The Washington herald., 1918-07-09

rOt ana months DdHI-IDs
more than year in alive have
been watching with the closest in
terest and attention the operation OF
the affairs of the District of Co.
luInbia-
Watching because we have always
taken a keen interest in things gov
errmental and because we thought
some OF the stories we heard about
the District must be grossly exag-
gerated or perhaps entirely untrue.
But II Is with regret that We state
here and now that a most lax form
Of government exists here. 1t Is not
the fault OF the Commissioners, nor
Of their subordinates, nor of the peo-
pie. II Is indisputab1y the fault of
Congress itself We hope, for rhe
good OF the District, that the tide
will begin TO flow the other way
one OF these days, and that Congress
Will realize its responsibilities and
will proceed to shoulder them man
fully.
There are many things wrong and
many remedies which might be pre-
seribed. We will endeavor to emu
merate for the benefit of our readers.
First-The people OF the District
should be given a share in their gov
ernment-not all, but a part. Suffrage
should be extended wisely but none
the less literally to the people Of
the District on matters which are
necessarily of only local interest. A
very fair division OF power can be
effected in this manner IL Congress-
will only study the problem.
Second-More money should be
voted to the District by Congress
and a sensible form of taxation
should be imposed In the District
which will enable the District to
meet share Of Its operating ex-
penses and cost Of construction Of
various public-works projects.
Third-The Commissioners should be
chosen by the people and should be
vested with more power than they
now have. They should be made to
feel that their power Is on a parity
with the power given to members
Of II city governing body under the
commissionership plan. Responsible
ity should be as fixed as 1t is under
this plan.
Fourth-Jurisdicition should de d.
vided and the, Commissioners alio-
Gated to the various parts of town
should hold regular meetings, in their
section. with the people of that sec
tlon. All matters pertaining to that
section Of the city should oe dis
cussed frankly and fully with the
Commissioners and these then should
then receive the attention of the
Commissioners in joint session, IL
need be. In this connection, it would
unouestionably be good move TO
enlarge the Commission, so as to give
an operating head to the import ant
departments and one who would
make IL his business to keep in close
touch with the people themselves.
The one outstanding difficulty here
10 that no one appears to make :he
public business his business. Con-
gress has the power now, but the
responsibility Is not fixed and Is not.
unfortunately, assumed by any of
those who have power to fix 1t. II is
a sl'pshod, careless way of doing
business It should be supplanted as
soon as possible with form of gov
ernment that will repond to the needs
Of the people. We repeat 1t, RE
sPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE
PEOPLE"
II this is done there will be no COM
plant at all. Everything will be
achieved that needs to be, achieves
We have heard much about the au.
tomato telephone system and we have
heard people here speak about It as
though 1t were a new and mysterious
system. We lived In q city of 60OOC
Inhabitants where the automatic ha,
been in operation for more than eight
years-and we have seen the system
reduce its competitors to such a point
that merger was effected and the
automatic entirely replaced the GEN.
trail energy system.
It is q pronounced success 1t oper-
ates quickly and surely and troubles
are minimized. 1t satisfies the phone
patrons as they can not be satisfied
by any other system. The system Is
operated by the brother of Dean Albert
Woods Of the Maryland State Col
lege, and as such a success from
the outset that this telephone wizarc
Woods was made the head of all the
independent telephone associations Of
the nation. w
We advise someone hereabouts II
get some information about. the auto.
matte telephone. 1t will interest then
and cheer them. and perhaps con
vince them that the system shoult
be installed in dear old Washington.
Some of the pure food commissions
Of the various States could be brough
herss with profit to suggest to tn,
admipistratofs Of the District pur
= e. !