Evening star., 1953-04-19
Outlook Seen
Uncertain for
Daylight Time
House Unit Ready
To Study Problem at
Wednesday Meeting
By Harold B. Rogers

"Wednesday Meeting
By Harold B. Rogers
Prospects for daylight saving
time in Washington next Sunday
are uncertain with only a week
left for Congress to complete
legislative action.
An important factor in the
perennial controversy over
changing clocks here is a meet
ing of a House District subcom-
mittee Wednesday morning. But
final Congressional approval also
will involve action by the House
District Committee, the House
itself and perhaps the Senate.
Chairman O'Hara of the House
District judiciary subcommittee
has called his unit into session
at 10 am. Wednesday to consider
the whole problem.
Mr.. O'Hara, an opponent of
changing the clocks said, how
ever, he will put the situation
before his 11-member group for
action.
May Reconsider Vote.
The House District Commit
tee voted 9 to 7 against the meas
ure to provide for only one-sum-
mer daylight saving, and the
bill has been pigeonholed since.
There have been indications,
however, that the full commit
tee would reconsider this vote.
Before the OHara group are
two other bills. One passed by
the Senate provides permanent
authority to the District Com
misSioners to establish daylight
time here each summer if two
of three citieS-Baltimore, Phil
adelphia and New York change
their clocks.
The other measure would give
the President authority to de-
clare daylight time here every
year.
Chairman Simpson of the
House District Committee has
promised to call a meeting of his
unit either Thursday or Friday
to act on whatever daylight bill
may come out of the O'Hara
subcommittee.
Measure Offers Hope.
If such a measure should be
sent to the House it would face
a crowded program. But House
Speaker Martin, Republican, of
Massachusetts, injected a ray of
hope into the cloudy picture by
q promise of House action.
IF the District Committee puts
out daylight bill-and I hope
it Will-we will see that it gets
to the floor very quickly" Mr.
Martin said yesterday.
But there still may be a hitch
If the measure should be differ
ent from the Senate-passed bill
it would have to go back to the
Senate which is tied up with de-
bate over submerged oil lands.
The simplest way for Congress
to whip the legislation through
and send it to the President for
signature, sponsors of the legis-
lation point out. would be for the
House to pass the Senate-ap-
proved measure.
But some strong sentiment in
the House already is opposed to
any kind of permanent authority
for daylight time.
With all major cities in the
East planning to change their
clocks next Sunday, Washington
faces the possibility it may be
out of step.
Rent Control Problem.
The O'Hara subcommittee also
will consider the problem of ex-
tending rent control in the Dis
trict beyond its present termina-
ton April 80. There seems to be
little support among legislators
for any extension.
Other District legislation will
be considered in Congress this
week.
The House District subcom-
mittee on Public Service, Streets
and Traffic will meet at $50 m.
Tuesday to act on legislation for
an investigation and study of all
related metropolitan area prob
lens. including transportation.
Hearings have been completed
on the measure. The study would
be made by a presidentially ap-
pointed commission, including
representatives of both Mary
land and Virginia. Governors of
these States both have promised
cooperation.
The subcommittee also will go
over all other bills on its docket
to decide on procedure.
Several items of interest to
Washington will come up on the
House floor when the Indepen-
dent Offices Appropriations Bill
is called for debate and action
beginning Tuesday.
Planning Funds Cut.
Carried in the measure are
funds for the National Planning
Commission, which were sharply
slashed by the appropriations
committee. money for the Smith
sonian Institution and many
other agencies.
An original request for So
million to continue planning and
start construction of the Wash
ington Hospital Center was
stricken completely from the
measure.
The House, due to its heavy
schedule. may not get around to
action this week on an appropri-
ations bill carrying many diff
ferent funds for the District
Government this fiscal year.
SlaShed almost two-thirds by
the House Appropriations Com
mittee Friday, the measure was