Evening star., 1940-02-12
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

BY JAMES E. CHINN.
Three more investigations were or
dered today by the House District
Committee.
The new inquiries will involve:
l. Charges that the public is being
fieeced by some gasoline dealers
selling straight gas at premium
prices.
2. Charges that Tbaby peddling"
agencies are in existence in WASH
ington.
g. Charges that spirit mediums.
clairvoyants. fortune tellers and
other alleged psychic personalities
are engaged in fraudulent" prAc-
tices.
The committee also recalled from
the House calendar the McGehee bill
to liberalize the District unemploy-
ment compensation act to permit
the Washington Board of Trade and
other interested organizations to
recommend amendments.
Special Gas Subcommittee.
A special subcommittee of three
members was created to investigate
the gasoline situation. It is COM
posed of Representatives Nichols
Of Oklahoma, who proposed this in
quiry; Poage Of Texas, both Demo-
Gratis. and Bolles, Republican, Of
Wisconsin.
Investigation of the spirit me-
diums, fortune tellers, palmists. ETC..
will be made by the Police and Fire
Subcommittee, headed by Repre-
sentative Schultz, Democrat, of In
diana.
Police Supt. Ernest w. Brown,
however, was ordered to make the
investigation of the alleged baby
pecdling" agencies. The Police and
Fire Subcommittee was instructed
to cooperate with Maj. Brown in
this inquiry.
The special subcommittee are
now making investigations ordered
recently by the-full committee. One
is inquiring into conditions at the
Home for the Aged and Infirm and
other welfare institutions. Another
is making preparations to investi-
gate the liquor situation and the
policy of the Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board in issuing and renew
ing licenses.
Randolph Gave Promise.
Decision of the committee to re-
call the unemployment compensa-
tion bill from the calendar followed
an announcement Saturday by
Chairman Randolph he had prom
lsed 20 influential organizations
not to call it up today in the House
Lawrence E. Williams. president
of the Washington Board of Trade
told the committee he was "verv
grateful for the DELAY because it
would give the organizations con-
cerned with the legislation an op-
portunity to propose amendments
that would make it more work.
able"
He said representatives of employ
ers, labor and the Unemployment
Compensation Board would get to-
gether and work out the amend
ments.
Mr.. Nichols said he wondered
why the organizations waited until
the bill was on the House calendar
before deciding to propose amend
ments. Mr.. Williams replied that
the organizations did not have suf-
Acient time properly to study the
bill before it was reported out of
the committee.
Amendment Notice Given.
Representatives Kennedy and
D'Alesandro, Maryland Democrats,
served notice they intended to offer
amendments when the committee
considers the changes to be recon-
mended by the various organiza-
tions.
Investigation of spirit mediums,
clairvoyants, fortune tellers, ETC.,
was ordered as result of a letter
Chairman Randolph read to the
committee from u. L. Di Ghilini,
who offered to give q demonstra-
ton to the members to expose de
ceptions" of these people.
you boys are getting into pretty
deep water" warned Mr.. Nichols.
II like rooster fights. They are
against the law in Oklahoma. But
the game is flourishing there under
prohibition and lot of boys are
making money and putting on some
pretty good fights.
MY wife loves to 60 to fortune
teller. She gets good deal of
pleasure out of it. If my wife wants
(See D. c. COMMITTEE, Page A-5)