Evening star., 1952-01-06
District Affairs Crowd.
Congress- Calendar;
Home Rule Fight Seen
BY Don 5. Worren

almost from the time it recon.
Venes Tuesday.
Subjects coming up range all
the way from the city's biggest
budget and demands for loca,
suffrage to the local crime in
quiry and maybe an investigation
OF District transit service, fares
and profits.
Other items headed for debate
or action include a proposed re-
organization of the District Al
coholic Beverage Control Board
expansion and reorganization OF
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, a new pay
raise for school teachers. a
streamlining of the city govern
ment, separate from questions OF
home rule" and the annual con-
tests over District daylight saw
ing time and continuation of
District rent controls.
Home Rule Fight Seen.
An early battle is in prospect
over the compromised plan for an
elected District government. Sen
ate Majority Leader Mcfarland
has given first priority to this
measure. which is on the Senate
calendar but failed of action in
the closing days of the past Ses-
sion.
There are predictions of early
Senate passage of this measure
although opponents in control of
the House District Committee are
ready to bury it again should the
Senate send it over. Senate
Leader Mcfarland said he be-
lieves the Senate will pass the bill
and this brought a like comment
yesterday from Senator Case, Re-
publican, of South Dakota, one of
the bills sponsors.
Senator Case said he was very
pleased to learn of the priority
given the bill by Senator McFar-
land and added: Il will do every
thing possible on the Republican
side to get support for the bill.
I am confident the Senate will
pass it"
Johnston Opposes Bill.
About the same time, spokes-
man for Senator Johnston, Demo-
crat, of South Carolina. traditional
foe of any suffrage in the National
Capital, served notice that the
South Carolinian would be on
hand to speak against the home
rule bill any time it is called up.
An early subject of considera-
ton is to be an inquiry into Capt.
tai Transit Co. affairs. sparked
by its biggest recent stock dividend
of $2.4 million announced while
1t was awaiting a Public Utilities
Commission decision on a re-
quested fare boost. The commits
sion denied most of the fare in
crease requests but did grant a 10
cent increase in the price of the
81 weekly pass.
Chairman Nicely Of the Senate
District Committee plans to pro-
pose an inquiry and similar de-
mands have been voiced by House
members, including Representa-
tive Crawford, Michigan Repub-
iican.
No Answer On Demands.
There was no answer yesterday
on Capitol Hill as to what would
come Of these demands. Observers
recalled that similar demands for
an investigation of the transit
company had been raised before
without effect. It was said, how
ever, that the stock dividend Or
dered at the time of a pending
fare rise had given new heat to-
the issue.
Another possibility was a hear
ing by the Senate Commerce Com
mittee on bills by Senators Byrd
and Robertson, Virginia Demo-
Gratis, for an investigation by the
Interstate Commerce Commission
into both service and fares
charged by passenger carrier fa-
cilities in the Washington metro
politan area.
Some House appropriations sub
committees will begin work this
week on the 1858 budgets, in ad-
vance of their formal submission
by President Truman, delayed by
adjustments of national military
spending plans. But House Of
ficials say the District budget will
be taken up later, not next week.
District department officials
have asked a total of $l54 mil
lion for the next fiscal year. The
Commissioners have made heavy
slashes from these requests but
the resulting total has not been
announced.
ABC Revamping to Be Asked.
William N. Mcleod, clerk to
the House District committee, an
nounced yesterday he is drafting,
at the request of an unnamed
Democratic member of the Dis
trict committee, a bill for a top
to-bottom" reorganization of the
ABC Board. One intended pur-
pose would be to remove the CELL
ing on the number of licenses
that may be issued for package
goods stores. The reason for this.
he said, is continuing protest over
the price q new dealer has to pay
to a license holder for transfer of
his license.
Also involved is a question of
whether the ABC Board should
be converted to one-man admin
iStrator under the Commissioners,
or whether, instead, the chairman
of ire board, Alan Payne. should
be given greater powers and higher
pay than the other two members.
The Senate District Committee
probably will give early study to
President Truman's nomination of
Earl Wayne Beck, colored, of Kan
sas City, to be the Districts new
recorder of deeds at So $3.50 a year
Two agents of the committee last
month explored Mr.. Beck's back
q