The Washington herald., 1912-01-13
FEDERAL CONTROL
Is NOT APPROVED
Commissioners Object to Amend
ment to Bill Transferring Aque-
duct and Filtration Plant.

In a report submitted yesterday to the
| Senate District Committee urging the en-.
actment OF the bill providing for the
transfer OF the Jurisdiction Of the Wash.
ington aqueduct the filtration plant, and
| their appurtenances from the War De-
partment to the Commissioners the Dis
trict officials made plain their disappro-
bation Of the suggestion Of Col. W. C.
Langfitt, now in charge Of the Washing
| ton aqueduct. that the bill be amended 50
as to place the War Department in gen.
eral supervision OF the water supply.
The Objectionable amendment provides
that "the Commissioners shall obey in the
discharge OF the duties mentioned in the
act such regulations. pursuant to law. as
may be prescribed by the President.
through the Department OF War"
Under the provisions OF the unamended
bill, said Col. Langfitt recently, in urg-
ing the adoption OF his amendment. all
supervision and control will pass into the
hands OF a municipal board. whose ma
jority is independent of Federal control
Should labor disturbances. civic mall
administration or other emergencies oc-
cur, the Federal government might not
only find the water distribution stopped,
and also the supply seriously interfered
with, the plant in danger of serious In
jury, or undesirable costly new work
started, but find itself without authority
OF law to exercise any supervision or con-
troll over the same until too late. In or
der to safeguard itself against these pos
sibilities, it seems desirable and proper
that II any transfer Of property and oper-
alton is made, the new administration
should be made subject to the same con-
troll as was the old administration"
THE object OF the biH." reads the re-
pert Of the Commissioners against the
adoption OF the amendment. lis to pro-
vide for unity Of control over the wa
ter supply and distribution system OF
the District. II the amendment to the
bill proposed by Col Langitt were
adopted as submitted. It would continue
the lack of unity which exists to-day,
and would defeat the object OF the bill.
The Commissioners believe that there
may be occasion, such as war or other
extraordinary emergency, when there
should be a Federal supervision over the
water supply of the District OF CoIum-
bia, but that this Federal supervision
need only be exercised at such times.
For this purpose il would not be neces-
sary to retain a continuous supervision
over the Commissioners in the President
and Secretary OF War, but only TO pro-
vide for such. supervision in an emer-
gency."
The Commissioners state that the sug-
gestion of Col. Langfitt, that at the time
of transfer the District should repay
the Federal government S1.SOO.OOO for the
amount which the United States has
contributed toward the maintenance OF
the water supply system Is a question
entirely independent OF the question OF
establishing at this time a unity of con-
troll that would lead TO important and
admitted economies in operation and
administration. The Commissioners
state that IL the reimbursement is due,
II should be. paid, regardless. of whether
the transfer Of Jurisdiction be effected or
not.