Evening star., 1923-04-01
PLANNING TO GIVE .. C..
MORE SELF-COVERNNENT
One Reform Proposed Is That Budget
Shall Be Independent of
Federal Estimates.
B1 WILL r. KENNEDY.

BI WILL r. KENNEDY.
- FUNDAMENTAL changes in the
p way Congress deals with the
National Capital are going to
be pressed in the next Con
gress by administration leaders and
others.
Chief among the proposed changes
is to remove the National Capita
from the jurisdiction of the budget
officer and treat the District of Co
lumbia under commission govern.
ment in much the same way as ter
ritories are now treated
Leaders in Congress are coming to
realize that II is a waste Of time for
committees of Congress to concern
themselves with hearings and inspec-
ton trips to determine the proper al
location of funds for street improve
ments, opening and closing of streets
and such relatively small matters as
are properly the function of the local
officials. Friends of the National Cap
ital now recognize that by having all
its affairs legislated upon by an al
ready burdened Congress much legfs-
lation of vital concern to Washington
city is continually shunted aside be-
cause of the press of relatively more
important matters Of general legisla-
tion.
Early Action Is Urged.
Frank W. MondelI. until March 4
House leader and now managing di-
rector of the War Finance CORPORA
tion, in a prepared report on the
work Of the Sixty y-seventh Congress.
and later in a. public speech. empha-
sized that some new plan of dealing
with the National Capital must be
adopted by Congress
Administration advisers, after a
careful consideration of the matter
are now recommending that this
change be made during the next Con-
gress. and they stress that in any
proposal looking to reorganization of
the administrative branch Of the ma
tiona1 government the matter OF
turning over to the District govern
ment all activities OF a local charac-
ter must be seriously considered
This is. in part, covered in the plan
OF reorganization recommended by
President Harding to the joint con-
gressional committee.
Representative r. Walton Moore M
Virginia. a member of the joint com.
mittee on reorganizat ton, has already
introduced several measures lookine o
to that end, and has received the vol
untary pledges of support from mem
oers from all parts Of the country.
Separate Id. G. Budget.
AS urged upon the administration
by counselors engaged in making a
special study OF needed governmental
reforms, the District of Columbia bud
get ought not to be handled as part
OF the federal budget. The local and
national governments ought to be
completely divorced. A number ot
public works now performed by yari.
Gus institutions of the national gov.
ernment ought to be turned over tc
the government of the District a.
purely municipal matters
The municipal government ought
| to determine its own revenues and ey.
penditures in the same way that an,
F! or the territories do. the administra
! tion leaders have been advised.
Congress is responsible for the gov.
ernment Of the territories but i
| doesn't feel called upon to satisfy It
| self that the territory is spending it.
money in exactly the way that Con.
| gress might want it spent. Tha
| means that the final approval of thu
| budget would rest with the Distric
Commissioners
Might Increase Commission.
In that case it might be desirable
the administration counselors say, t
! increase the size Of the commission
The purpose of that would be to brine
the form of government more nearl,
to the commission form as 1t exists IL
| other cities. Instead of having on
L