Evening star., 1948-06-03
13District Bills
Win Approval Of
House Group
Action includes
Pay Raise for
Police, Firemen


one granting a substantial increase
In the pension pay for widows of
District firemen and policemen, and
another which tentatively gave a
$500-a-year pay raise for policemen
and firemen.
All the bills will come up for
House action on District Day next
Monday, Chairman Dirksen an
nounced. Mr.. Dirksen also said the
full District Committee would meet
Monday morning to wind up bills
affecting Washington and that a
District day will be held June IA
to clean up any loose ends.
The cost-of- Living increase for
members of the Metropolitan Po-
lice Department, the United States
Park Police, the White House Po-
lice and the Fire Department, was
approved with the understanding
that the $500 figure and the effec-
tive date of July l were subject to
what House and Senate conferees
do about pay raises fer Federal
employees.
Pay Raise Uncertain.
Mr.. Dirksen said that if there
is no pay raise for other Govern
ment employees, there will be none
for the policemen and the firemen.
He added, however, that he under
stood from the leadership of Con-
gress that a Federal pay raise bill
will be pushed in the last days OF
the session, and that the amount OF
the raise probably will be around
$500.
The pension plan bill reported out
would raise the payments to the
widow of a policeman or fireman
killed in line of duty from $50 a
month to $125 a month, and would
also allow $25 a month for each
child under 18 years of age. The
present pension plan gives $40 per
month for each child under 16
years.
Widows of policemen or firemen
who died from other causes would
receive a pension of 500 month
under the new bill and each child
under 18 years would receive S25
per, month. The bill further pro-
yides that payments to widows stop
on remarriage, but that payments
to the children would stop only
when they pass the legal age.
In another fire and police bill ap-
proved by the committee, the Dis
trict Commissioners would be al
lowed to charge private businesses
for the service of policemen and fire.
men assigned to their premises for
the protection of public safety. This
payment would be decided by the
police chief and the fire chief based
on estimated number of hours spent
by the men on the business prem
ises, and would be paid on monthly
basis.
Other Bills Approved.
Other bills approved included:
"A bill which would require all
doctors desiring to obtain a license
to practice in the District to be citi-
ZenS.
A bill which would allow cleo
tricians who had been practiclng in
the District for five years prior to
1914 act requiring them to take writ
ten examinations for a master elec-
trician's license to obtain license
on the basis of their experience.
Many master electricians here have
been unable to pass the written
exam although they have been in
the business for many years. The
bill also provides that servicemen
who had been in the electrical busi-
ness for five years before they went
into the armed forces, would not
have to take the written exam.
A bill to increase license fees
and other charges payable under an
act regulating BARRIERS in the Dis
trict. This act is intended to make
the examination of BARRIERS, the Is
suance of licenses and inspections a
self sustaining operation.
An act to broaden the field of
investments of domestic life insur-
ance companies for the purpose OF
undermining the present investment
statutes of the District.
Act Sets Fee on Liens.
An act to set a 81 fee for the
recording to liens or assignments OF
liens on certificates of title for motor
vehicles and trailers At present,
separate charge of so cents is made
for each recording and each release,
and the present act would make
the ST fee cover both operations.
An act to provide for payment to
owners of property on Eastern ave-
nue. who must erect retaining walls
and steps in front of their property
due to the widening of the avenue.
An act to allow municipal-con-
trolled hospitals in the District to
recover money for unpaid bills from
people who have been treated at the
hospitals for an injury caused by
an accident and who subsequently
receive damages on account of such
an injury.
The committee voted to defer ac-
tion on the ed Atroversial fair trade
practice bill to establish price con-
troll over the District liquor business
New Hearings Due.
Representative OHara, Repub-
lican, of Minnesota said his subcom-
mittee would hold further hearings
on the bill and try to reach a deci-
sion before Monday. Opponents of
the legislation charged in previous
hearings that enactment of the
measure would result in an increase
in liquor prices by eliminating cut
rate sales.
Also deferred for further consid-
Grafton was a bill to provide for
Federal grants to five private hos
pitfalls in the District out of the
S35 100000 fund authorized under
the hospital center bill.
Representative Abernethy, Dem
ocrat, of Mississippi, led the move
to postpone action on this bill,
stating that in 1916 Congress struck
out provisions which would allow
contributions to the private hospi-
tails and that this bill was merely an
attempt to put that provision back
into effect.
The committee did not take ac-
tion on the bill which would per-
nit the District to remove weeds
-