Evening star., 1944-02-16
Concurrence
Sought on DC.
bi||sApproved
Senate Passes 10
And House Three
In Burst of Speed

The Districts legislative program
was pushed ahead on Capitol Hill
yesterday with the Senate approving
all 10 bills on its calendar and the
House passing three of the four
awaiting its action.
To complete congressional action,
concurrence by the opposite branch
will be needed on all but one of the
measures, the exception being one
providing for clearing titles to prop
critics sold at the Districts annual
tax deed" sales. Mere formal ac-
ton is needed to clear two other bills
passed under different numbers by
both chambers yesterday.
Highlighting the Senate approved
bills are those to strengthen the
sanitary control over restaurants,
including provision for higher fines
or Jail sentences for violators, and
to give the District insurance super
intendent power to regulate fire and
casualty rates.
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee said today he
would expedite consideration by his
group Of the Senate bills not vet
approved by the House. The res
taurant and insurance control meas
ures will be referred to subcom-
mittees for possible hearings, but
committee members may be polled
on some Of the minor bills passed
by the Senate.
Three Bills Passed Quickly.
In the House three relatively MI
nor measures were passed within a
matter of minutes but Chairman
Randolph Of the District Commit
tee withdrew for later considera-
ton, the Hebert bill to grant in
creased administrative powers to the
Commissioners when Representa-
tive Stefan, Republican, of Nebraska
asked it be given further study.
Mr., Stefan said today he favored
giving the Commissioners power to
handle the many routine admins
trative questions now requiring
congressional action, but wished only
to be sure there was no conflict with
present congressional control over
appropriations, particularly as to
supplies and land items. Mr.. Ran
dolph explained appropriation COM
mittees would retain full control.
The restaurant control measure,
sponsored by Senator McCarran,
Democrat, of Nevada, former chair
man OF the Senate District Com
mittee, provides for sanitary grading
OF restaurants by Commissioners
regulation - so as to bring the
power of public opinion to bear as
an agency for enforcement of sani-
tary standards"
To strengthen present controls, it
also provides for sitter penalties
for violation, raising the present
$500 maximum fine to 2 maximum
of $500 or 80 days. imprisonment, or
both. The recent report of a SUBJ
committee headed by Senator Over
ton. Democrat, of Louisiana de-
clared that in the, past penalties
have been too light.
Government Restaurants Included.
The measure also brings restau-
rants in Government buildings un-
der sanitary regulations, but to
avoid conflicts of authority directs
that the inspection be made by the
Public Health Service, with prose-
cutions by the United States attor-
ney
Under the McCarran fire insur-
ance bill the superintendent of in
surance would have authority to
adjust premium rates when investi-
cation showed that the profit for a
preceding f1ve-year period was lex
cessive, inadequate, unjust or un-
reasonable The report on hear
ings conducted by a subcommittee
headed by Senator Burton, Repub-
lican. of Ohio declared that during
the 2o-year period ending with 1912,
only Bis per cent of the premiums
here went for payment of fire losses,
leaving the remainder for profits
and expenses.
Other Senate Bills.
The three bills passed by the
House would place the appointment
of notaries in the District with the
Commissioners, so as to tighten the
work of the Justice Department;
permit the sale of shad and other
fish of the herring species in the
District in December. as we'll as
from January l to June 10, and to
credit to the District S10,927 which
was the price of tract of land sold
by the District % years ago, but
enormously placed to the credit of
the United States.
The shad and the refund bills also
were passed by the Senate.
In addition to those two and the
fire insurance rates control bill and