Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-12
Will Not Qualify as District
Commissioner Until Latter
Is Confirmed.
TWO OATHS REQUIRED
BY BOARD MEMBERS
One to Be Taken as District Head
and Other as Member of Public
Utilities Commission.

Although the Senate yesterday after
noon confirmed Frederick L. Siddons as
one of the District Commissioners, it is
not anticipated that he will take office
until after the nomination of the other
civilian Commissioner. Oliver +. New
man, has been confirmed also
The nomination of Mr.. Newman was re-
ported favorabIy TO the Senate yester-
day afternoon by a unanimous vote of
the Senate District committee and il is
expected that the Senate will confirm the
nomination when il meets Monday after
noon, provided an executive session is
held.
The opponents of Mr.. Newman have
announced that they hope to continue the
fight against him when the nomination
comes up for consideration in the Senate.
but 1t Is not believed that their opposi-
ton Will be successful in view of the
unanimous action of the committee
In any event ii was said today, Mr..
Siddons will not take office until after
his commission as District Commissioner
has been made out and signed by the
President. The President will return
to Washington Monday.
a reason for delaying the entry of Mr..
Slddons upon office duties until the other
civilian Commissioner has been confirmed
by the Senate is that it is customary for
the board or District Commissioners to
organize as soon as the new Commits
Sioners have been duly confirmed The
BOARD then selects its own president. and
under the new law creating public utili-
Ties commission composed of the District
commissioners. it also selects the pre- si-
dent of this new commission. Also the
various departments of the municipal
government are apportioned among the
commissioners. OF course, some OF
these departments fall naturally under
Inc supervision OF the Engineer Commits
sloner. but the rest are apportioned large
~ with regard to the preference Of the
Two civilian Commissioners.
Must Take Two Oaths.
For The first time in the history of
the local government the new Commits
sioncrS- upon entering their duties. will
be required to take two oaths. One
VIII be administered to them as Com
missioners and the other as members
Of the public utilities commission.
The former oath may be taken be-
Tore a notary public, but the latter
must be administered by the clerk of
the District Of Columbia Supreme
Court.
In the event President Wilson signs
the commission of either or both of the
prospective new officials Monday. the
method of procedure for inducting
them into office probably will be as
follows:
First Treasury Department officials
Monday will commence preparation of
the bonds to be given by the Com
missioners. The bonds will be ready
for delivery late Tuesday.
Second. notary public and the clerk
OF the District Supreme Court will meet
the new officials in the office of Commits
sioner Rudolph Wednesday. where they
will be given the oath of office and i'm
mediately enter upon their duties Com
missioners.
One of the first tasks that will confront
the incoming board Will be the prepara-
ton OF the Districts estimates for the
next fiscal year. This work will extend
TO the middle of October.
Mr. Siddons. who probably will be
given special jurisdiction over the sew
eral departments of the local govern
ment that have been under the con
troll of Commissioner Johnston will
find that his predecessor already has
made substantial progress on the esti-
mates Tor next year. Before leaving
Washington on his summer vacation
which he is spending AT Thousa n.
Islands. Commissioner Johnston OBJ
tanned and revised the estimates of the
police. fire and health departments and
the Office of the superintendent OF
weights. measures and markets. which
are the principal divisions of the Dis
trict government that have been under
his special guidance as member -,i
the board of Commissioners.
Work on the Estimates.
Work on the estimates by the board as
a whole iioba bly viii not he started be-
fore carly in September. Engineer Com
missioner Harding is planning to spend
the month of August in Massa chusatts
30 that tn. framing Of the budget by til,
commissioners jointly will not he COM
mcnccd until his return.
The new officials will have six weeks oI
moro To look INTO the needs Of the dc.
partIncnts tnat may be assigned to then
before the real work of budget framing
begins. and. in this way, they will h.
able 10 rapidly famiiiarize themseIye:
with the local government machinery
1t VIII be several weeks before tn,
Commissioners Will know exactly how
much money they will have ayailabl.
for improvements when preparing tn,
next estimates. but there is said 10 b,
every probability that the amount will
be million dollars in excess of IN,
highest figures of any previous year
This Will be due largely to the fac
that there will be smaller debt pay
ments 10 meet next year. while o
course, substantial increase has bee,
recorded in District revenues collected
Interest in Assignments.