Evening star., 1938-03-26
military ROADS
CLOSING AND TAXI
| BILLS ARE PASSED
Senate Motion, However,
Ties Insurance Measure
Indefinitely.
FORMER MEASURE SENT
TO HOUSE FOR ACTION
Bill to Add Three Judges to
Federal Courts of District Is
Taken Up but Deferred.

The Senate yesterday passed the
Copeland bill to close Military road
adjacent to Washington Airport, and
the House bill for compulsory taxi
cab insurance in the District, but the
taxicab measure was tied up later
in the day by the filing of motion
to reconsider.
The Military road BILL differing
in some of its details from the one
President Roosevelt vetoed last year,
goes to the House for action.
Although the taxicab insurance bill
technically has Senate approval, 1t is
checkmated against final enactment
until the motion to reconsider, which
was entered by Senator Andrews,
Democrat, of Florida, is acted upon.
Senator Andrews said he made the
motion on behalf of himself and
Senator Reynolds, Democrat, of North
Carolina, who was absent.
No Time Limit on Motion.
If there should be no opportunity
to dispose of the motion to recon-
slider during the remainder of the
session, the taxicab measure, which
has been under consideration for
eight years, again would fail of enact
ment. When motion to reconsider
is entered within two days after the
passage of a bill. there is no time
limit within which it must be dis
posed Of. Chairman King Of the
Senate District Committee said last
night, however, he would seek to
have the reconsideration acted on at
the first opportunity.
The Senate also passed without
amendment and sent to the President
a minor House bill defining the
duties of the chief clerk and S...-t
inspector of the Health Department.
The Ashurst-Hatch bill to provide
three additional judges for the Federal,
courts in the District of Columbia, and
increasing the number in other parts
of the country, also was taken up, but
postponed for later consideration. The
Senate at the time was working on its
unanimous consent calendar, and
Senator Burke, Democrat, of Nebraska,
said the Importance of the judgeship
bill made it advisable to take it up
when more time could be devoted to It.
$25.00O Payment Called For.
The Copeland bill, which still re-
quires House action, authorizes closing
of Military road between Highway
Bridge and Arlington Cemetery to
improve landing facilities at the
Washington Airport. upon payment by
the airport of $4,000 to Arlington
County for the building of new road.
1t also authorizes leasing of another
part of the road lying east of the rail-
road tracks to the airport. but omits
provisions of last years bill for the
leasing of adjacent Agriculture De-
partment land and for the filling in
of the nearby lagoon.
With regard to the taxicab insurance
bill, Senator Andrews said he wanted
further consideration given to Senate
Committee amendments striking out
House provisions that would have au-
thorized blanket policies or the estab-
lishment of a sinking fund to cover
the liability on fleets of cabs. The
Florida Senator said he also wanted
to consider the effect of the bill on,
individual cab owners, expressing the
view that unless they were able to
raise their fares, the added expense
might make it difficult for them to
operate.