Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-30
BY JESSE C. SUTER.
LEGISLATIVE activity on Dis

W % ~
7 LEGISLATIVE activity on Dis
trict measures has been
marked during the past
. week. Monday was District
day in the House but only two
bills passed. These were the bill
relieving the Commissioners and
other officials Of the District gov
eminent, who handle no funds,
from the requirement to give surety
bonds, and the airport bill. The
first bill was generally approved but
the airport bill, as passed, con-
tains many features not at all sat-
isfactory to District citizens. The
chief objections are to the pro-
posal to saddle the entire cost OF
the project on the District and to
have it operated independent OF
the local community which would
have to pay for 1t. 1t Is supposed
that title TO the property would be
in the United States just as in the
case Of the parks and recreation
centers acquired by the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission through the expenditure Of
District funds.
On Tuesday the Senate passed
the bill abolishing hidden bars and
six other measures. as follows:
The bill changing the levying Of
special assessments for street paw
ing so that exemptions shall not
apply to property which paid prior
assessments for paving before jan
uary /, 1885. This bill has passed
the House.
The Copeland bill for smoke con-
troll.
Authority for the Pennsylvania
Railroad to substitute a waiting
room for its present station at Sew
enth and c streets southwest.
Repeal of the law requiring the
Commissioners and other District
officials to give bond.
A bill to license a physician to
practice the healing arts.
A joint resolution authorizing
special regulations during the en-
campment OF the Grand Army of
the Republic in September, 1896.
The House District Committee on
Thursday reported out IL bills in
an attempt to clear its calendar.
These include the Copeland smoke
control bill and four bills recon-
mended by the Crime Inquiry
Subcommittee. These are bills
limiting jury trials TO those re-
quired by the Constitution, extend
ing the time for jury service in the
Police Court from two weeks to
one month as provided in the Dis
trict Supreme Court: making
large number Of citizens eligible for
Jury service who are now exempt;
Withdrawing the right OF women
to decline jury service for I'M
named reasons. Other measures re-
ported provide for semi-annual in
Spection of motor cars. small loan
bill. increased fines for prostitu-
ton, authorizing the substitution
of a waiting room for the Penn
sylvania Railroad station at Sew
enth and c streets southwest. in
creased qualifications for lawyers
and the bill to raise the standard of
the vocational schools to that Of the
Junior high schools.
The bill to tighten the gambling
laws is still in subcommittee and
no hint Of consideration. The di-
vorce bill still awaits action. The
Senate committee has been holding
hearings on the Ellenbogen unem-
ployment insurance bill which is
far from satisfactory to the local
citizens In the form passed by the
House. 1t smacks SO strongly of a
laboratory experimental measure
that Commissioner George E. Allen
entered a vigorous protest against
the use of the District as guinea
pig.