Evening star., 1936-06-07
STUDY Of DC. BILLS
IS URGED BY LODGE
Federation Says Groups Act
on Measures Too
Perfunctorily.

More careful consideration Of Dis
trict legislation before Congress by
local civic bodies is urged by Thomas
Ellis Lodge, president, Federation Of
Citizens Associations.
Too often, he believes, civic or.
ganizations receive a bill, and, after
perfunctory study, will either approve
or condemn the measure without CIV
ing attention TO the phraseology en-
ployed by its formulators. When this
happens Congress is advised that so
many civic groups approve q bill
which could be improved by a few
changes; or Congress is advised local
citizens oppose a ball, which, with a
few changes. would greatly serve to
improve conditions.
Cites Juvenile Court Bill.
The Juvenile Court bill introduced
at this session of Congress is cited by
Lodge as an example. The original
bill presented at this session has, up
to the present time, been the subject
Of 81 amendments accepted by its
sponsors; in other words, its sponsors
agreed it was defective in 81 respects,
and by several other amendments sug-
gested by members of Congress after
hearings held on the BILL" Lodge de-
clared in the civic broadcast over
WMAL Thursday evening.
"And yet" Lodge added. with refer
ence to the Juvenile Court bill, 1--WE
find many people who have given no
thought or study to the subject read
| lily and wholeheartedly supporting the
original bill as it was introduced in
this Congress" 1t is only by careful
study and consideration of these bills
that the committees in Congress will
give careful study to the recommenda-
tions made.
There have been 256 bills introduced
into both houses of Congress this ses-
sion, he said. A great many Of these
bills have been duplicates introduced
in the House and Senate, but, on the
other hand, great many bills de-
signed to bring about the same result
| have been introduced in the respective
sides of the Capitol in entirely differ
ent forms, and, of necessity, one or the
| other have had to be abandoned.
Some of the more important bills con-
sidered at this session we're reviewed
by Lodge.
Still No Representation.
Although the District is votelesS and
powerless, the Seventy-fourth Congress
has given no relief in this regard, he
pointed out. Great strides have been
made during this session in securing
more sympathetic understanding in
Congress of the needs for national
representation. Many lose sight Of
the distinction between national rep
resentation, which means, N sub
stance, the right to representation in
| Congress by residents Of the District
and the right to sue and be sued in
| the Federal courts, as distinguished
from local suffrage, which, in sub
stance, means the right to elect every
officer of every nature that operates
in the District.
With the closing of Congress much
civic activity will cease until the Fall.
Lodge asserted. However, the fedora
ton will throughout this time be avail
able to give assistance to questions
Of local prominence.
Each week a speaker on civic az
fairs has spoken on current problems
in the series Of broadcastS over WMAL.
The series is sponsored by the fedora
ton and directed by Lodge. Lodge
declared this may be the final address
of the season until Fall, but definite
announcement Of future schedules
will be made later. He invited COM
ment on the present series from lis
teners to the broadcastS.