Evening star., 1941-10-05
House Unit Acts
Tomorrow On
D. {. Traffic
Dirksen Will
Urge Survey by
Outside Experts
By WILL p. KENNEDY.

ny WILL L =. NENNEDI.
Immediate congressional action to
solve the Districts traffic problems
will be considered by the House Dis
trict Committee when it meets to-
morrow to prepare Legislation for the
next District day. October 49,
Representative Dirksen, ranking
minority member of the committee
will appeal to his colleagues to put
correction of traffic hazards ahead
OF all other committee business as
an emergency measure.
Mr.. Dirksen announced yester-
day he will propose to the full COM
mittee tomorrow that it call in lead
ing traffic experts from other cities
to make quick survey here and
recommend changes TO Congress.
Urges Prompt Action.
He said he was confident funds
rpuld be made available promptly
for this purpose and that expert
enced traffic men could find a solu-
tson to the Districts problem with
out taking up much time for a
survey.
Describing the present situation
as hazardous and interfering with
defense work. he said he would urge
that the committee act immedi-
stely instead of begging down" the
problem with long subcommittee
hearings.
As defense problem. Mr. DirkSen
said he would also call upon the
Defense Subcommittee to give early
and earnest consideration 10 the
traffic situation. not piecemeal. but
'for real lasting solution to the
entire problem
Chairman Schultz of the Sub
committee on Streets and Traffic
has already promised Commissioner
John Russell Young that he will
arrange for an early hearing on the
Commissioners off street parking
bill
The bill undermining the Districts
s6-year-old fire prevention regula-
tions will be given brief hearing
by the District Committee tomor-
row to smooth out the objections
made by certain fire underwriters
that the bill would restrict COM
petitive bidding and might lead to
q monopoly in fire prevention equip
ment.
Invited to Hearing.
Representatives of the National
Board Of Fire Underwriters. and
the National Fire Protection As
pear at the hearing. Corporation
Counsel Richmond B. Keech has
contended that the bill as now
amended adequately safeguards
against the possibility of monopoly
Representative Harris. Democrat, of
Arkansas. is chairman of the sub
committee which reported the
original bill and amendments,
Senate amendments to House ap-
proved bills to be considered at to-
morroWis session includes one au-
thorizing issuance of Congressional
tags to designated officials in key
positions at the Capitol
Another concerns second eonvic-
tions for offenses against the crimi-
nal code and is a companion bill
to the vagrancy measure recently
vetoed by the President and again
pending after revision by the Cor
poration Counsels Office
legislation to Streamllne the
court system here by consolidating
the Police and Municipal Courts
will probably not be reported from
the subcommittee on the judiciary
tomorrow, as was expected. but
Chairman McGehee has called a
meeting of the subcommittee for
Tuesday when he is confident the
bill will be approved and will ask
for a special meeting of the District
Committee later in the week so
that the court consolidation bill
may be placed on the calendar in
time to be acted upon on District
day.
McGehee Polls Committee.
Chairman McGehee was having
q poll taken of the subcommittee
yesterday and hopes to report to
the full committee tomorrow a bhl
granting extension of time, from
1912 to 1914. for the filing of
report on unemployment compensa-
ton.
Rent control in the District will
be discussed at the executive ses-
sion of the Defense subcommittee
Tuesday. Chairman Randolph has
promised early action.
Legislation scheduled for action in
the House on District Day includes
the Randolph bill increasing motor
vehicle fuel taxes in the District
from January l, 1912, TO June 80,
1949. This bill was favorably re-
ported on September IT. Funds re-
ceived under this tax would be used
for relief of traffic congestion.
Chairman Hunter of the Fiscal
Affairs Subcommittee expects TO call
up the revenue bill. the report on
which is not yet written but will be
m time for District Day. This
would tax corporations and estates,
including tax on outside corpora
tions doing business in the District
through an agent. 1t is expected
10 yield considerable revenue.
Another bill which is expected to
be passed on District Day is one
that would provide courses for
ground instruction for aviation in
i,,