Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-01-26


information regarding reported fell
onies, arrests, trial, punishment or
other disposition of such cases. All
of such information, it was stated,
was tabulated and analysed. Com
plete records of offenders, it was
said. are kept and made available
to the proper officials, judges, pa
role boards, etc.
In short, those present were able
to grasp the idea that these COM
missions are fact-finding fact-as-
sembling, fact-analyzing agencies
whose findings prove helpful in a
most practical way in making off,
Gals and public "crime conscious"
Public reports of some of these sta
tistics are made from time to time.
but many times laxities shown
through these analyses are cor
rected when brought to the atten-
ton OF the official who appears
responsible.
Many leaders and some organiza-
lions have given Endorsement to the
plan to organize a commission in
the District. This will be purely a
citizen body. entirely free from any
governmental control and supported
by voluntary contributions. A full
time trained force will be employed
to do this work of gathering, tabu-
lating snalyzing and interpreting
the statistics.
Among those giving hearty APP
prevail to the organizati lion of COM
mission for Washington are Attor-
ney General Cummings, j. Edgar
Hoover and Commissioner Melvin
c. Hazen. BY a motion adopted at
the dinner the dinner committee,
or members willing TO serve, are
acting as an organization COM
nlittee.
Race Track Gambling
Has Strong Opposition.
MOST of the civic organizations.
Az as well as most Of the local
papers, have recorded vigorous OPP
position to the bill just introduced
by Representative Norton, chair
man of the House District Com
mittee, to license race track gam
bling in the District. Many civic
workers who are admirers of Mrs.
Norton express deep regret that
she has sponsored this measure
against which there is such decided
local opposition.
The same bill, introduced in the
Seventy-third Congress by Repre-
sentative Loring Black of New
York and passed by the House,
was defeated in the Senate after a
vigorous campaign of opposition
led by the Federation Of Citizens
Associations. Senators King, Cap
per, Carey. Tydings and Gore are
quoted as being opposed + the
bill. Senator Copeland is reported
to be -committal, but civic
leaders believe that. as he usually
takes the local viewpoint on such
matters, he will also join the OPP
position.
The local support OF this race
track bill comes chiefly from Che
labor organizations. who expect
to reap advantage from the prom
ised expenditure of large sums
in construction work. Some citi-
zens in the Benning- Kenilworth
section see neighborhood prop
erty boom if the track at Benning
is reopened.
Opponents of the bill recall the
unsavory conditions which existed
when the track was operated years
ago and which led to its being
outlawed after a vigorous crusade.
They charge that the real pro-
ponents of this measure seek the
legislation because Of the large
profits they would reap. The OPP
ponents express the conviction
that, instead of the track bringing
money and other benefits to Wash
ington, it will take away far more
than it brings and demorallze a
large part of the community in the
bargain.
Senator Capper blocked the
passage of the bill by the Senate
in the last Congress and promises
to do his utmost against it in the
present Congress.
Agitation Persists
For Subway Survey.
DEOPLE'S COUNSEL ROBERTS
continues to talk subway for
Washington and to urge an appro-
priation for a survey. The Fedora
ton of Citizens Associations at its
recent meeting voted decisively its
opposition to the expenditure OF
SIS 900 for that purpose.
The latest development as to
subway is the tentative subway
plan submitted, at Roberts request.
by Charles E. Myers, Philadelphia
consulting engineer. Myers out
lines an initial system which would
be an integral part of an elaborate
subway system which would be
built eventually An interesting
feature of the Myers report was his
opinion that the amount of $4,000,
suggested by Roberts, would be in
sufficient At the federation meet
ing, Past President James G. Yaden
expressed his belief that survey
might require $4,000.
Roberts has some followers as
advocates of the building of sub
ways and many more who favor a
survey for the definite information
eynected tn he develooed through