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MARCH 13 (calendar day, March 29), 1935.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. KING, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 2100]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2100) to amend an act of Congress entitled "An Act to establish a Code of Law for the District of Columbia", approved March 3, 1901, as amended, by adding three new sections to be numbered 802 (a), 802 (b), and 802 (c), respectively, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon and recommends that the bill do pass.

The bill contains three amendments of the provision of law punishing manslaughter in the District of Columbia, and is modeled after a statute of the State of Michigan, known as the "Negligent homicide law." The code sections are to be known as 802 (a), 802 (b), and 802 (c).

In the opinion of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia there is too much delay and uncertainty in grand jury proceedings looking to the placing of charges of manslaugh er in traffi fatality ases. The increase in traffi deaths in the District of Columbia last year, while due in part to the large number of vehicles, both local and out of town, perating upon the streets of the District, would appear to call for the enactment of a law tending to bring home to the public the fact that vigorous and immediate prosecution of persons causing deaths through inattention or speed is the aim of law enforcers, and thus result in the saving of lives.

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Paragraph 1 of the bill provides for the amending of section 802 of the District of Columbia Code of Law relating to manslaughter. Paragraph 2 defines the offense of negligent homicide by vehicle, and provides for the holding of the persons involved for hearing in either the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia or the police court of the District of Columbia without the long delay of grand jury presentation. This is accomplished in two ways-first, by fixing

the punishment at imprisonment for 1 year or the payment of a fine, or both, and, secondly, by authorizing the coroner of the District of Columbia to hold to bond or commit persons to either of these courts when the coroner's jury has found that negligent homicide has been committed.

Paragraph 3 declares that the offense created "shall be deemed to be included within every crime of manslaughter charged to have been committed in the operation of any vehicle", and permits a jury to "render a verdict of negligent homicide" even though the charge on which a defendant is being tried is that of manslaughter.

Paragraph 4 provides that the rate of speed of the vehicle involved shall be considered in the light of the attendant circumstances at the time of the fatality, thus not excusing or relieving any individual in such case merely because he happened to be driving at a rate of speed allowed by the traffic regulations.

This legislation was prepared by the corporation counsel of the District of Columbia at the request of the United States District Attorney and the Washington Board of Trade. It has received the attention of several citizens' associations of the District, which recommend its passage. The President of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia recommends the bill, and urges its early adoption into law.

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74TH CONGRESS 1st Session

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SENATE

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REPORT No. 394

AUTHORIZE LOAN FROM PUBLIC WORKS ADMINISTRATION BY DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO BUILD SMALL COURTS BUILDING

MARCH 13 (calendar day, MARCH 29, 1935.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. KING, from the Committee on the District of Columbia
submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 2035]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (S. 2035) to amend an Act approved June 25, 1934, authorizing loans from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works for the construction of certain municipal buildings in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon and recommend that the bill do pass with the following amendment.

On page 2, after line 15, add the following new section:

SEC. 2. That section 3 of said Act is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following:

"Provided, That whenever the District of Columbia is under obligation by virtue of the provisions of section 4 of said Public Act 284, Seventy-first Congress, reimbursement shall not be less than $300,000 in any one fiscal year."

On page 2, line 9, after the words "the municipal court", insert the words "the recorder of deeds".

The purpose of the bill is to amend an act approved June 25, 1934, under which the Commissioners of the District of Columbia are permitted to borrow money from the Public Works Administration under the same conditions as other municipalities are obtaining such funds. The act referred to specified the projects contemplated, and no provision was made for the building of the police court, the municipal court, or the juvenile court, and the present bill merely provides that the District Commissioners may make application to the Public Works Administration for loans to construct the buildings referred to, but does not increase the sum authorized under the act of 1934.

This legislation received careful consideration by your committee, and numerous persons were heard in connection with its provisions. It was the unanimous view of all those who appeared that the police court, the municipal court, and the juvenile court are wholly inadequate for the needs of the District of Columbia, and are in fact a disgrace to the city.

Attached hereto and made a part of this report is a letter from Hon. Frederic A. Delano, chairman of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, explaining the proposed amendment and approving the bill. Also attached is a letter from the Acting President of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia requesting the introduction of this bill and urging its passage.

NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION,
Washington, D. C., March 5, 1935.

Hon. WILLIAM H. KING,
United States Senate, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR SENATOR KING: The National Capital Park and Planning Commission had before it for consideration at its meeting February 26 and 27, S. 2035, which amends the District of Columbia Public Works Act, approved June 25, 1934, so as to permit the erection of "a building or buildings for the police court, the municipal court, and the juvenile court, or any of them; said court buildings to be located on such portions or parts of Judiciary Square, or the area bounded by Fourth and Fifth Streets, D and G Streets NW., as shall be approved by said Commissioners and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission."

The Commission approved this bill with the following amendment in which the Commissioners agreed:

"SEC. 2. That section 3 of said act is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following:

"Provided, That whenever the District of Columbia is under obligation by virtue of the provisions of section 4 of said Public Act No. 284, Seventy-first Congress, reimbursement shall be not less than $300,000 in any one fiscal year."" The Commission considers this meritorious legislation. The proposed section 2 simply clarifies the meaning of section 3-A in the present act, which, owing to a number of amendments as it passed through the Senate and House, left the meaning in the opinion of the Commission somewhat uncertain.

Respectfully yours,

FREDERIC A. DELANO, Chairman.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE,

Washington, February 25, 1935.

COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

Hon. WILLIAM H. KING,
Chairman Senate District Committee,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR: Attached hereto is a draft of the bill relating to the construction of certain municipal buildings in the District of Columbia.

There was approved on June 25, 1934, an act authorizing loans from the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works for the construction of certain municipal buildings in the District of Columbia, Public, No. 465, Seventythird Congress.

That act made no provision for the building of the police court, the municipal court, and the juvenile court, and the Commissioners seek by the attached bill to amend that act so as to give them authority to construct these very much needed court buildings in the Judiciary Square.

You will observe that there will be no need to increase the amount authorized to be loaned by the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works to the District of Columbia, and that the words amendatory to the act are:

66* * * and a building or buildings for the police court, the municipal court, and the juvenile court, or any of them, said court buildings to be located on such portions or parts of Judiciary Square, or the area bounded by Fourth and Fifth Streets, D and G Streets Northwest, as shall be approved by said Commissioners, and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission." The Commissioners respectfully request the introduction of this bill and urge its passage.

Very truly yours,

GEO. E. ALLEN,
Acting President Board of Commissioners of the
District of Columbia.

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74TH CONGRESS 1st Session

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SENATE

REPORT

No. 395

TO PROVIDE FOR THE COLLECTION AND PUBLICATION OF STATISTICS OF PEANUTS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

MARCH 13 (calendar day, MARCH 29), 1935.-Ordered to be printed

Mr. SMITH, from the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany S. 81]

The Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, to whom was referred the bill (S. 81) to provide for the collection and publication of statistics of peanuts by the Department of Agriculture, having considered the same, recommend that the bill do pass with the following amend

ment:

Strike out all after the enacting words and insert in lieu thereof the following:

That the Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to collect and publish statistics of raw peanuts, shelled, unshelled, and crushed, and peanut oil, in the United States, in the possession of warehousemen, brokers, cleaners, shellers, dealers, growers' cooperative associations, or owners other than the original producers of peanuts. Such statistics shall show the quality of peanuts in such details as to kinds-Virginias, Runners, Spanish, and imported varietiesas the Secretary shall deem necessary for the purposes of this Act. All reports except those required from persons owning or operating peanut picking or threshing machines shall be submitted monthly in each year.

SEC. 2. The Secretary is hereby authorized to collect and publish statistics of the quantity of peanuts picked or threshed by any person owning or operating peanut picking or threshing machines.

SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of every warehouseman, broker, cleaner, and/or sheller, dealer, growers' cooperative association, owner and/or operator of peanut picking or threshing machines to furnish promply upon request of the Secretary, within the time prescribed by him, completely and correctly to the best of his knowledge, a report of the quantity of peanuts on hand and in the case of an operator of peanut picking and threshing machines the quantity picked or threshed segregating in accordance with forms furnished for the purpose by the Secretary. Any person required by this Act, or the regulations promulgated thereunder, to furnish reports or information, and any officer, agent, or employee thereof who shall refuse or willfully give answers that are false and misleading, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $1,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or to be subject to both such fine and imprisonment.

S. Repts., 74-1, vol. 1-36

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