The Washington herald., 1916-01-20
D. e. HEADS ARGUMENTS
STRENGTHEN OTHER SIDE

after the service of all present mem
bers of the Board of Commissioners.
Aside from the fact that the proposed
amendment affects the form rather than
the substance upon which the Opposi.
tion Is based, in that the director OF
education, IN whom II is proposed to
vest the authority over personnel, is
still to be appointed by the Commis-
sioners, and therefore amenable to
their views, IL is suggested that, in
form, the proposed amendment to the
Commissioners original proposal con-
templates the very division of author
ity against which the Commissioners
are now complaining.
Jusufying his bill solely on the
ground that the division Of activities
in Connection with the schpol syste IN
between the Board or Education and
the District government" offer oppor-
tunity for friction and lost motion in
administration, Mr.. Newman declared
that rather than have the arrange
ment continued. II unable to have all
authority vested In the Commissioners,
he would support a proposal to have
all authority now vested in, the Dis
trict government given the Board of
Education.
Would Inject Politics.
Opposition to the Commissioners bill
centered almost entirely around the fear
that, for no good cause, a change was
proposed which very easily might and
probably would inject politics into zthe
school system. II was pointed out that
no residents of the District either are
demanding the change or complaining
against any act of the Board of Educa-
ton: that there has been no friction be-
tween the Board of Education and the
District Commissioners since the school
law of 1896 was enacted. and that there
is no reason to suppose under the present
system any friction Of a nature to
jeopsrdiZe the interest of public educa-
ton may develop in the future. More
over, the lack OF coordination or
Capitalization complained of by 'the Com
missioners, it was pointed out. cannot be
charged reasonably with any inetficiency
or maladministration in the school
system
Although Corporation Counsel Syme for
the Commissioners declared at the morn
ing session that the auditor of the Dis
trict had received no annual report from
the school board for four years, 1t was
shown that only two years are missing,
and that those have been held up be-
cause the superintendent Of schools for
those years, DR.. Davidson. has since
been called to Pittsburgh and has not
made his report to the Board of Educa-
ton covering those years.
Abstract Discussion.
Representative johnson was insistent
in demanding of Mr.. Blair and Senator
Butler what basis they had in the past
acts of the present Commissioners fol
fearing that II given complete authority
over the public schools they would per
init politics to creep into matters Of per
sonnet Mr.. Blair replied that he wat
discussing the matter in the abstract
and pointed to the fact that for the last
six years the bipartisan character of the
Board Of Commissioners has been done
away with. as indicating a tendency
which might be expected to reach the
school system in time if the existing
safeguards should be let down.
The Inference from questions by Rep
resentative johnson and Chairman Lloyc
was that IL there had been any District
patronage going the rounds, deserving
Democrats in Kentucky and Missouri haC
been overlooked. Representative Lloyc
stated very frankly that he would expect
patronage to creep in, and believed, II
given the opportunity, II would be tht
duty Of District Commissioners to favO,
their own parties. Mr.. Lloyd evidenced
his unwillin gness to take a chance" ir
In supporting his measure, Commits.
sioner Newman declared that it resulted
from a study Of the situation by the
Commissioners covering a period of two
and-one-half years, and dating from the
general, proposal of the President that
District matters be centralized. He de-
eIared that while the White House knew
such a bill had been introduced. it had
made no expression of its value. Mr.
Blair, in commencing his statement
pointed out that Mr.. Newman was the
only member of the Board of Commits
sioners who had been in office more
than one year at the time the proposal
was embodied in the Commissioners an
nuaI estimates last October.
Never Handled Penny.
Discussing the relationship between
the Board Of Education and the Distric,
government. Mr.. Blair declared that "nc
member OF the school systcm ever
handled one penny
The auditor of the District is bonded
and responsible to nobody In the worle