Evening star., 1947-04-06
Hearing Planned
On Underpass at
DupontCircle
House Committee to
Heur Protests and
Review Project
By Don S. Worren

By Don S. Wouen
The continuing fight over the Du-
pont Circle underpass, now in q
preliminary stage of construction,
has been carried back to Capitol
Hill.
Announcing receipt of protests
from Connecticut avenue business
interests and property owners,
Chairman Dirksen Of the House Dis
trict Committee said yesterday he
would schedule an early public hear
ing to afford general review Of the
project.
Mr.. Dirksen said he was not sure
what could be done about any major
change in the plan, at this stage,
but thought 1t wise to have an open
discussion. He said 1t Is likely the
financing question will have to be
considered again by Congress since
construction costs have zoomed.
Cost Estimated at $500, 900.
Present estimates, Mr.. Dirksen was
informed, are more than 81 900 900
above the $2,750,000 estimated year
and half ago. Engineers anticipate
the cost would run to about $780,
600, under present wage and ma
terial levels.
The informal hearing, he said,
probably will be held within two
weeks. He plans to confer with Rep
resentative Beall, Republican, of
Maryland, who heads the Subcom-
mittee on Streets and Trafic.
Because Of the long entrances
needed for the underpass, members
of the Connecticut Avenue Business
Association and nearby property
owners have voiced fears of financial
losses. One possible alternative, Mr..
Dirksen was told, would be a relo-
cation of the Connecticut avenue
streetcar tracks, now on only the
western sector of the circle. This
would involve running north bound
tracks along the eastern sector. Dis
trict officials In the past have ar
gued this would not provide an
adequate solution to the heavy,
intersecting trafic flowing into the
circle.
Many city problems will come
before congressional groups this
week.
New Teacher Pay Bill.
A bill proposing new and more
liberal pay scale for Washington
school teachers will be introduced
tomorrow, Chairman Dirksen said.
Over the week end, he said he would
study the draft and recommends
.tions submitted by the Board of
Education. The measure, he said,
would be introduced either by him
self or Representative Miller, Repub-4
lican, Of Nebraska. who heads the
subcommittee on education.
Nine bills ON which s1bcommittees
have acted are to be considered ut
= meeting Of the House District Com
mittee tomorrow morning. Notable
among these are the Hebert bill to
put rigid restraints on carrying OF
dangerous weapons and the Hebert-
Miller bill to provide full operation
of the alcoholic clinic.
Taxpayers and citizens groups will
be heard Tuesday before the joint
House-Senate Fiscal Subcommittee
on a heavy new tax program for
the District. The Commissioners
are to decide finally before then
whether to abandon their earlier
proposals for new levies on amuse-
ments and public utility bills.
Pending bills for new Federal
courthouse here are to receive
attention at both ends of the
Capitol.
Revercomb Bill to Come Up.
The Revercomb bill authorizing
$400, 900 for plans for the structure
will come before the Senate Public
Works Committee in an executive
session at 10:30 am. Tuesday. A
date may be set for hearings on the
measure, sponsored by Chairman
Revercomb.
The House Public Works Com
mittee has scheduled a hearing for
Thursday at 10 am. on an identical
bill sponsored by Representative
Dondero, Republican, of Michigan,
committee chairman.
The House District Committee at
its session tomorrow will consider
favorable reports on the following
bills, In addition to the concealed
weapons and alcoholic clinic meas
ures:
To permit Juvenile Court to waive
Jurisdiction over cases of children
charged with capital offenses; toI
transfer many minor criminal cases
from District Court to Municipal
Court by raising the monetary
limit from $50 to 5000; the Com
missioners' bill to broaden their
licensing powers: to cause removal
of the piers on West Executive
avenue between the White House
and the State Department; to as
sure seniority rights to members of
the police and fire departments
they lost because of service in the
war; and to provide a s480 yearly
allowance for three police inspect