Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-06
House toProbe
Delinquency
Problem Here
Schools Standards
Also to Be Studied
In Twin Inquiry
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS

The House District Commit
tee today voted to establish a
five-man subcommittee to in
vestigate juvenile delinquency
and standards in Washington's
public schools.
The full committee. with Is
members present. acted to set
up the investigation after hear
ing complaints from members
present about the increase in
juvenile delinquency here and
the lowered standards" in the
public schools.
The vote, taken by show OF
hands, was IL for the investiga-
ton with two members not vot-
ing, according to Committee
Chairman Mcmillan.
The South Carolina Democrat
said he expected to appoint the
t1ve-man committee as soon as
possible.
Nine Bills Approved
In a busy session behind closed
doors, the committee approved
nine different bills, including
one to tighten control over mar
cotics and drug addicts here and
another to give chain stores
holding beer licenses permission
to sell beer at all retail cutie -
instead of only a single store to
which they are restricted by
present law.
The legislation to permit chain
stores to sell beer at more than
one of chains outlets has been
pending in Congress for years,
but has been successfully blocked
so far by strong opposition from
other business groups.
The District Committee, in
sending the narcotics bill to the
House floor for action, adopted a
series of amendments worked out
at an informal session among
representatives of the commit
tees staff, law officers and doc
tors and druggists earlier this
week.
Committee Clerk William Nc
Leod, jr.. after the session today
said among the importan
amendments was one to remove
from the bill the right of Federal
inspectors to look at prescription
files and to define more precisely
the definition of harmful drugs.
Agreement on Records
Another agreement reached at
the recent session and adopted
by the committee today was to
leave in the measure a proviso
exempting physicians from keep
ing comprehensive records on
narcotics and other harmful
drugs.
The druggists earlier had pro-
posed that if they had to keep
such records, physicians should
do likewise.
Other bills sent to the House
floor for action include two
measures passed by the Senate.
One Of Il csc would authorize the
District Commissioners to deslg-
nate the compensation to be paid
members of examining and
licensing boards. The other
would authorize the city heads
to designate certain District
employees to protect property be-
longing to the city but located
outside the District. Z
Gas Station Authorized
OLner approved plllS'
Authorize reconstruction of 6
gasoline station at the inter-
section of Massachusetts, anC
Wisconsin avenues NV. which
under present laws cannot be re.
built.
Reduce the city license fees or
automobile trailers.
Set up new regulations relat-
ing to the excise taxes paid by
the purchaser Of an auto in CASE
a defective car is replaced by the
seller.
Exempt the American Institute
of Architects from paying rea
estate taxes on the historic Octa.
gon House and its grounds.
Regulate and license the
pawnbrokers business in the Dis,
trict. This is a different bill
from one recently passing thu
House restoring the right o.
small loan business and pawr
brokers to operate here.