Evening star., 1935-07-21
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Fourteen District bills, covering viz
tually every phase of legal and mu-
nicipal activity, will be considered by
the House tomorrow on what may be
the last District day. of the current
session of Congress.
Only two of the measures, however,
are regarded as controversial-one de-
signed to revive the wartime Rent
Commission and the other to liberalize
the divorce laws so an absolute decree
can be granted on grounds other than
adultery.
Representative Ellenbogen, Demo-
crat, of Pennsylvania, author of the
rent-control bill, has indicated he will
make a determined fight to have it
passed. Its fate, nevertheless, is IN
doubt, due chiefly to the fact that
members of Congress who proposed
the legislation as a protest against
high rentals, think they will be out Of
Washington in a few weeks. Other
members believe the law of supply and
demand will automatically adjust the
rent situation.
Little Comment at Capitol.
In fact, there's been very little
comment around the Capitol in the
last few months about the rental
situation. The furore started soon after
Congress convened, and after Ellen
bogen prepared his bill and pushed it
as far as the House calendar, the rent
profteering" complaints gradually
diminished. fe%
The Ellenbogen. bill, incidentally,
has been on the House calendar for
more than month, and no effort has
been made to call it up for conSidera-
ton on the last two District days.
Now, however, it ranks second on the
calendar preferred position-and
obviously cannot escape House atten-
ton.
The divorce bill already has passed
the Senate, but, like the rent-control
measure, its course through the House
is somewhat dubious. There are quite
a number of members who fear its
enactment might make Washington
another Reno. Anyhow, its sponsor,
Representative Carpenter, Democrat,
of Kansas, is confident of its passage.
"I am sure" he said last night, that
the bill will be passed. All of the
Objectionable features, think, have
been removed"
Under the existing law, adultery Is
the only ground for an absolute di-
vorce in the District. The bill will
add desertion for two years, separation
for five years without cohabitation and
conviction of felony involving moral
turpitude and sentence to penal in
stitution for not less than two years.
Originally the bill would have made
cruelty, incurable insanity for five
years and drunkenness for one year
grounds for an absolute decree, but
these features were removed in COM
mittee as a result Of vigorous opposi-
ton. Cruelty, however, will constitute
grounds for a limited divorce for two
years, after which it can be made abb
solute if the couple is not reconciled.
Three of the other bills are in
tended to improve the Police Court
jury system. These measures were
prepared on the basis of recommended
tions of the special Crime Investigat-
ing Committee, headed by Represent
ative Randolph, Democrat, of West
Virginia.
Increase in Jury Service.
One would increase jury service
from IS to 80 days to coincide with
Jury service in the District Supreme
Court. Another would limit jury trials
to cases in which constitutional rights
Sv,u To1 ho
move a number of existing excuses
from jury service and make available
members of the Army, Navy and Ma
rine Corps, Coast Guard and National
Guard.
Another of the IA bills provides for
q semi-annual mechanical inspection
of motor vehicles at stations to be
operated and maintained by the Dis
trict government. The initial inspec-
ton would cost 81. After that the fee
would be so cents.
The others follow:
A bill to amend the child labor act
DO that children may participate in
professional concerts and dramatic
productions.
same status as junior high schools.
A bill to authorize the Pennsylvania
Railroad to substitute waiting room
for its present substation at Seventh
and c streets southwest.
A bill to raise the standards of the
legal profession.
A bill to increase the penalty for
prostitution.
A bill to regulate the smoke nui-
Bance.
A bill to authorize the Benevolent
Protective Order of Elks of the World
to use the public parks during its con-
vention in August.
A bill to require women to serve on
5uries.
Aside from trying to have these IA
bills passed, the District Committee
will meet Wednesday to take final ac-
ton on the report of the Crime Inves-
tigating Committee, which recon-
mends the removal of United States
Attorney Leslie C. Garnett.
The report was approved several
months ago, but its reconsideration
was ordered as a result of the opposi-
tion to several recommendations. espe-
ciallY. the one calling for Garnett's
replacement.
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