Evening star., 1937-11-14
SPECIAL SESSION
TO Be RECEPTIVE
T0D.C. MEASURES
Bankhead Will Confer With
PaImisano on Pending
Local Bills.
LEGISLATION POSSIBLE
ON STREET CAR FARES
Randolph and Dirksen Ready to
Resume Probe of Financial Struc.
ture of Capital Transit Co.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

BY WILL p. KENNEDY.
The door is not closed to District
legislation at the special session
which opens tomorrow, Speaker Bank
head said last night.
He intends to have a conference
with Chairman Palmisano of the
House District Committee early this
week to find out if any necessary Dis
tr1ct measures are pending, he said
III there are any bills before the
House District Committee which
should be passed promptly, the op-
portunity probably will be given" said
the Speaker He pointed out that
the District Committee is entitled to
its regular days in the House during
the special session..
Chairman Palmisano will welcome
the conference because he has been
planning to consult the Speaker re-
garding District legislation. He said
that if, at the conference to be held
this week, the Speaker indicates to
him that District legislation can be
taken up he will call his committee
together and start consideration of
The pending District measures.
May Start Tax Hearings.
1t is not expected that the District
Commissioners will have their tax
program ready in time, but if they
DO. Chairman Palmisano is ready to
appoint a special subcommittee to
start hearings so that the revised tax
Dill can be ready for the regular ses-
sion in January.
An effort will be made to get
through some legislation as a result of
the increase in street car fares-from
four tokens for so cents to six for so
cents--approved by the Public Util-
tiles Commission during the recess of
Congress. 1t was indicated by several
returning members of the District
Committee.
one of the major subjects to be
discussed by the committee is con-
tinuing the investigation of the Capi-
tai Transit Co., which was started
before Congress adjourned and was
abruptly halted. Representative Jen-
nings Randolph is chairman of the
investigating subcommittee, and the
other members are Representatives
Dirksen, Republican, and Arnold.
Democrat. both of illinois, The in
vestigation IS based on two bills in-
troduced by Mr.. Dirksen, one of which
would place the maximum fare on
street car and buses at Z cents: and
the other would abolish the opera
ton of one-man street cars.
Finance Probe Possible.
When the hearings we're started it
was promptly announced that the
subcommittee would also 60 into the
financial structure of the Capital
Transit Co. and its relationship to
the North American Co., a gigantic
public utilities holding corporation.
According to records of the Public
Utilities Commission the North Amer
ican Co. controls the Capital Transit
Co., through owning slightly moro
than so per cent of the common
stock.
Chairman Randolph said that he
Is ready to resume hearings and Rep
resentative Dirksen said that he will
push the matter vigorously, eSpe-
cially since the street car fare was
increased during the absence of Con-
greSs.
Chairman Collins of the subcom-
mittee which is to start hearings on
the District appropriation bill Decem-
Der / is expected to cooperate with
the Randolph subcommittee, because
he favors restoring the office of peo-
pies counsel before the Public Utilities
Commission and broadening it's scope.
Other members of the committee said
they would not be surprised if an ef-
fort is made to have the Public Utili-
ties Commission abolished.
Taxi Bill to Be Pushed.
An effort will be made also to push
the bill to limit the number of taxi
cabs in the District. The Public Util-
titles Commission is said to be ready to
renew its plea for such reduction,
pointing out that there are 4,800 taxi
cabs here, more per capita than in
any city in the country. If granted
permission the Utilities Commission
plans to reduce the number to $500.
One of the most important District
measures on which congressional ac-
ton is hanging fire is the Juvenile
Court bill, which is still in conference
between the House and Senate. Final
action on that measure is sought.
Effort is also being made to have some
action taken on the so-called BARRIERS
IL