Evening star., 1944-11-21
MasonApproyed
Unaniimouslyby
Subcommittee
BiIbo Calls Meeting
Tomorrow on Nearly
20 District Bills
BY DON S. WARREN.

Shortly after a Senate subcom-
, mittee today unanimously reported
favorably on the nomination of Guy
Mason for another term as District
Commissioner, Chairman Bilbo of
the Senate District Committee
scheduled meeting of the full COM
mittee for 10 am. tomorrow to con-
slider the Mason nomination and
nearly 20 items of District legisla-
ton.
Included in the calendar of bills
on which some action may be taken
on tomorrow's session are Is meas
ures passed months ago by the
House, and which will die with this
session of Congress, unless Senate
approval is given before Aile sine
die adjournment
Among the Senate bills which
Senator Rilbo will present for COM
mittee approval is his measure to
create a commission of nine with
authority to draft plans for the
proposed memorial stadium for
Washington and to report final
recommendation back to Congress.
Other Senate measures, not yet
approved by the House, which he
will bring up for action are the
Bridges bill to establish system of
voluntary apprenticeship in the Dis
trict and the Tydings' bill to protect
the inocent purchaser of stolen or
forged stock certificate.
Both Measures Pending.
The House-approved measures,
which have been bottled up in the
Senate committee, because of the
illness of Chairman Bilbo and the
convention and the election
congressional receSSes, include the
following:
The Harris measure to reorganize
the financial and tax systems of the
District Boxing Commission;
A bill to extend District health
regulations and inspections to Gov
eminent restaurants in Washington;
A bill to amend the District stat
uteS, to ban assignment of wages
and to raise the exemption from
garnishment to $l00;
To authorize the Commissioners
to appoint notaries public, to re-
lieve the President and Justice De-
partment of much routine work;
A bill to appropriate $4,000 a year
to aid in the education of children
whose fathers were killed in the
World Wars;
And to authorize appointment of
deputies to the District health officer
to sign necessary papers for the re-
moval of dead human bodies.
Commissioners Powers.
The committee at its session to-
morrow also may discuss other bills
which have been referred to sub
committees. Important among
these is the House-approved meas
ure to expand the administrative
powers of the District Commits
sioners to relieve Congress of some
of the load of minor legislation.
This now is in the hands of sub
committee headed by Senator
Tydings.
Another important bill which may
be brought up for discussion is the
Tydings-Bilbo measure to authorize
a Federal grant for the construction
of a large hospital center to be
operated by Garfield and Emergency
Hospitals and other non-prof1t
voluntary hospitals which may be-
come affiliated with the center.
A subcommittee headed by Sen
ator McCarran, Democrat, of Ne
vada some time ago reported favor
ably on the McCarran home rule"
bill which in a modified form calls
for manager council form of gov
ernment for the District. In the
absence of Senator McCarran it was
expected there would be no move
for full committee approval at this
time.
Committee spokesmen said re-
Gently a majority of the full COM
mittee would urge confirmation of
Commissioner Mason by the Senate.
Senator Walsh, Democrat, of New
Jersey is the chairman of the spe-
cial subcommittee Other members
of the committee that made ia
vorable report on Mr.. Mason
are Senator Tydings, Democrat, of
Maryland and Senator Capper, Re-
publican, of Kansas. The session
lasted less than 10 minutes. During
part of the session Commissioner
Mason was called before the group
for questioning.
A floor fight over the nomination
Is expected when it is called before
the Senate for action, since Senator
McCarran, former District Com
mittee chairman, and Senator
Bushfleld, Republican, of South Da-
kota, who was a member of the
Gallinger Hospital Investigating
Committee, which more than a wear
ago recommended the removal of
Commissioner Mason, have an
nounced they will oppose confirma-