Evening star., 1925-11-20
Committee OF Five Urged.

Torbert provided, briefly. as follows:
That Congress create q fiscal re-
lations commission of five members,
one to be selected by the presiding
officer of the Senate. one by the
Speaker Of the House and two by the
President of the United States. The
latter two TO he bona fide taxpayers
and residents OF the District for five
years. These four would select an
accountant as a fifth member. The
accountant member and the secre-
tary would be the only paid officials
OF The commission, and the proposed
bill would appropriate $4,000 to de-
fray all expenses of the body.
Mr.. Torbert explained that he felt
with conditions in the city changing
with growth, no definite ratio could be
fixed for any period Of years. The
commission he proposed would remain
i'll existence and could decide the
ratio from year to year.
Charles A. Baker supported Mr.. Tor
bert, declaring: eve have got TO have
d permanent commission to handle
this question. Until we get that we
are not going to get anywhere with
the fixed ratio"
Chairman Jesse Q. Suter and Harry
y. Stull opposed the Torbert plan. ex-
pressing the belief that II was not In
| iCtbGN WITH lnt pOSlllpI ldNtH ny liIc
Federation OF Citizens Associations
and by the advisory council sometime
ago. The previous view of the fed
era ton and of the council was that
Congress be asked 10 create a com
mission to devise a permanent plan for
the solution OF the fiscal relation.
Mr.. Suter and Mr.. Stull construed
this TO mean that the federation and
the council wanted a commission
y..hg \, L. t.,
principles OF fairness to be followed
hy Congress In dividing the cost of
National Capital upkeep. but they
said they did not: believe the citizens
association had any idea OF creating
permanent commission.
Or, George -. Eavenner said he
would support the plan for perma-
nent commission If he thought Con
gress would approve Il, hut he did
not believe the lawmakers would be
willing to create another permanent
compassion.
Chairman Suter said he believed
that If temporary commission would
lay down certain general principles
OF equity the task OF adjusting the
ratio from time to time could be
handled by administrative officers of
the Federal and District govern
ments. Such officers, Mr. Suter said,
the necessary facts TO determine the
ratio.
More Power for Commissioners.
The council also heard a report
from Mr.. Torbert last night on the
proposed bill to enlarge the powers
OF the Commissioners, but owing to
the lateness OF the hour action was
not taken. The council will resume
rnnEfiPfa L.
gram tomorrow night.
Mr.. Torberts report disapproved
the plan TO allow the Commissions
ers TO name the judges of the Police
Juvenile and Municipal Courts He
approved the proposal that the Com
rissIoners select the recorder OF
deeds and the register of wills. The
bill also would confer additional
powers on the Commissioners to
handle many municipal matters
The council placed on its list OF
preferential legisla ton the bill TO
| abolish the Michigan avenue railroad
| grade crossing next year and to give
the city heads authority to abolish
all remaining crossings as ra pidly as
| funds are made available.
The bill TO provide for the opening
| of new street between Georgia ave-
| nue. and Ninth street, north of Flor
ida avenue, was approved. The bin
| to open Fourteenth street through
| Walter Reed Hospital was also ap-
proved aud placed in the preferential
| group.
While fiscal relate wers under
| discussion DR.. George Richardson.
one OF the coIored members of the
| council. announced that the Fedora
ton of Civic Associations. repre-
senting l9 colored associations. has
| indorsed the report of the Citizens
| Advisory Council for the creation of
such commission of Congress.
| This makes a total of 64 white and
| colored citizens associations repre- :
| sented by the two federations which
| are on record in favor of action by
| Congress- at the coming session on
! this issue.