Evening star., 1936-03-29
BY JESSE C. SUTER.

XTREME quiet has prevailed
- at the District Building
/ during the week as the
- Commissioners and some of
their principal aides have been
appearing before the District Sub
committee of the Senate Commit
tee on Appropriations. The Com
missioners have really been in de-
mand for appearance before con-
gressional committees. While at
tending the hearings Thursday on
the 1887 supply bill before the
Senate subcommittee the chairman
Of House subcommittee was be-
rating them for not appearing be-
fore his committee at the same
hour.
District Commissioners never
appeared to be so in demand,
which calls to mind feature Of
the plan of the late Mrs. John B.
Henderson for the government Of
the District. She proposed gov
ernor who would be social func-
tionary and official welcomer to
the District and about five Com
misSioners who would head the
several general departments. Work
ing singly. 1t has been suggested
five Commissioners, with their sec
ton chiefs, could attend as many
meetings Of congressional commit
tees at the same time.
The House District Committee
met on Wednesday and managed
to consider some legislation, even
though the little red rider"
showed a decided inclination to
monopolize the time. Favorable
reports were voted on three bills.
These included the bill establishing
a system of magistrate courts to
handle minor violations of the
traffic and police regulations, reg
ulation Of beauty parlors and au-
thoriZing the merger of the two gas
companies
The magistrate courts bill, as ap-
proved by the committee, would
set up four courts each with a
magistrate at salary Of S2,500 a
year and provide alternate magis-
trates at compensation of $1,000
year. Other amendments in
cluded abolishing the proposed
provision requiring the posting Of a
fee of $40 by a defendant If he
appealed his case to the Police
Court.
Changes made in the gas COM
pany merger bill were approved by
Public Utilities Commissioner
Keech and Peoples Counsel Rob-
erts.
Hearings were also held during
the week on H. r. $500 for
Recorder of Deeds Building by a
subcommittee under the chair
manship of Representative Ellen
bogen of Pennsylvania. This bill
conflicts with the plans for the
Municipal Center, in which it is
provided that the Juvenile Court
and the recorder of deeds Office
shall share the same building. The
Commissioners made an unfavor-
able report on this bill June 81,
1895.
There were two noteworthy
events of the week One was the
Court of Appeals decision declaring
invalid the new jury law. which was
so full of promise through provid-
ing a broader field from which to
select intelligent jurors. The other
vas the District Red Cross, as
usual, going over the top" with
its S25, 900 quota of the 100000
for food relief. In addition to the
money, large quantities Of good
clothing were also donated for the
flood sufferers. Organized civic
Washington points with just pride
to the fact that the District never
lags in the performance of any
civic duty, either local or national.
which it is permitted to perform.
Under the Court OF Appeals de-
cision the District is again to be
deprived Of the services on juries
of local residents who are Govern
ment emplOyes