Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-30
PLANS COMPLETED
FOR RE0RCAN|z|NG
Bill Would Give Commission
er Place on Public UtiI-
tiles Board.

\ bill providing for the reogani-
mission was sent to the Budget Bu-
reau today by the District Commits
sioners. The bill provides for n
commission of three members. in
Guiding a Commissioner In charge
of police, a lawyer and an engineer.
The Citizens Advisory Council
recommended commission of three
members independent OF the Com
missioners.
In differing with the advisory
council over the placement of a
Commissioner Oh the commission
Engineer Commissioner Bell ex-
planned today that the commission
needs the advice and assistance of
the ma jor and superintendent of po-
lice, the director of traffic. the engi-
neer OF highways, the electrical enSi-
neer and other officials who are un-
der the administrative control of the
Board of Commissioners.
Makes for Harmony.
ANY serious conflict of opinion be
tween the two commissions, said
Commissioner Bell would be detri
mental to the welfare of the District
of Columbia. In order that this har.
moniouS condition may be continued
the Commissioners should be three OF
the five members of the Utilities Com.
mission. This arrangement is similar
to that already provided with such eX.
Cellent results for the ZoninC Com
mission. the Commissioners of the Dis.
trict being three of the five members
of that commission.
There Is no doubt that the pres
ence of one of the members of the
Board of Commissioners on the Ma
tional Capital Park Commission serves
to harmonic the action of that com
mission with the interest of the va
rious departments of the District gov,
ernment.
But with increasing population anc
increasing and more diversified Dis
trict activities, the time demanded by
the Commissioners for purely admin
istrative affairs is greater and greater
Their time is fully occupied with ad
ministratiVe matters and by matters
pertaining to legislation. zoning ano
the budget. They do not have the
time to study the records of the vari
Gus public utilities companies, to ex
anime their equipment and to inform
themselves of the actions taken by
other public utilities commissions. anC
the decisions rendered by the courts
relative to rate cases and related sub
jects These are matters that in jus
tice to the public should not be left tc
subordinates
Would Facilitate Action.
1T is believed that the addition OF
a lawyer and an engineer to the com
mission will provide the personnel
needed to make these studies and in
veStigations and to conduct public
hearings with but one of the Board OF
Commissioners present. leaving the
other Commissioners free to conduct
administrative matters.
ut is believed that the proposed
legal member of the commission will
be the proper agent to present the
views and arguments of the commits
sion before the courts, as 1t would he
undesirable for a member of thu
Board of Commissioners to so appear
This legal member should also con
duct informal conferences and give
the proper legal supervision to the
preparation of all documents, orders
correspondence, etc.
Assistance Required.
I'm view of the magnitude of the
interests at stake and the legal talent
employed by the utilities companies
for presentations in court, it is be
lieved that the general counsel of the
commission, who Is also the corpora
ton counsel of the District of Colum
bia, should assist the legal member
of the commission.
1T is believed also that a people'.
counsel should be appointed to repre-
sent the people, not only in presenta
tons before the commission itself, bu
also to represent the people in case:
in court. 1t is believed that the in
terests involved wholly justify the ad
dition of peoples counsel"