Evening star., 1939-07-11
Randolph Says Taxi
And 0ptometry Bills
Out This Session
House D. G. Chuirmun
Scores Members for
Lack of Fair PIuy

Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee announced to-
day he would make no further effort
at the present session of Congress
to seek enactment of bills designed
to give the Public Utilities Commits
sion authority to limit the number
of taXicabs in Washington or to
revise existing law regulating the
practice of optometry.
His announcement followed fiat re-
fusal of the House late yesterday to
even consider the two measures. Its
action, unprecedented in recent
years, SO aroused Mr.. Randolph, as
we'll as Representative Nichols, Dem
ocrat, of Oklahoma, an active men,
ber of the District Committee, both
of them took turns in denouncing
the lack of fair play" on the part
of the House and its failure to as
sumo proper responsibility toward
the disfranchised residents of the
District.
To Remain on Calendar.
There is no House rule which
would prevent Representative Ran
dolph from making another attempt
to get the two bills considered the
next District day, July "a, but he
believes such move would be fu-
tile. The two measures will not die
from inaction, however, but will re-
main on the House calendar until
the next session of Congress in
January.
The House first rebuffed Mr.. Ran
dolph yesterday in his effort to have
the optometry bill considered. His
next move to have the taxicab bill
called up met the same fate. Then,
appearing somewhat nonplussed,
he left his seat, walked into the we'll
of the chamber, adjusted the loud
speaker microphone and declared
that the House did not play fair with
its District Committee.
Representative Nichols followed
Mr.. Randolph to the chamber mi
crophone, and in an even more STEM
torian tone, pointed out the respon-
sibility of the House in legislating
for the District.
Representative Dirksen, Repub-
lican, of Illinois, another member
of the District committee, next used
the chamber microphone. He was
not in "scolding mood" however.
His complaint was that oposition to
the optometry bill had come from
| optometrists in various sections of
the country who feared the proposed
District legislation might serve as
a model for the country.
Cites Acceptability.
The optometry bill, Mr.. Dirksen
explained, was acceptable to the
Commissioners, the optometrists in
the District and to most of those
who testified at public hearings.
The taxicab limitation bill, bear
ing the name of Representative Nc
Ardle, Democrat. of Pennsylvania,
would have permitted the utilities
commission to reduce the number of
cabs to 5000 and the number of
drivers to 4,50O.
Representative Nichols sponsored
the bill to amend the optometry
law. 1t would broaden the scope
of existing law and permit depart
ment and jewelry stores with ocu-
lists to practice optometry Several
members who were opposed to this
measure told newspapermen "pri-
vately' they did not believe cor
porations should be given the privi-
lege of practicing optometry.
Representative Randolph's first
move to call up the optometry bill
was delayed by a roll call of the
House membership on a point Of no
quorum raised by Representative
Parsons, Democrat, of Illinois.
AS soon as quorum had been re-
corded 40 minutes later, Representa-
tive Andersen, Republican, of Min
nesota, demanded another roll call
on Mr.. Randolphs motion to have
the bill considered in committee Of
the whole. By 206 to 101 vote, the
House defeated the motion.
Mr.. Randolph's next move to have
the House 60 into committee of the
whole to consider the taxicab bill
met the same fate, this time by a
standing vote of 80 to 36.
That's all the District business
for the day." said Mr.. Randolph de-
jected]y, though there were a half
a dozen other local bills on the House
calendar he could have attempted to
call up.