Evening star., 1924-03-11
Objections to Reappointment.

Opposition to the reappointment of
the District. Commissioners has been
expressed at the White House by dele.
cations Of citizens representing vari-
Gus citizens and groups. They have
stated to the President, directly or in
directly, the grounds for their feeling
that the incumbents in the chief mu.
nicipal offices have not faithfully or
properly served the community, and
are therefore not entitled to renewal
Of their commissions.
President Coolidge will doubtless
weigh these objections with the same
care that he weighed the reasons ad-
vanced to him for the reappointmen.
OF Commissioners Rudolph and Oyster.
He has had experiences as a mayor
and knows the requirements of the Of.
= flee, knows the limitations imposed
upon a municipal executive, and par
1icularlv knows the impossibility OF
pleasing everybody. Consequently he
is in a position to appreciate the value
of faithful service, even though objec-
ton is raised TO a continuation OF that
service he"ause some of the constitu-
ents have been disappointed and are
aggrieved
WashinPton has never had q Com
missioner. and never will have one,
who satisfies everybody. For the ques-
tions that the Commissioners are re-
CURED in their wide range Of duties to
consider and decide necessarily affect
divergent interests. If there were no
conflicts Of interest there would be
nothing to. n District commissioner
ship, as there would be nothing to
mayoralty, requiring especial quail
fications on the part Of the incum-
bents.
The District Commissioners are not
only in charge Of the routine Of mu-
nicipal business, but they also are by
law vested with two important sup
Elementary duties as members Of the
Public Utilities Commission and as
members, with others, Of the zoning
commission. In both Of those func.
tons they encounter strong conflicts
Of opinion and Of interest. Indeed, the
toughest questions that they have to
answer arise before these commits
sions. 1t is doubtful whether they
should be vested with these RESPONSE
biities. whether they are not sufficient
ly burdened with duties as municipal
executives without being required by
law to sit in judgment upon the tech
nical matters Of zoning and utility
regulation. But being 80 vested with
that authority and responsibility they
must conscientiously proceed to ad-
minister the laws in the interest Of
the entire community as they see it.
In regard to the public schools the
Commissioners duty is u peculiar one.
They have no power Of appointment
in the creation of the board Of edu-
cation. and therefore no direct au-
thority in respect to the management
Of the schools themselves. Yet they
are chargeable as the fiscal officers Of
the District with the finances Of the
school system, responsible to the
budget bureau and to Congress for
the estimates and for the broad finan-
cial structure Of the school system.
They would be negligent of duty if
they did not concern themselves with
these matters of school finance, which
bear so large a proportion to the Dis
trict's budget. Objections to their IN
terest and action in the matter OF
school salaries cannot be entertained
as ground for refusal Of rcappoint-
nent to these efficient, worthy officials
who command the respect and con-
idence of the community at large.