Evening star., 1947-07-23
Senators Of D. {. UniI
To Ask $4,000 for
Housing Probe Here
By Don S. Warren

d1ate appeal TO the senate HuleS
Committee for a $4,000 grant to
cover the cost of a full-scale inves-
tigation of the housing situation in
the National Capital
The investigation, proposed In a
resolution by Senator Cain, Repub-
lican, of Washington, was one Of
eight measures favorably reported
yesterday by the Senate District
Committee.
Before this investigation proposal
Is carried to the Senate, the group
will seek the approval of the Rules
Committee for financing out Of the
Senate contingent fund.
Probe Would Include Prices.
Senators O'Mahoney, Democrat, OF
wyoming, and Dworshak, Republi-
can, of Idaho, had joined with
Senator Cain in sponsoring the res
olution. Members of the Senate
subcommittee in charge of District
appropriations, which recently rec
commended funds for large-scale
capital improvement here, suggested
the inquiry to find out why con-
struction prices here remain high,
whether building restrictions are
responsible to a substantial degree
and what might be done about 1t.
Senator Cain won approval OF
the Senate District Committee when
he told them he thought the city
should find out "it they are getting
q good run for their money"
The committee, in its cleanup
meeting of this session Of Congress,
deferred until next year Congress
sional action on four bills passed
recently by the House. These were
measures to create a Department
of Welfare and to convert the Board
of Public Welfare into an advisory
agency, to protect residential neigh
borhoods against the erection OF
radio and television towers to make
the ONCE of Recorder OF Deeds
partially subordinate to the Board
of Commissioners and to place
casualty insurance here under regu-
lation.
Action at this session was killed
when Chairman Buck of the Senate
District Committee said he thought
hearings should be scheduled, since
these measures are considered con-
troversial. Other members OF the
committee assented, and the bills
81, fric SncSlnn
Bills Favorably Reported.
The committee favorably report
ed the following bills, in addition
to the Cain housing inquiry reso-
luton:
l. To establish alcoholic clinics
In the District Government, to be
financed by an increase of 10 per
cent on fees for instance of alcoholic
beverage permits. This is expected
to produce $4,000 year, to be ear
marked for use Of the clinics. II
passed by the Senate, this bill still
will need House action, because the
finance section is an amendment
to the clinic bill as passed by the
House.
2 To require the Interior Depart
ment to reimburse the District fol
cost Of United States Park Police.
3 To authorize the Public Util-
tiles Commission, after public hear
ings, to determine the number OF
taxicabs to be licensed in the Dis
trict and regulate the issuance OF
cab licenses.
This bill, which still needs House
action, also would forbid the Ii
censing of any taxi applicant who
holds fulltime job with the United
States or District Governments, or
who has gainful private employ
ment of 40 hours week or more.
In addition, the bill would ban
the assignment or transfer of any
taxicab license during any time
when the number of outstanding
licensed cabs exceeded a maximum
number fixed by the PUG.
Would License Embalmers.
4. To require the licensing, under
minimum standards, of under
takers and embalmers operating in
the District. Those registered with
the District as in the business here
at the time of enactment would be
given licenses automatically if they
can show they meet minimum stand
ards of training or equivalent ex
perience The Senate group made
minor amendments to the House
bill.
S. To grant the rank and pay OF
captain in the Metropolitan
Police Department to four lieuten-
ants assigned in charge of special
squads of the Detective Bureau, sc
long as they hold those assignments
1t would give these men about $70C
more pay a year. Testimony
brought out that some of the squad
chiefs now receive less pay than
some of the older men they have
as subordinates.
6. To amend the teacher retire
ment act to permit the District gov
ernment to amortize over so years
instead of 20 years, the total city
SOtcl IlulcIlG COllGllUuLlOllo W IllG lc.
tirement fund.
A. w. Heimiller. assistant to the
superintendent of schools, and Rus
sell P. Reagh, Treasury Department
actuary, testified the longer amorti-
zation plan is entirely sound" and
would in no wise affect the stability
Of the teacher retirement pay. It
would, they explained, permit the
city government to reduce from ST.
$1,000 to $1,7o7 ,0G0 the annual
District payment toward the retire.
ment reserve. This measure, re-
Gently passed by the House, was ap-
proved by the Senate committee by
q Altos vote.
Amends Rent Control Act.
7. To amend the District Rent
Control Act to permit schools and
universities to recover possession OF
housing accommodations, under GER
tain conditions, which had been
leased during wartime conditions.
While shelving the bill to re-
organize the Ofice of Recorder OF
Deeds, the committee favorably re-
ported one small section of this
measure-that authorizing the re-
corder to purchase photostatic ma