Evening star., 1937-06-20


cious abuse on the part OF some
members Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives. Some Of the members
OF the District Committee. who
have been devoting their efforts
to perfecting for the District legis-
lation, which the District Is power
less to enact for itself, have had
to share In some OF the abuse. The
point at issue was the omnibus tax
alton bill drawn to take care OF the
Districts anticipated deficit for the
fiscal year 1898.
The House on Monday, District
day. positively declined to consider
the tax bill to the disappointment
OF the District Committee. The
bill was brought up and considered
on Thursday under a special rule
brought in by the Rules Committee.
Consideration was completed in
committee OF the whole late
Thursday and the matter went over
for consideration with numerous
amendments and final action on
Friday.
The only District measure to
pass the House on Monday was the
bill Oh. r. $500 to regulate the
occupation and practices Of cos
metology and to create District
OF Columbia Board OF Cosmetology,
etc. There was some opposition to
the bill on the part Of members
who are opposed to the principle
Of such occupational group licenses
and control.
There Is early prospect Of the
conferees OF the District OF Co
lumbia appropriation bill getting
down to work now that the man.
ayers for the House have been
named. The House members are
the entire membership Of the Dis
trict Subcommittee OF the Com
mittee on Appropriations. There
are numerous differences between
the two houses to be honed out.
1t Is unusual that the amount Of
the Federal payment Is not among
these.
Transfer Of hospitals from the
Board Of Public Welfare to the
Health Department, new bridge
over the Anacostia River at Penn
sylvania avenue. or repairs TO the old
bridge, the reduction Of 100000
in the funds for the proposed
northern high school and other
important matters are among the
differences which will have to be
reconciled. In general the ques-
tions Of difference are reductions
made by the House below the
Bureau OF the Budget figures.
Really the biggest District news
on Capitol Hill during the week Is
the announcement that the Dis
trict Is losing Its able and ener-
getic chairman OF the House Dis
trict Committee. Representative
Mary T. Norton. Democrat, OF New
Jersey. by reason Of the death Of
Representative w. P. Connery of
Massachusetts. is privileged to be-
come chairman Of the important
Labor Committee of which Con-
merry was chairman and she the
ranking member. More about this
elsewhere.
Senator King. chairman Of the
Senate District Committee, has
been confined to his home through
illness and for this reason there Is
little activity In that committee.
1t is expected that one Of the bills
for the periodic inspection Of
motor vehicles, upon which hear
ings were recently held by q Sen
ate subcommittee, will be reported
shortly.
Tomorrow the entire House Dis
trict Committee will hold q hear
ing on the so-called abattoir bill
to prevent the operation Of nui-
sance industries in the District.
This bill, 1t will be recalled, was
reported to the House but recon-
mitted in order that it might be
perfected and hearings held.
Civic interest at the District
Building was centered in the hear
ing Of the rate increase and valua-
ton cases Of the Capital Transit
Co. As usual the hearing started
OF with q lengthy wrangle over
technicalities raised by the chair
man Of the committee on public
utilities of the Federation Of Citi-
zens' Associations. It was finally
decided that the hearing was both
q rate and 4 valuation case. The
commission announced that It
would report its findings as to val
uation for rate-making purposes
before announcing its decision as
to rates.
The commission also, during the
week. issued an order approving q
change in the financial structure
OF the Washington Gas Light Co.
From the proceeds Of an issue Of
10000 shares Of preferred stock
some bank loans are to be paid
off, The remainder OF the money
will buy new property and i'm
prove existing equipment. The
changes authorized may eventually
eliminate the foreign" control Of
the company.
Chairman N6rton's Loss
Will Cause General Regret.
THROUGHOUT the ranks o. Or
ganized civic Washington there
are heard expressions OF the sim
cerest regret at the retirement Of
Representative Mary T. Norton
from the chairmanship of the