Evening star., 1924-04-16
New Powers for Commissioners.

NCW 1U"cTS LOT Commissioners. E
Influential Senators of the District
committee have indicated a desire on
the part Of Congress to relieve itself,
80 far as the Constitution and sound
policy permit, of the details OF local
municipal legislation by transferring
TO the District Commissioners maxi
mum power OF enacting purely mu-
nicipal regulations. They have asked
the Commissioners to suggest to them
specific items of municipal legislation
which can with advantage he placed
within the Commissioners jurisdic-
tior.
In order to respond most effectively
to this request, the Commissioners
have m their turn asked suggestions
from heads of departments at the Dis
trict building and advice from the
corning the form that their recon-
rnendations to Congress on the sub
ject should take. And for convenience
Of consideration, without adopting any
of them, the Commissioners have
brought together into d tentative bill
n wide range OF suggestions of en-
larged power.
This tentative bill was explained
last night at a Chamber of Commerce
meeting by Commissioner Bell in gem
eral terms and by Auditor Donovan
in detail. The suggestion of the tenta-
tive bill that appointment of the board
OF education should be transferred to
the Commissioners was vigorously at
tackled by Mr.. Classic, reporting from
the public schools committee of the
chamber, and discussion Of this one
item not only used up the available
time last night but was carried over
TO future special meeting.
The suggestion to the Commission
ers arising from this incident is per-
haps to confine their recommends.
tons OF enlargement OF power to ex-
tensions Of their jurisdiction as mu-
nicipal legislators, and not at this
time to urge increase of their execu-
tive powers of appointment. The Sem
ate committee indicates that Congress
is disposed to enact quickly a law
which will have the tendency to re-
.lieve Congress Of the necessity Of han
ding the minute details of municipal
legislation. 1t has not indicated a de-
sire TO relieve the President or the
judges Of the Supreme Court of the
District Of the trouble of exercising
any appointive power which the law
now intrusts to or imposes upon them.
The thought is that If the Commits
sioners now suggest only such in
creases of their powers Of municipal
legislation as will tend to relieve Con-
Gress there is chance OF quick enact
'ment; but that II they couple with
these recommendations renewal OF the
old and bitter controversy over the
appointment of the board of educa.
ton the whole legislation will be
halted and defeated and nothing what.
ever Of benefit will be accomplished.
1t might be wise tactics to omit en-
ftrely from the present proposed bill
the section which seeks for the Com.
missioners the power to appoint police
and municipal judges, board Of educa-
ton, ETC., etc, and then to concentrate
with vigof to secure from a willing
Congress a maximum of transfer of
power OF municipal legislation. Bene.
fit would result even If Congress
granted to the Commissioners legisla.
tive powers which violated the prohibi-
ton against any delegation by Con.
gress Of its general power of exclusive
legislation In the District, laid down
by the Supreme Court Of the District
in the case Of Van Ryswick VS.. Roach,
In this way a test case might be made
which would reopen for consideration
by the District courts and the Su.
preme Court of the United States the
doctrine laid, down by Van Ryswick VS.,
Reach. Many Washingtonians are
confident that the courts in the light
Of today's conditions would drastically
modify the decision in Van Ryswick
vs. Roach il they had the opportunity.
This modification Of, Van Ryswick
vs. Roach would be made most advan.
taseously TO Washington il it came
after the District had secured voting
representation in Congress through
constitutional amendment. But the
District, budeted legislatively from pill
lar to post, will doubtless take it
thankfully whenever it can get it.