Evening star., 1935-01-16
HOUSE COMMITTEE
CHOSEN To STUDY
CRIME IN DISTRICT
Randolph Heads Group Ap.
pointed to Seek Remedy
Here.
QUICK ACTION PLEDGED;
Meeting CALLED FRIDAY
Mrs. Norton Deplores Conditions
in Capital in Urging Thorough
Probe.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


A special seven-member subcom-
mittee of the House District Commit
tee today was named to investigate
crime In Washington with the hope
of speeding remedial legislation.
Representative Randolph of West
Virginia was appointed chairman.
This action was taken at the first
meeting of the House District Com
mittee in this session OF Congress.
Previously Supt. of Police Brown mad
conferred with Randolph.
The new crime unit will hold its
first meeting Friday at $50 am.
Murder Record Cited.
Chairman Norton, in opening the
District Committee meeting. said "an
amazing and alarming prevalence OF
crime in the National Capital was
brought to her attention when she
was a delegate to the Presidents Crime
Conference here several weeks ago.
She told the committee the RECORDS
show 81 murders from January, last
wear. to the end of September, which,
she said, was proportionately 212
times as much as New York City and
40 per cent more than Chicago. Sne
also pointed out there were more than
5000 felonies committed in Washing
ton last year.
In addition to Randolph, the sub
committee is composed of Represent
atiyes Jenckes, Indiana; Werner,
South Dakota; Dirksen, Illinois;
Schultz. Indiana. Brewster, Maine,
and Reed. Illinois.
Representative Randolph said he
has been devoting several weeks TO
an intensive study of the crime situa-
ton and is impressed by its many
ramifications and "deplorable extent.
He declared his subcommittee will
make an earnest, determined and
extensive study of the situation.
A large gallery of citizens. repre-
senting various civic organizations,
business groups and citizens assocla-
tions, attended today's meeting OF the
House District Committee. Mrs. Nor
ton urged conscientious cooperation
by members of the committee as a
patriotic duty to speed passage OF the
program of major legislation recon-
mended by the District Commis-
sioners. She particularly asked that
when District bills are brought up for
consideration in the House that the
members of the District Committee
be in attendance and aid in passage
of these measures.
For the benefit of new members
she explained that the committee
and Congress often feel it difficult to
ascertain what the residents of the
District want in the way of legisla-
ton, since they have no vote and
various groups have conflicting views.
She declared the District Committee
has been treated as a stepchild, but
that, in spite of difficulty in getting
House Members to take sympathetic
interest in District legislation, much
of importance was achieved by
the last Congress. With the CO.
operation of the new committee she
hopes a constructive program of legis-
1ation will be enacted.
Other subcommittee were appointed
today. Mrs. Norton urges the chair
men of all to meet as soon as pos
sible and report back to the full COM
mittee on bills, most of which were
sponsored by the District Commits
sioners and nine of which have
already passed the Senate.
Roster is Announced.
The roster of subcommittee is:
Judiciary, Palmisano, Maryland,
chairman; Patman. Texas; Carpenter.
Kansas; DirkSen, Illinois, and Brew
ster, Maine.
Education, Kennedy, Maryland,
chairman; Mrs. Jenckes, Indiana; !;
Schultz, Indiana; Short, Missouri,
and Fenerty, Pennsylvania.
Public Utilities, Carpenter, Kansas,
chairman; Ellenbogen. Pennsylvania; !;
Randolph, West Virginia; Reed, Illi-
nois, and Brewster. Maine.
Streets and Traffic, Patman, Texas,
chairman; Carpenter, Kansas
Schultz, Indiana; Fenerty, Pennsyl-
vania, and Short, Missouri
Fiscal Affairs, Werner, South Da-
kota, chairman: Ellenbogen, Pennsyl-
vania; Wood, Missouri; Short, Mis-
souri,, and Cole, New York.
Public Health, Mrs. Jenckes, In
diana, chairman; Quinn, Pennsyl-
vania; Nichols, Olahoma; Dirksen
Illinois, and Cole, New York.
Parks and Fairgrounds, Randolph
West Virginia, chairman; Nichols
Oklahoma; Hull, Wisconsin,; Cole
New York, and Fenerty, Pennsylvania
Insurance and Banking, Kennedy
Maryland, chairman; Patman, Texas
MeGehee Mississippi: Fenerty. PENN
sylvania, and Dirksen, Illinois.
Police and Firemen, Ellenbogen
Pennsylvania, chairman: McGehee
Mississippi; Quinn, Pennsylvania
Dirksen, Illinois and Reed, Illinois.