Evening star., 1937-08-08
Civic Problems, Civic Bodies
District Bills Come Up in House Tomorrow
Unless Sidetracked for National
Business.

thereby materially increase the
yield from that source. Inheritance
and estate taxes and . weight tax
on motor vehicles are Llso in
cluded In the act.
Authority Is given for the COM
mbsioners to obtain advances of
funds from the United States
Treasury pending the collection of
current revenues. The entire pro-
gram is estimated to yield new
additional revenue during the cur
rent fiscal year of $8,075, 900 and
will produce larger amount later.
Five thousand dollars is authorized
to be appropriated to enable the
Commissioners to have study
made OF the local tax situation
to report to Congress In January
next.
The revenue bill AS passed, by
no means solves the Districts
fiscal problem. The legislation
while not nearly so bad as was
feared in civic circles. IS far from
being q model tax law. 1t also
completely fails, rs did the 1898
appropriations act, to recognize the
primary obligation of the Federal
Government to bear its equitable
share of running the District Of
Columbia.
Regulation Of Brokers and Statesmen
Engaged in Real Estate Business.
EOR more than a decade Con-
gress has had under consid-
GRAFTON proposed legislation for the
regulation of real estate brokers
and statesmen in the District Of
Columbia. Several times such
bill has been passed by the Senate,
but failed to get through the House
Of Representatives The House
recently passed the bill, the Senate
committee has concluded \ hearing
on the proposal and it is expected
to receive favorable consideration
by the Senate early this week.
This bill is said to be similar to
the law already existing in 80
States. 1t is designed to protect
the public and reputable real es-
tate brokers and statesmen by pre-
venting unscrupulous persons from
engaging in the real estate busi-
ness.
Applications for license will be
passed on by a three-man commits
sion, which is charged with the
duty OF protecting the public
against fraud In real estate trans
tlons. This commission would pass
on the honesty, intelligence and
competency Of all applicants for
license. An annual license fee is
required OF $50 for broker and
$40 for salesman.
The commission will continue to
police the individuals licensed to
do business under this law, which
regulates the individuals engaging
In such business without regulating
the real estate industry itself
While the bill creates 4 new pov-
ernmental agency which will cost
something to operate, it is COM
pletelv financed from the license
fees collected from the industry.
The bill has been supported by
the Washington Real Estate Board
and other groups. The only op-
position developed has been from
a few individuals.
Commissioner Aliens Referenda
Proposal Is Revived.
PLANs for advisory referenda on
District OF Columbia problems
put out by Commissioner George
E. Allen in the Winter OF 1885 for
local discussion. have been revived.
During the past week bills proyid-
ing for such a system were intro
ouced in the House by Representa-
tive Palmisano, Democrat, OF Mary-
land. and in the Senate by Senator
Reynolds, Democrat, of North
Carolina.
These bills clothe the Commits
s1oners with the authority to hold
not more than two referenda cleo
tions in any one fiscal year. They
are to be only advisory and the
Commissioners In no way bound
by the results. A board Of elections
OF three members appointed bv
tne commissioners for four-year
term would conduct such elections
Referenda would be either city wide
or would poll any particular sec
ton on as many questions as Sc
lected by the Commissioners for
submission to the residents.
All citizens 81 years Of age or
over who have lived In the Dis
trict at least one year prior to an
election would be eligible to vote.
PERSONS with voting privilege
elsewhere would be denied the right
OF taking part In any local refer
enda.
Commissioner Allen, an ardent
advocate OF national representa-
tion for the District Of Columbia.
has believed for a long time that
the referendum would be OF great
value in the voteless and unrepre-
, sented District Of Columbia. He
succeeded in getting the other two
Commissioners to join in approving
plan for referendum on the
liquor license question In the Ia
koma community. There was keen
civic interest In seeing this pro-
posal worked out in the Takoma
section. Every step of the proce-
dure was followed closely, but on
the eve of the referendum elec-
ton those favoring the granting Of
liquor licenses in that section OBJ
tanned a temporary restraining
order from the court, which stopped
all Of the proceedings.
The plans involved in this bill
are fundamentally sound and its
provisions appear capable of be-
Ing nodded into form acceptable
both to the residents of the Dis
trict Of Columbia and to Congress.
In its present form its chief
weakness Is due to the fact that
the Commissioners are clothed
with entirely too much discretion
as to the use of the referendum.