The Washington times., 1923-01-29
MAJORITY
FAVORS
TIMES
PLAN
Ready for Submission Prob
ably Wednesday-DeIayed
by Illness of Members.

ably Wednesday-DeIayed
by Illness of Members.
Work Of drafting the new Dis
trict delegate bill to be introduced
in the House by leading Repub-
lican members of the House Dis
trict Committee is nearing COM
pletion and it is expected that it
will be ready for consideration at
the next meeting of the committee
Wednesday,.
Delayed by Illness. 4e.
The bill was to have been intro
duced today, but owing to the fllg
ness of Congressman Reed of West
Virginia, who was responsible for
the original measure for local en-
reimbursement, and Congressman
Sproul of illinois, who will lend
active support to the new bill. it
has been necessary to DELAY action
in the matter
Members of the committee who
are favorable to District enfran-
chisement are anxious that the
new bill will contain those pro-
visions which will meet with the
wishes of a majority of the people
of the District and at the same
time meet the approval of commit
tee members.
The bill is being drafted with this
in mind and it is the intention of
those who are engaged in framing
the measure that the views of Con-
gressmen Reed and Sproul be OBJ
tanned before it is given final APP
prevail
In drafting the new measure con.
sideration has been given the two
original bills introduced in both
branches of Congress. Certain pro-
vision in the Poindexter- Reed Dis
trict delegate bill will in all proba-
bility be used in the new draft.
This is particularly so with regard
to the method of holding elections
Times Proposals Favored.
The Capper-Zihlman bill, which
provides for the election Of five
civilian Commissioners, three mem
bers of the Public Utilities Commits
sion, and a Board of Education of
five, has also been carefully exam
1ned. This measure was introduced
in the last Congress, and action on
1T was held UP pending a definite
vote on the Reed delegate bill.
A majority of the committee mem
bers are in favor of introducing
a bill to conform to the plan as
outlined in the Washington Times
last week.
This would provide for the cleo
ton OF four civilian Commissioners,
who, together with the Engineer
Commissioner appointed by the
President, would constitute the Board
Of Commissioners.
Two Of these, with the Engineer,
Commissioner, would serve as the !
Public Utilities Commission.
The civilian Commissioner receiv-
ing the largest vote would be chair
man ex officio Of the board and the
delegate in the House. He would
be excluded from membership on
the Public Utilities Commission.
Smooth Working Machine.
Advocates Of this plan point out
that it would bring the entire ad-
ministratiVe bodies OF the local GOV
eminent into Capitalization and
form q smooth working machine
for the carrying on Of the Districts
municipal affairs.
If the bill IL introduced, and It
Is now certain that 1t will be with
q few minor changes, whatever pro-
visions It contains which do not
meet the approval of a majority
faVoring local acknowledgment, will
DO altered by amendment.
congressman in charge Of the
new bill are anxious to have intro
duced tn the House as early as DOS
Rible q measure for Distrist suffrage
which will meet as nearly as pos
sible the ideas Of those supporting
the measure.
They point out that it 10 not pos
sfble to get a definite plan by
those favorable to the
legislation, This, they contend,
must be brought about in commit
tee after some tentative plan is
presented for consideration.
Supporters of the Plan.
Members Of the House District .
Committee who have SO far aignified
their intention of supporting the
bill az outlined in The Washington
Times are: Reed, of West Virginia;
Sproul, of Illinois; Lampert, Of Wis
consin; Woodruff, Of Michigan;
Blanton. of Texas; Hammer. OF
North Carolina, and Fitzgerald, Of
Ohio tentatively.
Others who are known to favor
District acknowledgment are: Zihl-
man, of Maryland; Keller, Of Min
nesota; Williams, of Texas; Kunz.
of Illinois, and O'Brien, of New
Jersey.
It has not been possible to get the
views of Sullivan, Of New York and
Wheeler of Illinois, both having been
absent from the city for some time.