LEASING BILL GETS O.K.

Anti-Oriental Measure Constitutional, Says Committee

OLYMPIA, Wednesday, Feb. 16. -- House Bill 79, prohibiting the ownership or leasing of land by aliens not eligible to citizenship, is constitutional, in the opinion of the judiciary committee, according to a report made to the House today.

The committee yesterday afternoon held a hearing on the measure. D.V. Halverstadt, appearing for the Japanese relations committee of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, declared the bill was in opposition to the treaty-making power of the federal government, which reserved to itself the right to legislate on matters connected with the rights of citizens of another country.

Other speakers at the hearing were J.S. Goldsmith, representing the transportation bureau of the Chamber of Commerce; Councilman Phillip Tindall of Seattle, Frank Kannair, representing the Seattle Retail Grocers' Association, and M.A. Griffiths, representing Seattle laundry interests.