Evening star., 1935-01-10
Severe Blow Is Struck at
Rackets Here by Speedy
Action.
AUTO LAW is APPROVED,
FIXING RESPONSIBILITY
Excess Condemnation Plan Among
Other Measures Which Receive
Favorable Consideration.


gambling in the District and also the
measure to promote street safety by
requiring motorists to show financial
responsibility under certain condi-
tions.
The anti-gambling bill went
through by unanimous consent after
Chairman King of the District Com.
mittee had called attention to the
need for such legislation to break up
the numbers game racket in Wash
ington.
The automobile safety bill also was
approved without a dissenting voice
after Senator McCarran, Democrat,
of Nevada had explained its provisions.
Seven Other Bills Passed.
The Senate also quickly passed
seven other local bills, including the
excess condemnation plan.
The automobile safety bill does not
call for compulsory insurance for all
drivers, but any motorist convicted of
certain major offenses, or who has an
unpaid accident judgment against
him, would have to show financial
responsibility before being permitted
to drive car again.
Referring to the gambling bill,
Senator King told the Senate:
This Is measure of considerable
Importance. It has become racket
here to sell numbers School chill
dren and people of limited means are
victimized. It is a gambling lottery,
vicious and insidious.'
Senator King explained that the
bill had the support Of District At
torney Garnett, Corporation Counsel
Prettyman and the Commissioners.
Law Otherwise Strengthened.
In addition to definitely including
the numbers game In the code, the
gambling bill also strengthens the
hands Of the enforcement authorities
by providing that possession Of tickets,
slips or other gambling paraphernalia
shall be prima facie evidence of in
tent to violate the gambling laws.
The committee report explained that
the authorities find it difficult to OBJ
tain convictions at the present time
because of the unwillingneSs of those
found in gambling establishments to
Iv,s; wi iriy finy1 ~ haffiy1y
ing or of observing the operation OF
gambling devices. The committee re-
port also stated that the bill is aimed
at commercial or professional gam
bling.
Senator King explained that one Of
the main purposes Of the excess con-
demnation bill Is to avoid inequities
which result when the Government
acquires nearly all of lot or area
of ground for public purposes, but
leaves the property owner with small
irregular shaped segments OF land
which are of little value. Under this
bill the Government could acquire the
entire area and later replat and resell
any part not needed. It would also
assist the Government in protecting
areas surrounding Government I'M
provements.
Other Bills Passed.
The other bills passed by the Senate
are:
Setting forth q new procedure for
recording and releasing deeds Of trust;
establishing new rules for the dis
posal of property coming into the
custody of the police property clerk;
extending to step-children OF officers
and employees of the United States,
residing outside the District, the same
right to attend local public schools
without tuition now enjoyed by chill
dren of such employees; fixing penal
ties for unlawful entry on unoccupled
private property, and exempting from
taxation certain property OF the
Daughters of Union Veterans OF the
Civil War in the District OF Columbia.
The only District bill that was post
poned today was the amendment to
the code to strengthen the definition
of usury.
The nine bills that were passed now
90 to the House for consideration.
With Congress in session only one
week the action of the Senate in
passing these bills today is be.-eved
to be q record for prompt considera-
ton of District measures and was
made possible by the fact that Chair
man King called a committee meet
ing as soon as the bills were intro
duced.