Evening star., 1924-10-08
Cites Past Operation.

that the Commissioners appointed the
board up until 1906, when the results
of that mode of appointment, to-
gether with other circumstances led
Congress to take the powers from
the Commissioners and lodge it in the
members of the court" The present
system of appointment by the courts,
the chamber states, is calculated to
result in the creation of a represent
ativc independent board. free from
special influence"
Embodied in the report before it
was adopted was request that in the
bill be inserted a provision that the
board of education consist Of three
members appointed by the District
Supreme court at a salary of $500
After a lengthy discussion in which
Chaplin Brown and Henry II. Classic
spoke against the proposed change
and Charles w. Darr spoke for the
change. Mr.. Darr pointed that there
would be an efficient body of paid
. servants under the suggested plan,
that would eliminate any buck pass
ing and insure proper service on
the part of the board by reason of
their being paid public servants.
Both Mr.. Classic and Mr.. Chaplin Brown
were strenuous in their arguments
against this provision. which was
stricken from the report and not
adopted, they were also strongly
against any power being exercised
by the Commissioners over the board.
The discussion over the board con-
tinued for some time until James T.
Lloyd. vice president of the Chamber
of Commerce, and president of Board
of Education, who presided at the
meeting, explained that there was
the now fullest accord between the
e ~
Education.
Section 16 Of the bill which would
give the Commissioners power to en-
force all municipal laws and regula-
tions by the imposition of a fine and
Imprisonment as they deem proper
after one week publication, was dis
approved.
Mr. Classic scored this section bitter
1y, saying, "If we adopt this absurd
proposition it would mean that we
favored giving the Commissioners the
power of the legislature and the
court. We would have no appeal to
Congress that would tell US to go to
the Commissioners, it would end our
arguments for local elf-government."
Argument Over Author.
Leftwich Sinclair, chairman of the
law and legislative committee at
tempted to explain that the Com
mlSSlonerS ndQ not approved the DILL,
but that the bill had originated in
Congress and the Commissioners were
merely trying to get the views of the
people of the District. You can't
pin it on the coat tail of Senator
Ball. cried Mr.. Classic, declaring the
Commissioners took advantage Of the
opportunity afforded them by this
bill. "It is an attempt to aggrandise
and enlarge powers over matters of
over which they have concern. He
was supported by some members of
the board of directors. With minor
changes the report approved other
sections of the bill.
S. N. Johnson of the Lee Highway AS
sociation appealed to the chamber to
prevent the organization he represents
from closing because of lack Of funds.
With only few hundred miles to COM
plete on a Washington to San Diego
highway, Mr.. Johnson declared that he
would be forced to close in 60 days un-
less money was forthcoming.
Eleven new members were admitted
to the chamber. They are George E.
Bernbach, Leon Arnold, Karl Achter-
kirken. Elinor T. Abel, James J. Slat-
tefy. Eustace q. Nicolopoulos, Joseph
Miilenson, Jessie B. K. Lee. Abraham
Kay, Seraphin A. Gatti and Damn & Co.
DIR. Frank w. Ballou will address the
meeting at school night at the De-
ceniber meeting.