Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-15
COMM|SSIONERSH|P BEES
ARE BEGINNING TO BUZZ
Prospective Retirement Of Mr.. New.
man Starts Political Ball
a-Rolling.

Prospective commissioning Of Com
missioner Newman as an army omcer.
to be followed by his resignation from
the District service. and the action OF
in urging that If such vacancy shoulo
occur it be filled by representatiVe
citizens association man, has stared
the political bee buzZing In the DIS
trict
II NAV be said that the next member
of the board will be drawn either from
District officials, who, because OF tnelr
qualifications, are regarded as coin-
are in no way identified with the
municipal government, but VINO nave
been active in civic affairs. Ihere IS
a wealth of Glass" in each of these
divisions from which the PRESIDENT can
make a selection.
The suggestion of the Park View AS
ISOLATION is the most interesting ele-
ment in the situation at present, accord
ing to observations expressed IN many
quarters today. In no previous munlcl-
pal administration have the citizens
associations been given so much rec
ognition and consideration. They nave
been called in every year to assist IN
the budget framing, and the Federation
of Citizens Associations has been rec
ognized by the Commissioners as
sort of unofficial city council and given
the use of the board room in the Dis
trict building for its regular meetings.
These bodies, through the initiatory
action of the Park View Association,
are now expected to take the position
that the administration. in order to be
consistent. should favor the selection
of a typical citizens association ma n
for the next vacancy on the board.
Such action undoubtedly would go far
toward cementing the already close
bonds between the Commissioners and
the civic organizations, it is argued.
But how to select 4 man whom the as
eociations will unanimously support is
the big problem, 1t is said There is
no dearth of good material in the as
sociations.
The Park View Association suggested
that the federation. at the proper time.
call special meeting to consider the
nominating of candidate for Com
missioner, and the idea has been adj
vanced that united action and support
by the individual associations might
be obtained if the choice fell to the
president of the federation. who hap
pens to be Charles s. Shreve.
But whatever may be said of Mr..
Shreve and other prospective candi-
dates. the claims of District officials. 1t
Is said by those who are in touch with
the administration. must not be over
looked. Maj. Pullman, superintendent
of police; Ben l. Prince, collector of
taxes; Charles F. Nesbit. superintend-
ent of insurance. and Daniel ] Dono-
van. secretary to the Commissioners.
are officials who have rendered con-
spicuous services under the present
board. and whose efficiency is highly
thought of by the Commissioners. Mr..
Donovan's handling of the registra-
ton work, which enabled Washington
to be the first city in the country to
report to the War Department. holds
high place in the Commissioners esti-
nation. as do the other officials named.
It is thought the Commissioners rec
ommendation will have much to do
with the filling Of the next vacancy.
and just at present the situation is too
.beclouded to justify any guess as to
the result.