Evening star., 1939-06-25
BY JESSE C. sUTER.


This week ends the civic Or
ganization season 30 far as reg
ular meetings are concerned.
Numerous committees OF the
many organizations will continue
to knock at the doors Of Con-
gress urging that pending legisla-
ton for the District be completed
before adjournment Of the ses-
sion. There are many other
civic problems, which may not
have reached the congressional
pressure stage, requiring atten-
ton continuously. These must
be looked after no matter how
warm the weather or how badly
vacations may be needed.
Tomorrow is another District
day in the House Of Representa-
tives, when several bills of general
interest are expected to receive
action. Among these are the
one to amend the lunacy law
and the one limiting the number
Of taxicabs and taxicab drivers.
The District appropriation bill
Is in conference, but no progress
has been made, due to an appar-
ent deadlock. principally, over the
amount of the Federal payment
toward the expenses Of the Ma
tional Capital. The District taxa
ton bill has been rewritten by
the Senate District Committee
eliminating the inequitable in
come tax and other House fea-
lures and providing for the pay
ment by the United States of q
share toward the expenses of the
District by the formula known
as the Overton plan. The taxa
ton bill is expected to pass the
Senate in the form drafted by
the committee and to join the
appropriation bill in a protracted
conference.
The indications are that there
will be little, if any, more Dis
trict legislation during the re-
mainder of the session. Our
legislators as general rule, when
the weather gets hot, maintain
an attitude of interest only In
the legislation demanded by their
voting constituents and their
party leaders.
The Commissioners finally got
through the post-mortem investi-
CATION into the case of the de-
posed superintendent Of the
National. Training School for
Girls. So far there has been no
verdict announced. The former
superintendent only asks that
the records in the case be altered
so as to make it appear that her
resignation was accepted, with
out prejudice, rather than show
that she was removed for cause.
A notable event of the week
was the holding Of a public meet
ing by the District Of Colum-
bia Suffrage Association for the
airing of District grievances. A
number of four minute speeches
were made and resolutions were
adopted memorializing Congress
for relief. A large delegation, rep
resenting the meeting, assem-
bled at the Capitol the following
morning and presented petitions
for the enactment of a bill which
would include graduated income
tax and other features. This was
urged in lieu of the Senate COM
mittee proposal because of the
near approach to the adjourn
ment of Congress to continue for
the present certain existing taxes.
The National Capital Park and
planning Commission held its
regular monthly two-day meeting
on Thursday and Friday and
considered many subjects of great
Importance. One of the urgent
matters before the commission
was the acquisition of a mid-city
site for playground. The lack
Of play facilities in the mid-city
sections is one of the most serious
of the recreation problems and
has an important street safety
angle.
Thoughts of the civic and
otherwise patriotic minded are
now being turned toward the
proper observance of Indepen-
dence Day. The voteless and un-
represented people of the Dis
trict of Columbia continue to
persist in the celebration of the
glorious Fourth Of July even
though denied the equal privi-
leges promised by that remark
leges promised by the Declara-
ton of Independence.