Evening star., 1936-04-05

ton upon UlStrlCt uldttcic'
i There have been many
individual expressions of opinion
by members of the District COM
mittees of the Senate and House,
but committee action has been
lacking. The Senate Appropria-
tions Subcommittee on the District
bill resumed Its session on Thurs
day, hearings being granted to
representative of q number OF
civic organizations. All the pre-
vious sessions of the committee
had been devoted to hearing Dis
trict officials. The hearings are
expected to continue through next
week with opportunities for the
Citizens Committee on Health
Items, the Citizens Joint Commit
tee on Fiscal Relations and the
Washington Board Of Trade. These
two latter bodies are expected to
lay particular stress on the increase
of the Federal lump-sum payment.
Visits by Senators William H.
King of Utah and Royal S. Cope
land of New York to the Indus
trial Home School for Girls have
drawn particular attention to the
deficiencies of this institution. In
formed citizens state that the con.
ditions at this home are typical Of
conditions in other District agen-
cies and are attributable entirely to
the failure of Congress to provide
ADEQUATE funds for the carrying on
of these necessary municipal ac-
tivities.
At the District Building a thor
ough consideration Of the elevator
regulations has been given with the
prospect of a number of changes
being made in the code. Interest
in this matter was aroused by the
fatal accident on a so-ealled semi
automatic" elevator.
The expected order Of the Pub
lie Utilities Commission fixing a
standard of capacities of busses
has been held up in order to hear
an argument presented by the
chairman of the Public Utilities
Committee Of the Federation of
Citizens .-ssociations favoring the
limitation of the number Of
standees to five in buses having a
capacity exceeding 80 passengers
and prohibiting all standees in
buses of q smaller capacity. The
Public Utilities Commission also has
under consideration the application
Of the Washington Gas Light Co.
for the approval of an issue of
$3,000,0 900 In Az per cent bonds, to
refund 6 per cent Indebtedness and
to make capital Improvements in
the company's plant and capacity.
Failure of Congress to appro-
pirate sufficient funds to meet re-
lief requirements prompted Com
missioner Hazen to propose boost
ing the gas tax from the present
rate of 2 cents to three cents. The
additional amount, he plans to be
appropriated for relief. Members
Of the House District Committee
from Maryland and Virginia gave
immediate expression Of approval
to this gas tax increase, even sug-
geSting that the increase be made
to 4 cents instead of 8 cents. This
is in keeping with the uniform
stand of these gentlemen as they
have for some years been endeav-
oring to increase the gasoline tax
in the District to match that Of
Maryland and Virginia. Repre-
sentative Ellenbogen Of Pennsyl-
vania, chairman of the Subcom-
mittee on Fiscal Affairs Of the
House District Committee, Is
strongly opposed to the proposed
increase and in this is supported
by the local press and the civic
organizations. The general atti-
tude of these opponents is that
they do not favor any new taxes
or increase in old taxes unless.
after the Federal Government has
paid its fair share Of the cost Of
running the Nations Capital. ad-
ditional funds are found neces-
sary.
The week also developed activi-
ties for cleaning up the streets and
alleys Of the city, there being wide
spread complaint that our beauti-
full National Capital was never so
unattractively dirty.