Evening star., 1948-04-21
D. {. Heads Ask
Broad Powers
ForEn1ergenciies
Committees Study
Plea for Authority
In 'UnusuuI Peril

The Senate and House District
Committees today had under con-
sideration a plea from the District
Commissioners for broad emergency
powers in cases of unusual peril
to Washington and its inhabitants.
The legislation was sought in a
letter sent by the city heads yester-
day to Speaker Of the House Martin.
The Commissioners said such
emergency powers are needed be-
cause the last of their wartime
emergency authority under the
Blackout Act will expire on June 30
While the commissioners letter
made no mention of possible emer-
gencies that might arise if the Ma
ton were attacked, it did speculate
that unusual peril might result
from flood, earthquake, storm, wide
spread disease. riot, sabotage, in
Surrection or shortages in fuel, food
or medicine The additional powers,
the letter asserted would be exercised
only after the Commissioners had
proclaimed state of emergency
The Commissioners recalled that
on two occasions they had to order
"brownouts" here to limit consump-
ton of electricity when coal supplies
were critically short They said the
brownouts were ordered under au-
thority of the old Blackout Act.
Another example of the kind Of
emergency which would bring the
proposed law into play was the fuel
oil shortage of the past winter, the
city heads noted.
Could Evacuate City.
The Commissioners, under the
proposed legislation, could compel
evacuation of the population from
one part of the city to another or
out of the city entirely. The city
government also would be en-
powered to:
Appoint special police without pay,
accept volunteer services of many
kinds, establish units similar to
the wartime air raid wardens and
auxiliary police and borrow money
from private sources for purchase
of food, medicines, fuel and other
supplies.
The proposed bill also would au-
thorize penalties for violations of
regulations promulgated under the
bill, including fines not exceeding
$500 and imprisonment of not more
than 80 days.
In a communication to Capitol
Hill, the Commissioners asked in
creases in pensions for widows and
children of deceased members of the
Police and Fire Departments and
retired members of the departments.
Would Increase Deductions.
The proposed legislation also calls
for an increase in the retirement
deductions of members of the de-
partments from 31a per cent Of their
pay to S per cent.
This legislation would increase
retirement expenditures by about
$3.50, 900 a year, it. was estimated
The higher rate of deductions would
produce about $145 900 more annu-
ally, it was said.
The bill would apply to the White
House and United States Park Police
as we'll as the Metropolitan force.
The maximum pension for widow
of policeman or fireman who loses
his life in line of duty would be in
creased from $100 to $125 a month
Children under 16 of deceased
policemen and firemen would be
eligible for relief up to $25 month
instead of $40.
The bill also would provide some
what similar increases in the pen
sions of widows and orphans of men
who died after being retired and
higher pensions for men now on the
retired list.
The Commissioners also asked
Congress for legislation to enable a
Government hospital treating ar
accident victim to collect the cost
of care in cases where he recovers
damages from the party held liable
for the accident.