Evening star., 1942-04-27
Three D. {. Bills
Approved by
House Unit
Heolino Art License
Fee, Tox c Compromise
Proposals Involved
y WILL r. KENNEDY.

~ WILL r. KENNEDY.
The House District Committee TO-
day ordered 4 favorable report on
three bills. One would require IN
annual registration fee Of % from
oil pers0ns practising the healing
arta In the District to help support
the Licensure Commission.
The committee also approved q
bill sponsored by Representative
Sheridan, Democrat, OF Pennsyi-
wants which would pay 4 per cent
fee In addition to 4 10 per cent fee
already allowed to Joseph Sharfsin
OF Philadelphia for professional
services In connection with the es-
tate Of Helen n. Fink. from which
the District received 175, 900. Corpo-
ration Counsel Richmond B. Keech
advised the committee that this fee
was. emore than reasonable"
The third bill, recommended by
Representative Hunter. Democrat,
OF Ohio would permit the Commits
sioners or assessors to compromise
District claims for estate or In
heritance taxes where two States
have rival claims against the estate
Tor domicile.
BaIiou Backs Two Proposals.
The commiitee also requested
Cooperation Counsel Keech to con-
fer With Or. Frank w. Ballou,
superintendent OF schools, in pre-
pairing two measures which DR..
Ballou recommended. One proposal
involves rewriting the dual employ
ment statute enacted many years
ago which pseyents employees OF the
school system for receiving any pay
from the Federal Government for
special work for which they are
particularly ntted and Is In line
with their present employment. The
second calls for remedial legisla-
ton for modification OF the child
labor law to meet emergency and
postwar needs.
The committee postponed action
until is next meeting on q bill
which would require proof of ctti-
xenship before = license To practice
medicine could be issued In the Dis
trict. Representative D,Alesandro,
Democrat, OF Maryland asked that
IN amendment be prepared which
would authorize acceptance OF first
papers In lieu Of citizenship.
The committee arranged for q
hearing t9aay for DR., Thomas Par
ran, surgeon general Of the Public
Health Service. who had been quot-
Cd as Opposed 70 the BILL DR.. Par
ran Va oots present due 10 3 pre-
vious dn( Aeeiufnt, bit a1ibmitttd 1
stAteme1t explaining hlsDpu sitton4
was queeef Mnsa spe6tif ne m4de
before ! med association n CHI
cago. 80
speech II Quoted.
He quoted further from that
speech as follows:
There are many highly qualified
and competent physicians in the
United States who have come to
our shores as refugees. Many of
them could be made immediately
available to service in areas where
the shortage Is acute II they could
be licensed to practice"
Those sponsoring the bill have in
sisted that 1t h only for the District
and the record of hearing shows
that the District has q percentage of
physicians per 1000 OF population
FAR In excess OF any State. It is
argued that there Is no shortage
Of physicians here.
Reed Lewis, executive director Of
the Common Council for American
Unity Of New York. asked that the
bill be rejected. contending 1t
showed arbitrary discrimination and
was not In line with American ira
ditions offering q refuge to op-
pressed people anywhere in the
world. Representative Dirksen Of
Illinois and Russell of Texas con-
tended the measure Is only for the
District and helps protect profess
sional standards.
Others Give Views.
Or. @. Candy Robinson, with the
American Red Gross on leave from
his duties as q teacher of medicine
and preventive medicine and direc-
tor Of clinics at Johns Hopkins Uni
versity, discussed the problem Of
refugee doctors, He favored an
amendment which would require
first papers. Representative Rus
sch argued in support of letting
refugee doctors 90 into Army and
Navy service.
DR.. Ballou, at the request Of
Chairman Randolph, explained to
the committee the desirability of
passing a measure for the duration
of the war which would permit
washington school teachers to ac-
cepa and be paid for vacation Pc
Rod employment on defense sctivi-
ties.
He cited the cases OF a science
teacher. whom the Bureau of Stand
ards desired for n special research
lob, who had to retire from the
District schools to perform that pa
triotic service. and a woodworking
specialist whose services were re-
ouired at the Washington Navy Yard
ana who could not accept the job
under the present law. He said that
the passage of permissive legislation
would be of advantage both to the
n a. A -