Evening star., 1937-08-21
SESSION CLOSING
WITH TAX BILL AS
MAJOR D. c. LAW
Repeal of Red Rider and
Realty Firm Licensing
Also Accomplished.
SEVERAL IMPORTANT
PROPOSALS HANG FIRE
Taxi Liability, Mechanical In.
spection and Small Claims Court
Fail of Enactment.

An s8,s75,oO0 tax bill to balance
the city's budget under the s45,-
100000 appropriation act was the
major piece of District legislation
enacted during the long drawn out
first session of the Seventy fifth Con-
eress, which is drawing to a close
today
Recognizing that some Of the new
taxes are temporary to meet an
emergency in local finances the House
and Senate have included a $4,000
appropriation in the last deficiency
bill for a thorough study of the
whole tax structure during the re-
cess with a view to revision at the
next session. The principal features
OF the tax measure are a gross receipts
tax OF tWo-fifths of ! per cent on
all business houses and professional
groups, to raise S3000,00O; an in
crease from sl50 to SITS in the
rate on real estate and tangible per-
sonal property, to yield S3,125 900; a
weight tax on automobiles, ST, 500 ,OO0,;
inheritance and estate taxes, $780,
600; increase in insurance tax, $780,
600, and improved collection methods
on personal taxes. S250,O0O.
While the deficit in the citys GEN.
eral fund is only about 100000 the
tax program is not expected to leave
any surplus IN that fund because
the automobile weight tax money goes
into the special highway fund for
street Improvements.
Red Rider" Repealed.
Other important bills enacted into
law include:
/, Repeal of the red rider" SUBJ
iect of controversy for the past two
years during which time all schovl
employees had to file statements every
pay day that they had not taught or
advocated communism.
2. Repeal of the so-called married
persons clause of the old economy
act. which provided that whenever re-
auctions in force were to be made in
any Government Office. persons whose
husbands or wives also were in Fed
eral service had to be let out first.
3. uniform sales act to give the
District comprehensive code gov
ernlng the legal conditions surround
ing the sale of goods in the District,
similar to the standard statute in
most of the States.
The following measures were
passed IN the closing days of the
session and are awaiting either the
signature Of the President or final
agreement between the two Houses
on amendments:
l. To enlarge and promote safety
at the Washington airport at the
south end of Highway Bridge; await
Ing only the Presidents approval.
Realty Brokers Licensed.
2. To license and regulate real es-
tate brokers and statesmen through
commission appointed by the District
commissioners. with authority to re-
woke or suspend licenses for fraud or
unethical practices.
3. Four changes in the local LIQUOR
law to limit the amount individuals
may bring into the city at one time
to l gallon; to do away with the bond
required of dealers to insure payment
of taxes, to eliminate advertising OF
applications for renewal of existing
licenses; and giving the A. B. C. Board
discretion whether to placard places
where licenses have been suspended
4. An amendment to the Waoner-
steagall slum- m-clearance program that
will enable the President to allocate
part OF these funds to the local Alley
Dwelling Authority to expedite its
work Of reclaiming Washington's in
habited alleys.
5. An improved legal procedure for
the adoption of children in the Dis
trlct, mainly by having public welfare
or other social and religious agencies
examine applications before adoption
Is made final. Il also requires the
child to spend six months in the new
home before the decree is made per-
manent
6. Granting a charter to Southeast
ern University of the Y. M. C. A.
7. Remaining the four driveways
through the Mali in honor of the
States OF Maine, Missouri. Oklahoma
and Ohio, whose representatives
pointed out that they had no thor
oughfare in the Nations Capital. The
drives previously were named after
Presidents Washington. Adams, JET
ferson and Madison. The National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion and Secretary 1ckes of the In
terror Department both fought the
measure, suggesting that other streets
outside the park area be named after
the four States 1t is considered
doubtful whether it will be signed by
the President.
Other Laws Passed.
The following have become law:
The so-called n-marriage" law
raising the age-limits from IA to
Is for girls and from Is to 1s for
boys, with requirement that three
days must elapse between application
and granti,- # licenses.
To prevent blindness. the Health
Department Is authorized to prepare
q solution to be distributed to all
physicians and other persons attend
ing childbirth.
To protect consumers in the pur-
chase OF potatoes by requiring deal
ers to label containers, according to
Agriculture Department grades, or to
indicate that they are ungraded.
Changing the definitions of petit
and grand larceny to enable the po-
lice court to handle some cases that
now require grand jury actor.
To prohibit use of spurious slugs
instead of coins in telephone boxes
or other slot machines in the Dis
trict
An amendment to the healing arts
law to enable the License Commission
to pass on which heretofore have re-
quired special action by Congress
Juvenile Bill Delayed.
Several important measures seem
destined TO-. go over unfinished until
the next session 0ne of the new