Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-03
CITY HEADS SEEK
INCREASED DUTIES
Would Take Over Powers of
Proposed Housing
Commission.
CITE DIFFICULTIES
OF SEPARATE BODY
Senator Works Plan Might Fail in
1h. Purposes, Is
Claim.

Additional duties will be placed upon
the Commissioners of the District of CO.
lumbia IL Congress approves a recon-
mendation made by the local government
heads today that they be invested with
the powers OF housing commission.
IN a report on the joint resolution in
PRODUCED by Senator Works calling for
the creation Of a housing commission
to consist Of three women and two men
to provide means of caring for the Gin
digent, improvident and needy popula-
ton" Of the District the Commissioners
suggest that for reasons of economy, it
would be better to invest them with the
proposed duties rather than create q
separate body for that service.
Senator Works. Measure.
Senator Works bill directs that the pro-
posed commission shall investigate and
report on suitable location for suffi-
cient number of model sanitary houses
for the accommodation of such persons
as should be cared for under the direc-
ton of the national government. 1t di-
reefs that a report be made on the kind
and probable cost of such houses, the
best means of renting or otherwise pro-
viding the dwellings and methods OF
policing, experimenting and securing
proper care and sanitation Of the prop
erty.
The Commissioners, in their commune
cation to Congress regarding the pro-
posed legislation. say:
The Commissioners are apprehensive
that the proposed restriction in the pur-
conditions of the INDECENT. improvident
and needy population of the District Of
Columbia would not only exclude from
the jurisdiction OF such commission many
phases OF service respecting which the
Intervention Of such an agency is desira-
BILE, but would tend to impair the self
respect and excite the resentment of a
large portion Of those whose welfare the
commission might undertake to make
the subject Of its inquiry and activity.
Might Aid Another Glass.
Every community contains large
population which is neither INDECENT. i'm
provdent nor needy in the ordinary
sense of these terms. but which keeps
itself above that social stratum by grind
ing labor and continual sacrifice, and
which could be benefited by the supervf-
sion contemplated by the proposed legis-
lation.
THE Commissioners therefore have
the honor to suggest that if. in the
judgment of Congress. the creation Of
the proposed housing commission
should be deemed advisable. the pro-
posed resolution be modified SO as to
enlarge and better define the commits
sion's duties. A body vested with such
functions should have authority to en-
force it's conclusions. and be provided
with the necessary funds. Without
power to subpoena witnesses and COM
pei their attendance; to punish for con-
tempt. and generally to regulate its
method of proceeding, and without
money to pay the expense Of such pro-
ceedings, 1t could not accomplish the
work which it is obviously projected
to do
Advantages of Plan.
THE Commissioners are of the opinion
that it would be better to invest them
with the proposed duties than to create
an Independent commission for that serv-
ice. They believe that they can perform
those duties as well and more economi-
cally than an independent commission
which would have 10 install a new sys-
tenn Of agencies with incidental increase
Il expense and whose duties might pos
sibly involve a conflict of jurisdiction
with existing instrumentalities, and dup
lication Of work.
1.-THE Commissioners append herewith a
copy of an act under which the New
York city tenement house commission Of
1900 was created. and which they believe
might be taken as the basis upon which
to draft bill on the subject for the
District of Columbia.
'They would be glad to prepare and
submit such a draft II that course would
be acceptable to your committee"