Evening star., 1936-03-15
SCHOOL MEASURE
AND GAS MERGER
ALSO ARE FAVORED
Change in Job Insurance
Law Is Fourth Proposal
Approved.
HAZEN OFFERS THREE
TRAFFIC SUGGESTIONS
Urges Consideration of Staggered
Hours, Parking Bans and In.
creased Police Force.

Increased penalties for reckless
driving were approved by the Senate
District Committee yesterday IN one
Of four bills ordered favorably re-
ported to the Senate, The other three
measures the committee Endorsed are:
To authorize merger of the WASH
ington & Georgetown Gas Light Co.'S,
with power conferred on the Public
Utilities Commission to permit future
increases in the capitalization of the
merged company.
To raise the standards of the five
public vocational schools to the level
of junior high schools.
To make several minor changes in
the District unemployment insurance
law. including an amendment to pro-
tect from public inspection the rec
ords gathered by the Unemployment
Board relating to employers and en-
ployeS in carrying out the law.
Other Actions Delayed.
The committee also gave prelimi-
nary consideration to three other bills,
but postponed final action pending
further study or hearings by subcom-
mittees. These measures were: To
revise the Juvenile Court law, to make
it an equity, or chancery tribunal in
stead of criminal court; to estab-
lish a new method of handling lunacy
proceedings, and to authorize COM
plete rewriting of the District Code Of
laws.
After approving the measure to put
more teeth in the reckless driving
statute, Chairman King announced
that, for the present, the Senate Com
mittee would not start his proposed
general traffic inquiry. The chair
man agreed with Senator Austin, Re
publican, of Vermont that the Senate
Committee should wait until the House
Subcommittee now studying traffic
completes its work. 1t was indicated
that, when the House report is avail
able, separate Senate inquiry may
not be found necessary.
During a brief discussion OF traffic
problems, Commissioner Hazen sug-
gested consideration be given these
three steps: To stagger the hours Of
Government departments, to eliminate
parking in the congested area, and to
increase the size of the police force.
He predicted, however, that the sug-
gestion on parking would lead to much
controversy.
Prettyman Renews Plea.
Prettyman renewed his proposal for
magistrate courts to dispose of minor
traffic offenses, without the require
ment of having a prospector make out
an information in Police Court. He
argued this would leave the Police
Court free to handle the more serious
offenses.
The reckless driving bill, which still
requires action by the House and SEN
ate, would increase the penalty for
| first offense from Sl00 or 80 days
or both. to $3.50 fine or three months
| imprisonment, or both.
| AS originally introduced, the bill
would have made the f1rst-offens
penalty $500 or six months imprison
ment. Senator Austin thought tina
would be too severe for flrst-offensA
and District officials suggested it bs
cut in half. For a second, or subSe-
| quent, offense within two years this
penalty would become $1,000 or i'm
prisonment for not more than one
year.
The bill to improve the status Of
| the vocational schools already has
passed the House. The other three
bills that were reported favorably by
the Senate group still have to go
| through both houses.
Senators Praise Prettyman.
Members of the Senate committee
and civic organization spokesmen
Joined in voicing regret over the de-
| parture from the District service of
| Corporation Counsel Prettyman, who
made his last appearance before the
committee yesterday. He is resign
ing to resume private practice. Chair
man King and Senator Copeland
praised his work, and they were joined
in similar expressions by Evan H.
(see LEGISLATION, Page B-3)