing Of Ger
tain streets by the railroads.
The two proposed crossings are to
be located at the east end and the
middle Of thu teTninal yards and rail.