Evening star., 1935-12-01
1QPO|NT PROGRAM
FOR D. c. IS URGED
Sullivan Reveals Legislation
Plans of Prettyman in
Civic Broadcast.


every citizens association and every
civic-minded District resident, in the
opinion of George E. Sullivan, chair
man, Laws and Legislative Committee
of the Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations.
This support should be expressed
before the opening of Congress, since
the legislative program will be rec
commended to that body Immediately.
Sullivan's views were given in a
broadcast over Station WMAL last
week, in which he paid high tribute
to the Commissioners for their prac-
tice of holding public hearings on pro-
posed legislation.
Each week a prominent civic leader
makes an address over WMAL in a
series sponsored by the Federation OF
Citizens Associations and under di-
rection of Thomas E. Lodge, newly
elected federation president.
Stull to Talk Thursday.
This weeks speaker will be Harry
N. Stull, president Stanton Park Citi-
zens' Association and for IL years
delegate to the federation. Stull is a
native of Frederick, Md, having come
to Washington As years ago at the
age of years.
During the entire time Of his resi-
dence in Washington he has lived
within the northeast section in the
boundaries of the present Stanton
Park Citizens Association. He is a
charter member of this civic unit,
having joined at its organization
meeting Is years ago.
Stull has during his 12 years at the
federation been chairman of the Com
mittee on Education for the past five
years, member of the Executive Com
mittee for the past three years and
was three times elected delegate to
the Citizens Advisory Council.
He also served as president Of the
Stanton Park body from 1925 to 1928
after having served as secretary and
chairman of the Schools Committee.
He later was chairman of the Laws
and Legislative Committee.
Stull is now clerk in the United
States Court of Claims. The tenta-
tive title set for this weeks address is
in Organization There Is Strength" ."
Hearings Started at Once.
In his address last week Sullivan
pointed out that while it is not feas-
ible for the Commissioners to hold
hearings on all proposed legislation,
the Commissioners legal advisor Cor
poration Counsel Prettyman, lost no
tol i,, 70
that all civic groups and interested
citizens are given fullest information
on pending measures.
1t is in accordance with this policy
that the corporation counsel has made
public in advance Of the coming ses-
sion Of Congress the various items of
proposed legislation for the District,
Sullivan stated.
He listed the following measures as
most important and most deserving
for immediate reaction from organ
lied citizens groups:
l. Powers of the Commissioners Bill.
Last years tentative draft of this
measure caused various reactions
from organized citizens associations
and the federation. This year, the
measure has been redrawn with the
omission Of all Objectionable and con-
troversial items. This re-draft is ex-
pected to be submitted to citizens
groups in the near future.
Drunk Farm Bill Urged.
2. Drunk Farm Bill. This bill will
provide institutional treatment for
the habitual drunkard instead of send
ing him to jail, because this is a social
more than criminal problem.
8. Amendments to Pharmacy Law.
Habit-forning drugs could not be dis
penSed without written prescription
OF licensed physician, dentist or
veterinarian, under the proposed law
Under the existing law, he said, any
person may make such purchases.
4. New Corporation Law. This pro-
posed measure is being prepared by
the District Bar Association. 1t pro-
v1des for formation of all legitimate
corporations, but makes no provision
for the so-called wildcat corpora
tions." The present law in effect is
generally recognized to be entirely
too narrow and restricted, he said.
5. Qualifications Of practitioners of
Law. This legislation is embodied in
pending Senate bill 395. which will
protect innocent citizens from individ-
uals holding themselves as qualified
lawyers, but who are not so qualified.
At present we are far behind other
Jurisdictions in affording protection
to such people.
Lunacy Bill on Program.
8. Changing the procedure in lunacy
proceedings in the District of Colum-
bia. This proposed legislation is en-
bodied in pending Senate bill 407. 1t
provides for a commission on mental
diseases composed Of lawyer and two
psychiatrists in lieu of the present jury
trial. The bill provides, however, the
alleged lunatic may have a jury trial
on demand of himself or of a rela-
tive.
7. Requiring semi-annual inspec-
tion of motor vehicles. This act,
which has already passed the House,
will tend to counteract the enormous
increase in traffic accidents.
8. Strengthening the law against
gambling. This bill, which has al
ready passed the Senate, is sponsored
by the federation and practically all
citizens associations, as well as the
District attorney, corporation counsel
and superintendent of police. It
strikes specifically at "the game of
numbers" and also makes the posses
sion of a gambling device prima facie
evidence of guilt.
Two Jury Bills.
9. Jury trials In Police Court. There
Is q bill now pending, House Bill