Evening star., 1939-06-18
BY JESSE C. SUTER.

Last week was notable for the
number of District measures
passed by the House of Repre-
sentatives and by the Senate.
Monday was District day in the
House, with the Revenue Act of
1899 overshadowing the four
other minor District bills which
were passed. These minor bills
were the so-called fair trade
practice bill,' a bill authorizing
the sale of District real estate
no longer required for public
purposes, another applying Ger
tain zoning restrictions to prop
erty adjacent to Lafayette
Square and one authorizing the
transfer of a portion of the lands
of the Columbia Institution for
the Deaf for highway extension.
The Senate on Tuesday passed
13 District bills, of which 8 go
to the President, having been
previously passed by the House.
These follow: Authority for the
Commissioners to purchase heat
for the buildings in Judiciary
Square and Municipal Center
from the Federal central heating
plant; giving condemnation juries
greater leeway in assessing bene-
fits in proceedings for the OPEN
ing of minor streets; providing
for the widening of Wisconsin.
avenue from r street to Mount
Alto Hospital; exemption from
the requirement to obtain opera
tors permits for drivers of Fed
eral vehicles stationed outside
the District; authority granted
the trustees of Columbia Insti-
tuition for the Deaf to transfer
certain land for a street extern
sion in exchange for land from
the Department of the Interior;
to extend from 60 to 80 days the
investigation period under the
Adoption Act: permission to in
stall underground electric con-
duits under I street, connecting
the properties of the Physicians
Hospital.
The Senate passed and sent
to the House bills amending the
real estate license law, increasing
the quota of the District at the
Naval Academy from to Is,
changing the registration date
for motor vehicles to April l, to
establish a lien for moneys due
hospitals for services rendered
IN cases caused by negligence or
fault of others. and authorizing
the Army chief of engineers to
enter into agreements for the
use Of District water for fire.
tlghting purposes in suburban
Maryland towns.
In the House on Monday the
Vreeland bill to amend the Men,
tai Health Act and the McGehee
bill to amend the unemployment
relief law went over for possible
public hearings.
The District Commissioners
have continued during the week
to sit as a court on their own
act in dismissing the superin-
tendent of the National Train
ing School for Girls in 1887. The
inquiry, which was forced on the
Commissioners, was concluded
on Thursday. Just what the re-
suit will be cannot be foreseen.
The Commissioners, however, are
not expected to bring in a YER
dict condemning themselves or
the Board of Public Welfare.
The District continues to op-
crate with a two-man Board of
Commissioners. George E. Allen,
recently appointed Commissioner,
vice George E. Allen, resigned,
has been confirmed by the Sen
ate, but has not yet been sworn
in and assumed Office. Mr.. Al
lens offices have been completely
renovated and are really the only
clean and attractive spot in the
District Building. The messen-
ger in charge of these rooms
points to them with pride and
says they have been fixed up be-
cause "Mr. Allen likes it that
way"
Compulsory automobile inspec-
ton began its career at No. l in
spection station on Thursday,
with 81 out of the first 60 failing
to pass. Among the number fail
ing to measure up to standard
was the car of the chief of police.