Evening star., 1936-01-12
LODGE CITES DUTY
OF CITY RESIDENTS
Pending Bills Held Reason
Enough for Joining
Citizen Groups.

non-members Of Washington's citizens
associations to join their local groups.
OF the SO member associations OF
the federation there is no resident
Of the city who could not join an
association which does not represent
his area The federation. through
the reactions of these member bodies
has been successful in obtaining much
useful legislation and instrumental
in defeating harmful measures which
are proposed to affect the District,
he believes.
To determine whether or not a pro-
posed bill is proper for the District
1t must be aScertained whv such
bill has been proposed. who are its
advocates and If it benefits the great
majoriSr nf citizens rather than a
selected few.
Backs District Vote.
There can be no doubt that the
citizens of the District of Columbia
should have national representation"
Lodge declared in a radio address
over Station WMAL Thursday eve
ming.
National representation means,
briefly, representation Of the citizens
of the District of Columbia in the
House and Senate of the United
States, and an equal status with
residents of several States before the
Federal courts" Representatives OF
the District would not only study
its problems, but would follow them
through the Congress, he declared.
Many members of the District COM
mittees have shown interest in mu-
nicipal affairs; however. they have
their own constituents to take care
of and their ACTIVITY in national prob
lens place District problems third,
and even further down the list Of their
interest, Lodge stated. This is not
by way of criticism" he said, but
rather inviting your attention to the
real fact"
Many members of Congress also
come from smaller cities and towns
and have no experience in the affairs
of larger cities The bill giving ma
tional representation to the District
should have the wholehearted support
Speech Given Weekly.
Each week a civic leader speaks over
civic interest. The series is sponsored
by the federation and is under direc-
ton of Lodge.
This weeks speaker will be DR..
Charles B. Campbell, delegate to the
federation from the Medical Society
of the District and member of the
Mount Pleasant Citizens Association.
DR.. Campbell will speak on Wash
tngton City-The Beautiful"
Lodge, in his address last week,
mentioned several of the 7S pending
District bills which should receive
the attention of organized citizens
associations.
The bill to broaden the powers of
the District Commissioners has had
stormy path and most of its objec-
tions have been deleted from the
measure as 1t now stands. 1t does
appear, he declared. there is existing
need to broaden their power to make
1t unnecessary for Congress to act
on minor legislative matters.
Most civic groups favor the bill to
strengthen the gambling laws. The
bill strikes particularly at the numbers
game and makes the possession of
numbers slips, gambling devices, etc,
pr1ma facie evidence of guilt The bill,
which has the support of United
States Attorney Leslies c. Garnett, has
passed the Senate
The bill with respect to iury trials
in Police Court deserves careful at
tention from every citizen because,
regardless of whether he has had
trouble with the court in a criminal
way, attention should be given to
such legislation that might take away
from him any right in the event of
an unjustified charge against him or
relative. :.
Auto Inspection Approved.
District officials strongly advocate
the bill providing for semi-annual
inspection of automobiles, Lodge de-
clared. The bill provides for testing
stations, where no repairs are made,
but where defects may be found by
testing. "Of course" he asserted,
the passage of this bill will not
solve the traffic problem, but it GER
tainly may be of some assistance"
The bill known as the new corpora
ton law, intended to modernize pres
ent laws, has the support of the
District OF Columbia Bar Association.
A change in procedure in lunacy
cases is proposed in another measure.
The present Senate BILL it is agreed
by many psychiatrists, lawyers, civic
leaders and others, must be wholly
rewritten. 1t is proposed to create a
commission on mental diseases con-
sisting of two psychiatrists and one
member of the bar who willis give his
full time to the work.
The new Juvenile Court bill is sub
ject to many objections, both as to
substance and form, he revealed.
Doubtful Of Subway.
Of several bills pending with ref
erence to new traffic regulations there
Is one pending intended to provide
$4,000 to authorize subway survey.
The outstanding results will be to de-
teTmlne Wnetner or not WASHINGTON
needs subway, how much it will cost,
how financed and where it will be
placed.
Il am not convinced that subway
Is either necessary or practical" he
asserted. Il do not believe that the
Federal Government will be SUFFICIENT
ly convinced to pay for all CT any part
OF It," Nor does he believe taxpayers
OF the District should be obliged to
create a tremendous bond issue for
the accommodation of limited mum.
ber Of people. 1t does not seem prac-
tical to finance so large project from
current funds and it is not probable
that any private corporation or public
utility would undertake it.
THE people of Washington do not
Y1f q hnt1I