Evening star., 1944-11-19
|Heberf Backs
Twin Bridges
Over Potomac
To Ask Holding
Of Joint Hearings
On Subway Plan
By DON s. WARREN.

BY DON s. WARREN.
Action on 4 number Of district
Affairs. including the nomination Of
Guy Mason for another term Is
District Commissioner, Investigation
lof Potomac River bridge plans and
authorization Of public funds for
the Police Department Band, Is ex-
pected this week on Capitol Hill.
Representative Hebert, Democrat.
OF Louisiana, member Of the House
District Committe, yesterday came
out strongly for the proposal Of the
District Commissioners for .construc.
ton OF twin spans over the Potomac
as replacement Of the 4l-year-old
Highway Bridge.
A bill to authorize this project
has been introduced in the Senate
by Chairman Bilbo of the Senate
District Committee, and he Is ex-
pected this week to announce an
pointment of q subcommittee to
begin study OF the plan. A commit-
tee spokesman said Senator Bilbo
would ask for prompt consideration.
though 1t was likely the measure
would not receive final action In the
few remaining weeks of the 18th
Congress.
Fsvors Eight Traffic Lanes,
Mr.. Hebert said he considered the
plan for building two separate
spans. each of which would have
four lanes for traf1c, to be much
better" than the single-span six
lane project suggested by Secretary
OF the Interior Ickes and the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
According to the information we
now have at hand" said Mr.. Hebert,
we are going to need the eight
traffic lanes that would be afforded
by the plan proposed by the Com
missioners. think 1t would be
better to build that now than the
somewhat less expensive six-lane
single span.
Asked about the suggestion that
there should be another bridge built
over the Potomac later, providing a
crossing from the Blue Plains area
OF the District directly to Alex
andria, Mr.. Hebert declared, 1--WE
will need that, too, in addition to
the twin span on the site OF the
present Highway Bridge"
Subway Hearings Asked.
Mr.. Herbert said he planned to
recommend tomorrow to Chairman
Randolph Of the House District
Committee that two subcommittees
hold joint hearings on the proposed
program for streetcar subway sys-
tenn In Washington. They are the
Utilities Subcommittee, headed by
Representative Harris, Democrat, of
Arkansas and the Streets and Traf-
fic Subcommittee, of which Repre-
sentative D'Alesandro, Democrat, of
Maryland is chairman.
a subcommittee of the Senate Dis
trict Gemmittee is expected to meet
tomorrow or Tuesday to consider
the Mason nomination. It is headed
by Senator Walsh, Democrat. of
New Jersey and includes Senators
Tydings, Democrat, Of Maryland
and Capper, Republican, OF Kansas.
Later this week, Chairman Bilbo
Is expected to call q meeting OF the
full committee to consider the rather
long list Of District bills awaiting
action and the Mason nomination
as well II the Walsh subcommittee
meanwhile has brought out formal
recommendation.
Police Band Item Considered.
Meanwhile Representative Nc
MILAN, Democrat, Of South Carolina,
chairman Of the Police and Firemen
Subcommittee of the House District
Committee, moved to expedite con-
slderation Of the bill sponsored by
the Commissioners to authorize use
OF city funds for necessary expenses
OF the Police Department band. He
asked Miss Mabel Haller, committee
clerk, to take poll of subcommittee
members on the measure to see If
they were ready to approve the bill
without having public hearings.
The proposed annual cost of the
band, including salaries for its di-
rector, 1t. Charles Benter, retired
director of the Navy Band, purchase
and repair Of instruments and music
is estimated at about $l1,500.
Representative Lesinski, Demo-
crat. OF Michigan, as chairman of
the Insurance and Banking Subcom-
mittee of the House District Com
mittee, has scheduled q meeting
at 10 am. Wednesday to consider a
bill concerning the transfer of stock
certificates. to provide additional
protection for buyers. The measure
is sponsored in the House by Chair
man Randolph.