Evening star., 1924-03-04
Bill Would Place on Commits
sioners Duties Now DevoIv-
ing on Congress.
COULD NAME JUDGES
AND EDUCATION BOARD
Changes Proposed on Request From
Hill After Study by Three
Officials.

Sweeping authority to enable the
Commissioners to decide many ques-
tions which must now be passed upon
by a busy Congress of the United
States was recommended today by a
special committee of department
heads.
The first and most far-reaching OF
the new powers recommended Is that
the Commissioners hereafter appoint
the judges Of the Police, Juvenile
and Municipal Courts, the recorder
Of deeds. the board Of charities and
the board OF education.
Now all Of these are named by the
President, with the exception of the
school board members. who are Sc
lected by the justices of the District
Supreme Court.
In making public the recommenda-
tions Commissioner Rudolph made 1t
plain that he and his colleagues had
not yet approved them. The report
for Introduction in Congress by Cor
poration Counsel Francis H. Stephens,
Auditor Daniel J. Donovan and
Daniel Z. Garges, secretary to the
board of Commissioners.
Suggested on IsHiII.,
Although the Commissioners them
selves have believed for some time
that present law requires Congress to
pass on too many local matters, the
report made public today was drafted
at the suggestion of men on Capitol
Hill.
The Senate District committee sew
eral weeks ago turned it's attention to
the advisability Of broadening the
powers Of the Commissioners and ap-
pointed subcommittee to look into
the subject.
The recommendations compiled by
the three officials designated to do so
indicate that they made a thorough
canvass of all municipal activities
wherein they thought the Commits
powers.
Stand Of Commissioners.
The present board of Commission
ers has already taken the stand that
the District building should appoint
the school board and similar agen-
cies.
Congress took one step last year
toward centralizing local authority in
the Commissioners when II abolished
the board OF trustees of the Industrial
Home School and transferred to the
city heads the power OF appointing
the board of guardians.
New Powers Asked.
Among the other new powers asked
for in the tentative bill are the fol-
lowing:
To fix the character and amount Of
fees for the licensing of automobiles.
To name and rename streets, other
than avenues and those that are let
tered or numbered.
To fix the assessment rates for the
laying Of water mains, sewer mains,
sidewalks and similar improvements.
To widen or narrow roadways and
sidewalks and to close streets which
do not conform with the general high
and William Dondera- New members
ting property owners in the case of
closing street.
To Remit Taxes.
To remit penalties and interest on
overdue taxes and to cancel taxes
when deemed in the public interest.
To regulate street vending and to
prohibit such vending in certain parts
Of the District.
To promulgate special rules and
regulations for inaugurations, SINH
lar occasions and in emergencies.
To purchase material and supplies
In the open market.
To compromise claims against the
District by arbitration, when such a
course is in the public interest.
To control all public space in the
District except property owned by
the United States.
To cell or lease real estate and mar
sonal property owned by the District.
To make all necessary electric reg
ulations and to require public service
companies to disconnect current in
held to be dangerous or defective.
Could Remove Poles.
To order the removal Of poles from
the streets within the fire limits
when deemed advisable by the Com
missioners.
To carry on public works by day
labor when the cost does not exceed
$1,000. Above $1,000 the work should
be advertised for bids.
To extend police authority to civil
ian employees Of the District govern
ment for the protection of public
property.
time to time in the general license
laws for the conduct OF businesses
or professions.
The final paragraph in the tentative
bill gives the Commissioners power
to make all regulations and ordinanc-
es deemed necessary for effective ad-
ministration of the municipality or
for the protection Of life and proper
ty.
The Commissioners did not pass on
the proposals today, but referred
copies Of them to heads of the va
rious municipal departments for fur
ther recommendations.