Evening star., 1936-02-19
D. C. Committee RuShes
Measures for Final Vote
in House Monday.
APPROVAL is ORDERED
IN 15-MINUTE SESSION
Body Flatly Rejects Proposal to
Authorized Reappointment OF
Dismissed Policeman.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

OIL 10 SlldDlc JllC SOiAlAilAooAoAASAS u
to get clear titles on property bid In
at public auction for delinquent taxes
was rushed through the House. District
Committee today along with another
measure designed to solve the Police
Department property sale problem.
The committee, however, fatty re-
tected a bill authorizing the Commis-
sioners to reappoint Henry Lee Woods
to the police force and sidestepped ac-
tion on a measure sponsored by Rep
resentative Sisson. Democrat, OF New
York which would modify and clarity
the widely discussed anti-communlsm
rider on the 1886 District appropria-
ton act
Favorable reports we're ordered on
the two bills by the full committee ID
minutes after the Police and Fire
Subcommittee at a special meeting
decided to recommend their approval.
Both measures will reach the House
calendar in time for consideration
Monday, the next so-called District
day"
Hearings Held Last Week.
Hearings were held on the delin-
ouent tax bill last week by the Judi
ciary Subcommittee, during which
severe criticism was directed at the
present tax title sale system, which
permits professional buyers to reap
large profits from property owners.
Although the measure going before
the House does not deal with the pro-
fessional tax title buyers, Corporation
Counsel e. Barrett Prettyman reas-
sured the committee that legislation
covering that situation would be pro-
posed by the Commissioners before the
close of the present session of Con-
gress.
What the approved tax bill actually
does is to relieve the District of the
responsibility of finding every one who
may have some claim to property bid
in at auction for delinquent taxes be-
fore obtaining title.
Under the present law. the District
must name all interested parties as
defendants in suit to acquire title
to such property. This has proved i'm
possible in many cases, with the result
that the District now holds many
pieces of property on which it cannot
acquire the title.
The bill authorizes the Commission
ers to name the last recorded owner
as defendant and to notify all other
interested parties by publication Of
notice Of the suit.
Will Permit Police Sale.
The bill affecting the Police De-
permit the property clerk to sell after
six months at public auction without
q court order all unclaimed property
valued at 500 or less. The limit now
Is $50. The committee, however, added
an amendment permitting the sale OF
unclaimed automobiles after three
months, with a provision that the
fund from such sale be held for six
months before being retained by the
Police Department. This change was
made to allow the department to dis
pose of unclaimed motor vehicles be-
fore they clutter up the property yard.
Another bill recommended by the
Z oCpo1 llllCllb was 1IClo uP AOA
several days until the Police and Fire
Subcommittee has an opportunity to
interview detectives on the force. This
measure would authorize police Of
ficials to assign officers to detective
duty without advancing them to the
rank of detective sergeant with an
automatic increase in pay of $500 a
year. Officers assigned to detective
work without an advance in rank,
however, would receive S240 a year
above the basic salary.
May Report Direct to House.
The subcommittee, at the request of
Chairman Ellenbogen, was given au-
thority to report the bill directly to
the House without full committee ap-
proval II 1t so desires, so that this
measure, too, may reach the House
calendar before Monday.
The bill authorizing the reappoint-
ment Of Woods to the police force was
first rejected by the Police and Fire
Subcommittee. And on its recon-
mendation the full committee ordered
1t tabled.
Woods was dismissed from the force
several years ago, together with John
r. La Foe. Both were found not
guilty by the District Supreme Court,
but the Trial Board recommended
their removal and the Commissioners
approved its action.
The subcommittee granted Woods
Q hearing before it made an adverse
report. He insisted he was innocent
Of the charge.
Although the full committee had
planned to consider the Sisson bill for
modification of the so-called "red
rider" action was delayed pending
public hearings next week by the SUBJ
committee on Education headed py
Representative Kennedy, Democrat, of
Maryland. All phases of administra-
tion of the rider and its effect on
teachers and pupils Of the public
schools will be covered during the
hearing.
Explaining the delay, Chairman
Norton said:
"we want to get the facts so we
can present case to the House."
Missiu0 Girl m Rafuru