Evening star., 1940-05-14
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For Extra D. {.
Day in House
Controversial Bills
Are Avoided as
Six Are Passed

House leaders are expected to be
asked today by members of the
District Committee to set aside
special day next week to clean UP
the calendar OF local legislation.
There are three important but
highly controversial bills on the
calendar the committee is anxious
for the House to consider before it
turns into the homestretch toward
adjournment. The next so-called
District day" is scheduled for May
~ but by that time, District Com
nlittee members fear, the House
may be too engrossed in last-minute
national legislation to turn atten!
ton to local affairs. The tenta-
tive date for adjournment of Con-
greSS has been set for June 8.
Reorganization Included.
Outstanding among the contro-
versial bills on the calendar await
ing House action Is the one spon-
sored by Representative Kennedy,
Democrat, of Maryland, which
would reorganize and modernize
the municipal government. Another
would amend the child labor law to
permit minors IA years of age or
over to take part in professional
concerts and theatrical productions
for pay. The third would give the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
authority to control liquor prices in
order to prevent so-called price
cutting"
These three bills could have been
called up in the House late yester-
day when 1t considered the District
calendar, but because of their con-
troversial nature they were passed
over.
President Voices Objection.
The reorganization bill was the
subject of an attack meantime from
President Roosevelt himself who sent
q letter to Speaker Bankhead OBJ
jecting to the District of Columbia
shake-up proposal.
The Chief Executive objected to
the measure on the ground that it
would remove the municipal gov
eminent from jurisdiction of the
Federal Budget and Accounting
Acts.
President Roosevelt previously had
taken personal hand in attempting
to- bring about reorganization OF
the District Government wnen he
brought George E. Allen back into
the District Building ss a Commls-
sioner after Mr.. Allen had resigned
to enter the Insurance business. Mr.
Allen resigned second time and
has returned to his private lntel ests.
The Kennedy bill provides
that the District budget should
be sent direct to Congress in
stead of being first approved by
the Budget Bureau and also
places in q proposed municipal
department of finance the final
authority to check municipal ex-
penditures.
Six Bills Passed.
Representative Schultz, Demo-
crat, Of Indiana, acting as chair
man of the District Committee in
the absence of Representative Ran
dolph, who was in West Virginia
campaigning for denomination in
the primary election, only called
up the six non-cofltroversial local
bills on the House calendar. They
were passed with unprecedented
speed-six bills in five minutes.
The bills passed would:
/. Give the Board of Education
Increased authority over degree-con-
ferring institutions here, including
junior colleges.
2 Permit residents of the Virgin
Islands adjudged insane to be ad-
mitted to st. Elzabeth's Hospital.
Authorizes Borrowing.
3. Authorize the Commissioners
TO borrow $500, 900 of P. w. A. funds
to construct q new building for the
recorder of deeds.
1. Tighten existing law regulat-
ing fire, marine and casualty in
surance companies.
s. Provide for issuance Of group
insurance by life insurance COM
panieS to protect bank loans,