Evening star., 1936-01-14
SEVEN BILLS PASS
TWO ARE KILLED.
IN FIRST D. c. DAY.
House Calendar Virtually
Cleared of Legislation
for District.
LAWYER QUALIFICATION
MEASURE is DEFEATED
Permission for Children to Appear
on Stage and in Concerts Also
Is Turned Down.
nv JAMES r. CHINN.

JAN1Go SAAAANAss
The House observed the first So
called District day" of the current
session yesterday by virtually clearing
its calendar of District legislation.
passing seven bills and killing two.
One of the defeated measures would
have permitted children to take part
in professional concerts and stage
productions under supervision. The
other, passed by the Senate at the
last session, was intended to set up
qualifications for lawyers.
The wave of opposition to these
two measures developed Unexpectedly
as members Of the House attempted to
make national issues out of what
Chairman Norton of the District Com
mittee described as purely local legis-
lation." The bill relating to the
lawyers was killed when the House
eliminated its enacting clause on mo-
ton OF Representative McFarlane,
Democrat, of Texas. The one which
would have permitted children to
appear on the stage was defeated,
227 to 68, on a roll call vote.
Four Pass Without Debate.
Four of the successful bills were
regarded as minor in character and
passed without debate. Three of
them authorize issuance Of licenses to
Drs. Arthur B. Walker. Ronald A. Cox
and PAX Chue Chan to practice the
healing art. The other authorizes
the Health Department to open graves
without congressional approval as now
required.
Two of the three other bills passed
were an outgrowth of recommenda-
tions by the special committee which
investigated crime conditions In WASH
ington at the last session. One de-
fines bribery and prescribes punish
penalties for habitual criminals.
The next in the group Of approved
bills would raise the standard Of voca-
tional schools to the level of junior
high schools and give teachers in vo-
cational schools the same salary as
those in junior high schools. It is
estimated this change will add about
$1,000 a year to the school budget.
Charges that the bill relating to the
qualifications of lawyers would give
members of the District bar a monop-
oily on all phases of legal business
were hurled during debate on that
measure.
Monopoly Effort Charged
McFarlane. whose motion resulted
in the death of the bill. declared: "In-
stead of having the title which this
bill has relative to the qualifications
of practitioners of law in the District
of Columbia I think 1t ought to be
entitled an act to give the lawyers
of the District of Columbia a mo-
nopoly of the legal business
McFarlane also argued that the bill
was far-reaching in scope and would
affect members of Congress in their
relations with Government officials for
constituents back home. This is q
bill" he declared, which gives Dis
trict of Columbia lawyers a monopoly
on the legal business and puts us
on the spot in connection with every
piece of business that we handle in
connection with the various depart
ments. This bill would require each
one Of us to take out q license, at
considerable expense to ourselves, be-
fore we could gratuitously represent
any constituent here in the District
of Columbia"
Vainly. Representatives Palmisano,
Democrat, Of Maryland and Dirksen,
Republican. of Illinois, both members
Of the District Committee, sought to
defend the merits Of the bill, pointing
out it embodied proper safeguards.
Harlan Fights Children's Bill.
Representative Harlan. Democrat, oi
Ohio led the fight against the bill
to permit children to take part in
stage productions and professional
concerts. He was aided by Representa-
tive Caroline ODay, Democrat. of New
York.
Mrs. ODay took the position enact.
ment Of the bill would weaken the
chances of early passage Of Federal
amendment against child labor. She
pointed out that while the stage chill
dren would be protected in Washing
ton, the Board Of Education, which
would have controlled the children
would have no way Of determining the
safeguards thrown around them when
they leave Washington.
Mrs. Norton sought to explain that
the purpose and effect Of the bill
were grossly misunderstood and that
it was copied after the New York
statute. She declared theater owners
had told her not more than "a children
would be affected each year, but that
the legislation, II enacted, would allow
outstanding productions in which
children appear as well as concerts
featuring musical prodigies to perform