AMENDING ACT RELATING TO DEGREE-CONFERRING INSTITUTIONS FEBRUARY 19, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. ZIHLMAN, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 5465] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (S. 5465) to amend section 586c of the act entitled "An act to amend subchapter 1 of chapter 18 of the Code of Laws for the District of Columbia relating to degree-conferring institutions," approved March 2, 1929, having considered the same, reports back to the House with the recommendation that the legislation do pass. The purpose of this bill is to exempt from a restriction of the act referred to certain reputable institutions of learning now established in foreign lands. The act was intended to correct the "diploma-mill" evil in the District of Columbia, which after investigation showed that many socalled universities were issuing, to correspondence students, degrees in medicine, dentistry, and other studies. In order that the public might be safeguarded from any misapprehension that a private educational institution had any official connection with the Government, the act contained a prohibition against the use of the words "American," "United States," "Federal," and the like, in the title of any institution of learning incorporated in the District of Columbia. The Board of Education of the District of Columbia was given authority in the act to issue licenses to institutions incorporated in the District. Lacking this license, such institutions are barred from law from conferring degrees. AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES ABROAD There was no intent, so far as the committee can determine, to forbid the use of the word "American" in the titles of institutions in foreign lands, where the word would serve solely to indicate place of origin, such as the American Academy at Rome, the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, the American University at Beirut, and other well-known schools and colleges abroad. The committee knows of only one instance of such an institution which would fall under the provisions of the present law. This is the American University at Cairo, Egypt. It is a place of learning of high standard, and its qualifications have been investigated thoroughly by the Board of Education. So far as the committee knows, it is the only important American university abroad which is incorporated in the District of Columbia. Under existing law this university will be compelled to reincorporate in the District under another title, because of its use of the word "American," or to incorporate in another State under the same title. CONTENTS OF THE BILL The bill under consideration would permit the amendment of the existing law to provide that no institution heretofore incorporated under the act, and carrying on its work exclusively in a foreign country with the approval of the government thereof, shall, if complying in all other respects with the law, be denied a license by the Board of Education because of "inclusion in its name and as descriptive of its origin" of any of the words forbidden under the act. This bill was considered by the Board of Education and the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and has their approval. The Commissioner's letter to Hon. Arthur Capper, chairman of the Senate Committee on the District of Columbia, is appended hereto and made a part of this report. The committee is of the opinion that this bill will not in any way weaken the force and effect of the act it is intended to amend, and will prevent an injustice to existing educational institutions of known merit and good standing. Hon. ARTHUR Capper, WASHINGTON, January 9, 1931. Chairman Committee on the District of Columbia, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to submit the following on Senate bill 5465, Seventy-first Congress, third session, entitled, "A bill to amend section 586c of the act entitled 'An act to amend subchapter 1 of chapter 18 of the Code of Laws for the District of Columbia relating to degreeconferring institutions,' approved March 2, 1929," which you referred to them for report as to the merits of the bill and the propriety of its passage. Neither the Commissioners of the District of Columbia nor the Board of Education have any objection to the passage of the proposed bill, and the commissioners therefore recommend favorable action thereon. Very truly yours, L. H. REICHELDERFER, President Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia. In compliance with paragraph 2a of Rule XIII of the rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law are shown as follows: The section of existing law proposed to be amended is in Roman type and the proviso added is shown in italics. SEC. 586c. Application for the license referred to in the preceding section shall be in writing upon forms prepared under the direction of the Board of Education, and shall be filed with the secretary of the said board, whose duty it shall be, in case the institution so licensed is incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia, to forward a copy of said license to the recorder of deeds for the Dis trict of Columbia, who shall indorse upon the certificate of incorporation the fact that said license has been issued. The Board of Education is hereby authorized to employ the personnel of the public-school system of the District of Columbia, so far as the same may be necessary, for the proper performance of its duties under this act, and it shall be the duty of all public officers and bureaus of the Federal Government concerned with educational matters to render such advice and assistance to the Board of Education as it may from time to time consider necessary or desirable for the better performance of its duties under this act: Provided, That no institution heretofore incorporated under the provisions of this act, and carrying on its work exclusively in any foreign country with the consent and approval of the Government thereof, shall if otherwise entitled to be licensed by the Board of Education, be denied the same solely because of the inclusion in its name and as descriptive of its origin of any of the specific words the use of which is by this section forbidden to incorporations under the provisions of this act. O CLOSING OF UPPER WATER STREET BETWEEN TWENTYSECOND AND TWENTY-THIRD STREETS NW. FEBRUARY 19, 1931.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. ZIHLMAN, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. J. Res. 495] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. J. Res. 495) to authorize the Commissioners of the District of Columbia to close upper Water Street, between Twenty-second and Twenty-third Streets, having considered the same, report back to the House with the recommendation that the legislation do pass. This action is in line with the development of B Street from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial as provided by Congress. The closing of this part of upper Water Street is made necessary because of the proposed erection of the American Pharmaceutical Association Building, in conformity with the plan for buildings facing the Lincoln Memorial. The association has completed its plans to erect and endow a building to house its organization activities, including a reference library, historical museum, and a research laboratory, all devoted to the advancement of the profession of pharmacy, and by a vote of the members of the association Washington was chosen as the location of this institution, and the property facing on B Street NW., between Twenty-second and Twenty-third Streets, selected as the site. The Commission of Fine Arts advises this committee that it has been consulted frequently about the design and location of this building, which will be the first of the monumental buildings along B Street to be seen from the Arlington Memorial Bridge, and that they have approved the design and plan and consider the building will be a notable addition to the group of buildings along the Mall devoted to the fine arts, science, and education. The association intends to begin construction of the building as soon as this legislation is enacted. |