Evening star., 1945-11-13
SenateD. {. Unit
|0k'sExtension
Of Rent Control
II Bills Approved,
But Parking Plan
Meets Objections
BY DON s. WARREN,

BY DON s. WARREN.
Eleven bills, including one to ex.
tend the Capitals separate Residen-
tial Rent Control Act through 1916,
were approved by the Senate Dis
trict Committee today.
At the same time, the COMMITTEES
held up action on nine other meas
ures, including the House-approved
Randolph bill to require the Govern
ment to provide parking facilities
with all new Federal construction.
Also held for further study was the
bill requested by the Commissioners
to strengthen the city's control over
communicable diseases.
Extension of rent control, already
approved by the House, was reported
favorably after the legislation was
recommended by Rufus S. Lusk of
the Building Owners and Managers
Association and Charles J. Rush. ex-
ecutive' secretary of the Washington
Real Estate Board Mr.. Lusk point
ed out If the local measure is not
continued, the OPA will step in"
We are not so hot for this BILL"
Chairman Bilbo commented, but
you would rather have it than
OPA."
To Rewrite Parking Bill.
Action on the parking measure
was delayed when w. E. Reynolds,
commissioner of the Public Build
ings Administration, objected that
terms of the bill were too confln-
ing" Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III,
chairman of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
renewed his request that nominal
fees be charged for Government
parking facilities in order to liqui-
date costs.
Chairman Bilbo asked Mr. Rey-
nolds and Gen. Grant to Sdraft
revised bill, in collaboration with
a special subcommittee, headed by
Senator Huffman, Democrat, Of
Ohio, and including Senators Hoey
of North Carolina and Briggs Of
Missouri, Democrats, and Saltonstail
of ssachusetts and Smith of New
Jersey, Republicans.
Mr.. Reynolds conceded the Dis
trict has a serious parking prob
lem, but he pointed out building
costs would rise if every new struc-
ture had to include parking space
for 10 to 20 per cent of the employees
In such buildings, as specified in
the bill.
Fringe Parking Suggested.
He recommended development of
a greater system of traffic arteries
and provision for more parking on
the fringes of the congested down.
town area.
Gen. Grant agreed the Govern
ment should provide parking space
in or near Federal buildings. He
said that if this is not done the
/ load would become heaxier=e sec
tions which already are congested
The communicable disease con-
troll measure was held up after OBJ
| jections were made to some provi-
sions by Mrs. Ernest w. Howard Of
the Federation of Women's Clubs
and several of the committee mem
bers.
Disease Curbs Changed.
Commissioner Guy Mason and
Corporation Counsel Vernon E. West
explained Objectionable features of
the original bill were removed in
the revised measure which reduces
from u hours to 48 hours the period
during which a recalcitrant patient
or carrier of a contagious disease
may be held before court hearing
to conflne him for compulsory treat
ment.
The bills passed, beside the rent
control measure, provided for:
l. Voluntary system of apprentice
ship in the trades within the
District.
2. A 50-cent fee for recording or
releasing liens on automobile titles.
The recorder of deeds had recon-
mended a ST fee.
8. Taxing the rolling stock of rail-
roads operating within the District.
4. Prevention of sale of rockflsh
smaller than II inches in length.
Rockfish only 9 inches long can be
sold at present.
5. Continuing taX-exempt status
of American Red Cross properties in
the District.
6. Payment of court costs by the
District in land condemnation cases,
where proceedings are abandoned
by the District after an award is
made, unless the abandonment Is
at the request of the land owner.
7. Free copies of public records
for veterans requiring them for
claims at the Veterans Administra-
ton.
Monument Bill Delayed.
8. Opening a road through the
grounds of the District Training
School for Feeble Minded near
Laurel, Md.
9. Abandonment of annual re-
ports to the Commissioners by trust
companies, inasmuch as this infor-
nation is already obtained in other
ways.
TO- Amending the District Code SC
charitable organizations may specify
that less than majority of trustees
may constitute quorum to transact
/ business.
Among the bills on which action
was delayed was one by Senator
Capper, Republican, of Kansas tc
authorize the purchase of Temple
Heights, at Connecticut and Florida
! avenues NV, for s950,000 as q
memorial to Union soldiers in the
Civil War
Postgraduate Course
Offered Nurses Aides