Evening star., 1935-08-25
CONGRESS ENACTS|
50 DISTRICT LAWS
Three Social Security Meas
ures Head Long List
of Legislation.
BY J. A. O'LEARY,

VI IcYtSidllUIis
BY J. A. OLEARY.
The first session of the Seventy
fourth Congress, up to last night, had
placed more than 80 new District of
Columbia laws on the statute books,
headed by the three social security
bills to provide old-age pensions, un-
employment insurance and pensions
for the blind.
Two other important enactments
deal with street safety. one requiring
motorists to show financial RESPONSE
bility after they have been convicted
of serious offenses, and a negligent
homicide law to speed up trial of driv-
ers in fatal accident cases.
Among the bills passed by the Sem
ate, but left for future action by the
House. are the measures to tighten the
gambling laws, and to license and
regulate real estate brokers and sales
men.
Senate Action Delayed.
The Senate postponed until Jsnu-
ary the House bill to require semi
annual mechanical inspection of motor
vehicles, the House bill to make Jury
service by women compulsory instead
Of at their option. and the new plan
for regulation Of the small loan 3usi-
ness here
The social security bills were among
the last to 90 through, 1t having been
necessary to wait until the national
social security program was law, SO
that the District measures could be
drafted to conform to the Federal
standards.
The old-age measure authorizes the
Commissioners to grant pensions to
needy persons who. are IS or over.
Under the national bill the Federal
Government win pay half Of a s30-a-
month pension, but the District bill
leaves the Commissioners free to give
more than SIS as the city's share,
each case to be decided on its merits
The Federal Government also will
match whatever pensions the city
awards to needy blind persons, up to
a maximum Of SIS, or a total of $50
a month. The only limit on the
amount the District may fix as its
share is that in the case of a child
living with parents, the pension shall
not exceed $50 a month.
JobIess Changes Made.
The local unemployment insurance
measure went through with most Of
the changes the Commissioners asked
the Senate to make in the House bill
1t levies a pay roll tax on all en-
ployers of one or more employees to
establish fund from which to pay
benefits Of not to exceed SIS a week
to laid-of workers, for 16 weeks
year. The pay roll tax will be l per
cent in 1896, per cent in 1887 and
per cent thereafter, except that after
four years the tax rate may be raised
to per cent or lowered to IL per
cent, according to the degree to which
each employer stabilizes employment.
The District government will make
lump-sum contributions totaling $780,
900 during the first three years, after
which Congress will decide whether
further contributions from the city
are necessary to augment the pay roll
tax.
During the session, Congress also
passed a $40,548,000 District appro-
priation act. for the maintenance Of
the municipal government during the
current year, Of which the Federal
Government will pay the same lump
sum as last year. namely. $4,000
All the rest will come from local taxa
tion and license fees.
Senate Fails in Plan.
The Senate, which always takes a
more equitable view of the Federal
Governments obligation toward the
National Capital, tried to fix Uncle
Sans share Of the appropriation bill
at a higher figure, but the House
again insisted on no increase. Under
the direction of Senator Thomas,
Democrat, Of Oklahoma, the Senate
subcommittee on District appropria-
tions approved Federal payment for
this year of $8,317,500. This amount
was recommended by the Comnis-
sioners. being no more than the aver
age Of the various lump-sum figures
Congress has used since it departed
from the 60-40 ratio q decade ago.
In conference, however, the House
insisted on going back to the present
figure of $500 900.
More than 100000 of deficiency
and supplemental items for the Dis
trict. including the urgently needed
$45,000 for better health protection,
later were made available in the sec
ond deficiency appropriation bill.
While the regular District appro-
priation act carried higher total
than for last year, a large part of
the increase was necessary by repeal
of the last installment Of the pay
cut, which put salaries back on the
basic level.
$l,650,00e for Harbor.
OF local interest in the omnibus
river and harbor bill, enacted last
week, is the $1,65o,0o0 authoriza-
ton for the long-delayed rebuilding
and improvement of the Washington
Channel water front opposite Potomac
Park. The House bill would have
(See D. G. BILLS, Page B-2)