Evening star., 1941-08-10
House Action
Due Tomorrow
On Crime Bills
HobituoI Offender,
Vogroncy Measures
Also Up in Senate

tomorrow during debate on the Sc
lective service extension bill long
enough to consider a motion by the
District Committee that it pass by
unanimous consent two emergency
bills designed to strengthen Wash
ington's fight against crime.
One measure puts sharp teeth in
the Districts habitual criminal act,
imposing more drastic penalties on
crime repeaters. The other makes
the local vagrancy law relatively
formidable weapon in dealing with
dangerous ''f1oaters."
| If the House passes these bills
and no objection is anticipated-an
effort will be made to get them
/ through the Senate also this week,
SO that the police department, being
reorganized for greater efficiency,
may have two new and powerful
statutes to aid it against the under
world.
Chairman McCarran of the Sem
ate District Committee said he hopes
to report the bills favorably to the
Senate tomorrow Expressing a de-
sire to- get prompt action on both
measures, Senator McCarran yes
terday authorized r. F. Camalier,
the committees new adviser, to poll
the members instead of waiting to
call meeting.
McCarran to Seek Action.
Senator McCarran may seek an
opportunity to obtain Senate action
on both bills within a few days.
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee was assured yes
terday by House leaders that he
would be allowed to sandwich in the
District bills tomorrow. He will
move that the rules be suspended
and seek to secure unanimous
passage.
However, scheduled District
Day, set for tomorrow, will have to
be postponed Indefinitely owing to
the national legislative situation.
The House is planning to take a
series of three-day recesSes, prob
ably starting as soon as the selective
service bill is voted on, and not end
ing before September 8, and thus
the next District Day will be de-
ferred until the legislative mill starts
grinding at full speed again.
On the calendar for District Day
whenever it is held-are the small
loans bill, measure prohibiting the
advertising of liquor prices and one
carrying pay increases for policemen
and flremen. The loan bill would
allow money lenders in the District
to charge 2 per cent q month On
unpaid balances of small loans, as
is the case in many-States.
Committee Gets Court Bill.
The District Committee is to re-
ceive at meeting tomorrow morn
ing the Municipal Court consoli-
dation bill from a subcommittee
headed by Representative McGehee
of Mississippi. This measure would
merge the Municipal and Police
Courts under a presiding judge.
Another measure expected to be
reported to the committee is fire.
prevention bill, which has been I'M
der consideration by a subcommit-
tee headed by Representative Har-
ris of Arkansas. This would mod
ernize the Districts 36-year-old
fire-hazard regulations, empowering
the Commissioners to adopt suit
able rules for buildings and to en-
force them.
A third bill scheduled to be ta-
ken up by the committee would add
l cent to the Districts 2-cent gaso-
line tax to pay for a long-range To-
cal highway improvement program.
A subcommittee under Representa-
tive Hunter of Ohio has approved
the 1-cent increase.
The bill originally called for 2
cent increase, which would make the
District tax cents, but the sub
committee, after hearings, scaled
down the proposed raise to l cent.
Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, director of
District highways, told the sub
committee all planned projects could
be carried out under a 1-cent tax
increase, though this would take II
years, while it was estimated the
program could be completed in 8
years under a 2-cent increase.
May Postpone Action.
The committee may defer action
on the gas tax bill, owing to the
press of other District legislation
and the fact that this measure can
not be considered by the House until
sometime next month.
The committee reported out a
week ago the habitual criminal and
vagrancy bills. but is to approve
formally tomorrow a slight change
in the former.
The Habitual Criminal Act pro-
posed for the District would increase
the penalty progressively for each
felony up to the fourth conviction.
The committee directed Corporation
Counsel Richmond B. Keech to draft
an amendment providing that the
punishment for second felony con-
viction be fixed at the maximum
provided by law only in cases where
the crime is accompanied by gun
play or other violence. Some men,
bers felt that the second-ofense
provision otherwise would be too
drastic.
The bill requires judges to deal
out one and half times the initial
maximum penalty for third felony
conviction and twice the maximum
for a fourth or any later convictions
The vagrancy bill defines as a
vagrant any loiterer with a criminal
record or any one who frequents un-
lawful places or associates with
underworld characters. The maxi
mum penalty is 80 days.