Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-05
District Group
0ks 5 Bills for
House Action
Measures Include
One to Modernize
Jobless Pay Low


Nv
By Harold B. Rogers
The House District Committee
today approved and sent to the
House floor for action Monday
five bills, including one to mod
ernize the Districts unemploy-
ment compensation law.
The other four measures
would:
Repeal the Districts old alley
dwelling law so as to permit oc-
cupancy of modernized struc-
lures. The bill, however, was
amended to include permission
for reconstruction Of a filling
station at Wisconsin and Massa-
chusetts avenues NV.
Order police to keep arrest
books open to the public.
Authorize primary elections In
the District to choose delegates
to national conventions of the
Republican and Democratic par
ties.
Make several changes in the
Districts traffic laws.
Hope for Action Monday.
Committee Chairman Simp-
son said he hopes that the House
will act on all five bills Monday,
clearing the way for eventual
enactment Of the legislation be-
fore Congress adjourns.
Attempts were made in the
committee, to report out the
Senate-passed alley-dwelling bill
without amendment. The Senate
bill was offered to the committee
in executive session, according to
Mr.. Simpson, in its original form.
The gasoline station amendment
was offered by Representative
Mcmillan, Democrat, of South
Carolina. There was discussion
but the Mcmillan amendment
was adopted by a vote of 8 to 5.
Mr.. Simpson said he voted
against the amendment.
The alley-dwelling bill was one
Of tIree measures which had been
blocked on the House floor by
Mr.. Mcmillan when they were
called up on a previous District
day.
Mr.. Mcmillan had raised a
point of order against the three
measures, which also included
the police arrest book and traf-
f1c changes by contending that
there had been no quorum pres
ent when the bills were passed.
Later Chairman Simpson got the
House to send the three bills back
TO the District Committee and
they were brought up again to-
day.
Quorum Present.
A quorum was present at the
session this morning, Is of the
25-member committee having re-
ported for the meeting. Some
had to leave for other appoint
ments. but all votes on the five
bills were taken while a quorum
was present.
When the alley dwelling bill
Is called up again on the House
floor. 1t was reported today that
the Mcmillan amendment on
the filing station will be OBJ
jected to on a point of order
that 1t lis not germane to the
original bill on alleys.
The unemployment compensa-
ton bill was approved by the
full committee on recommends
ton by the subcommittee headed
by Representative Tale. Repub-
lican, Of Iowa. It is somewhat
similar but different in some
details from a bill already ap-
proved by the Senate.
The Tale bill would raise pay
ments to the unemployed from
the present, figure of $40 to $50
a week and increase the number
of weeks from the present 20
to % weeks. The House bill
would require, however, that
total payments could not exceed
80 per cent of the persons
previous income for a year.
Would Garry Penalties.
The Tale measure also would
carry penalties in the form OF
reduced unemployment compen-
Sation benefits for those who
voluntarily quit their jobs, who
were accused of misconduct or
refused to accept offers of work.
Under the present law, such
persons must wait four weeks
before drawing their first bene-
fits, but would receive benefits
for the four weeks during which
they had to wait for the first
one.
The Senate-passed bill would
require such persons to wait for
a period of six weeks before get
ting their first benefits, but
eventually would receive their
money for the six weeks they
waited
The Tale bill reported today
gives the District Unemployment
Compensation Board the power
to decide on the waiting perioc
of somewhere between four anc
nine weeks with the provision
that the person would receive
nothing for the period during
which he waited.
Representative Simpson sale
the measure requiring election Of
delegates to the national politi.
cal conventions was approved BY
unanimous vote of the members
present. It would set up adequate
machinery for voting by District
residents.