Evening star., 1946-07-28
District Fares Well
In the 18th Conqress
Legislators Work-Hard on Many
Problems Vital to Capital City
BIZ Don S. Warren,


BIZ Don S. Warren,
An astonishing array of legislation
for the District was considered by the
Seventy ninth Congress, now about to
adjourn, and surprisingly high per-
centage of the bills is becoming law.
The wide variety of measures enacted
undoubtedly will have profound effect
on the welfare of Washington's near
100000 population.
The harried. hard-worked Seventy
ninth Congress that struggled first with
problems Of the last months of the war
and then with hectic reconversion issues
somehow found time to break records
and achieve new successes while serving
part time as Washingtons city council.
Despite numerous major items that
did not clear the hurdles or were held
over for the new Congress, so much was
left amazed though gratified Even
brief perusal of the record stirs the
ina agination. Laws placed on the books,
some Capitol Hill attaches say, open
the door to programs which may run
into outlays of well over 5000 900 900.
The steady stream Of proposals, hear
ings and actions during the past year
and half now has been climaxed by
the dispatch to the White House of
three major measures These provide
for the development with Federal and
District government aid of a great
hospital center, estimated to cost about
10000, 900; outline a wholesale attack
on District slums, which could involve
an ultimate program of replacement or
major repair OF 10000 to 10000 dwelling
units. at a cost totaling $100,000,000 or
more, and call for construction of two
four-lane spans over the Potomac, cost
ing about $1,000 900. to replace the in
adequate Highway Bridge.
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Along with this, Congress recently
passed District appropriations totaling
more than s80000,000 to set a new all
time high for the municipal supply bill,
despite near exhaustion of District
funds and postponement of many
needed projects to await better day.
In doing so, Congress broke from the
old and damaging tradition of limiting
costs to a Sc, 900 900 lump sum. granting
a 50 900 900 boost pending action on the
proposed OMahoney -Overton formula
for a new and more equitable yardstick.
These were high lighted, not only be-
cause of the size and cost Of the under
takings. and the newsdepartures entailed,
but because allthree had been enmeshed
in controversy or questions, and were
freed at nearly the last hour of this tired
Congress.
Also enacted were bills providing for
pay raises for school teachers, police,
firemen and all the classified services.
Final approval is expected to be given to
one liberalizing retirement for teachers,
who for years have been suffering from
a discrimination no one intended but
every one had permitted to prevail until
now.
Add to this: The Congressional de-
cision to carry on the child day care and
nursery centers for a year, with man
agement shifted from the schools to the
Board of Public Welfare amendment
and final adoption of bill giving strong
er powers to the health offlcer over COM
municable disease patients who refuse
treatment or quarantine; reorganization
of the District government to transfer
control over the penal institutions from
the welfare board to the Commissioners.
Some others: Continuation of Dis
trict residential rent controls for year,
this action being taken before OPA
finally emerged from it's legislative
labyrinth; re-establshment of the Dis
trict's Motor Vehicle Parking Agency;
incidentally boost in the dog tag fee;
granting authority and appropriations
for erection of temporary housing for
veterans on the fringes of District parks;
continuation of the Veterans Informa-
ton Center; authorizing the District to
tax rolling stock of the roads for travel
within the District, and authorizing a
voluntary system of apprenticeship.
There were many others including a
stronger weights and measures law and
the La Toilette Monroney plan for re-
organization of Congress, which may
mean open hearings hereafter on the
District and all other supply bills.
In addition to these and many rela-
lively minor matters, congressional
committees devoted days to investiga-
ton and open hearings on numerous
subjects including the Jail breaks, the
taxi and street car strikes, needless"
deaths of newborn babies at Gallinger
Hospital, which led to proposals for
extensive future plant expansion there;
commercial rent control, which was
shelved; investigation Of the infiamma-
bility of cowboy suits and drafting of
long range s40,0oO,O00 school building
program as a result of investigating
continued use of part time classes for
| pupils.
Only Congress willing to accept its
responsibility for exclusive legislation"
over the seat of the Federal Government
| and ready to grant friendly considera-
| ton to all District problems would have
! devoted so much time and patience.
Such an attitude augurs we'll for the
| future when a mountain of new prob
| lens will confront the opening session
of the Eightieth Congress.
Nitrate Need
| From the Omaha World Herald
Nebraska irrigation farmers. Z their
needs desperate, are demanding more
1