Evening star., 1944-03-31
House and Senate Ac'
On 8 Bills DEALING
With D. T.. Affairs
Measure to Smash
Body Broker Racket
Is Passed Unanimously

Possibilities of congressional ap-
proVal OF five measures of impor-
tance to the District were advanced
Yesterday as the House passed
three measures and the Senate two
others, but on none of the bills
was legislative action completed.
With unanimous consent, the
Senate passed the bill designed to
break up the "baby broker racket"
by providing for licensing and
regulation of individuals and agen-
cies engaging in child placement
work.
A bill with this objective had
been passed earlier by the House,
but some amendments were added
by the Senate District Committee
as result Of hearings held by
Senator McCarr&n, Democrat. of
Nevada, former chairman OF the
committee. The bill now goes back
to the House and if it does not
accept the Senate changes the
measure will go to conference.
Prompt Action Sought.
Prompt action to settle the dis
agreements between the House and
Senate bills is expected to be urged
by Chairman Randolph of the
House District Committee. The
most important amendment made
by the Senate is one to assure
the privacy of data regarding a
child subject to home placement,
or adoption, or concerning the
parents or other relatives of the
child.
The bill makes provision for
establishment of standards for
child placement, on recommendation
by committee Of eight, as well as
for licensing and regulation.
The Senate also adopted bill,
sponsored by the Commissioners, to
raise the pay of certain officers of
the District Fire Department to
the levels Of comparable officers
Of the Metropolitan Police. A COM
panion bill was called up in the
House yesterday, but was with
drawn for later consideration after
questions were raised by Represent
ative Stefan, Republican, of Ne
braska as to whether action should
be delayed until after the subject
had been studied by the District
Appropriations Subcommittee.
One of the three bills passed by
the House was recommended, after
extensive hearings by subcom-
mittee headed by Representative
Harris, Democrat, of Arkansas. 1t
would revamp the financing pro-
gram of the District Boxing Com
mission.
This bill, which now goes to
the Senate, provides for payment
OF salaries up to $1,000 a year to
the two civilian members of the
commission, reduces the commits
sion's gate tax at boxing shows
from 10 to 6 per cent and provides
that If the commission has a sur
plus of more than $4,000 at the
end of fiscal year the excess shall
be turned into the general funds
of the District.
The House also approved a bill
to prevent construction of an
apartment house at the southwest
corner of Sixteenth and Shepherd
streets NV. This would have the
effect of countermanding a ruling
by the District Court which di-
rected the District Zoning Com
mission to change the zoning back
to the classification permitting use
of the land for apartments. The
House action is a victory for resi-
dents of the Crestwood section, who
had bitterly fought plans of Harry
Poretsky to build an apartment
house there.
The House also approved a bill
which will permit the District to
advertise by notice. instead of
publication of the full text, of
proposed industrial safety regula-
tions being prepared by the District
Minimum Wage and Industrial
Safety Board. It's purpose is to
conserve paper and save money for
the District.
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