Evening star., 1926-09-26
bROWN[OW INVITED
INTO HOUSE PROBE
Former District Commits
sioner Asked to Present
Views to Subcommittee.

Louis Prownlow, who served two
terms as District Commissioner. ~
appointment of President Wilson
and who has since been city manager
Of Petersburg. Va. and Knoxville.
Tenn, has heen invited TO participate
in q conference tomorrow morning ~
II o'clock with the special snnc"r1'
mittee of seven members of the
House District committee who are 20
make systematic study Of the Dis
trict government.
Members of Congress who came In
contact with Mr. Rrownl"w during MS
services as District Commissioner
have = very high regard for his nd
ministration. and have suggested 10
The investigating subcommittee tha'
with his experience in directing the
government of three imporan: cities.
he can give most valuable ADVICE AZ
this time II is pointed out that he
has an inside knowledge Of the con
duct Of affairs in the MUNICIPAL
Building. knows where ii" orEa niz'-
tion could he strengt hercd and wher"
reforms are needed, and has hal IN
opportunity from personal eNW ~
ence. to check the municipal admins
tration of the District ~ totumhia
against the city government In other
large cities.
Francis n. stevens. the corporation
counsel is also to be called before the
subcommittee to he questioned 70
carding the progress heinE MADE NY
his office in settling ny compromise
tax claims against some hair do7en
of the largest public utilities and
puhlic ser,-ice corporations in tho
District involving millions of dollars.
commissioners Are Heard.
The three District commissioners
were questioned ny the subcommittee
Yesterday In an effort tn establish
working plan and program for eXten-
sive hearings which are To cover
seria i'm practically all of the widely
varied activities and agencies or the
District government.
The conference tomorrow is expect
ad to wind up the work Of the suhcom-
mittee until after the November ele"-
tiOns. Representative Gibson. Repuh-
iican of Vermont. who was yester-
day elected chairman of the subcom-
mittee. left Washington last night Z"
make some campaign speeches for IN"
Republican mai ional committee. Repre-
sentative MrI.rnd. Republican. of
Michigan. who is acting as chairman
in Mr.. Gibeon's absence. is Ia loav"
tomorrow for his homo In Detroit,
" hero he has To try q law case.
Representative Whitehead. Demo
crat of Virginia. also is eavinC tow "
tomorrow. Representative Hammer,
Democrat. of North Carolina. and Rep
~esentative Houston. Republican. of
Delaware. both nf whom came here
for the organization meetings. are I'm
p hurry TO get back home for their
own campaigns for ro-cIec'ion. Req.
,iX.n nf
t,Icky. the only member " the sun
committee who was not present yes
to,'dav At the conferences. * detained
al home byf a serious campaign night.
This leaves Representative Frank
Reid Republican. of Illinois. who had
no opposition for reelection. as IN"
only member of the subcommittee who
is free To continue the investigation
at this time and Mr.. Reid is planning
- .o To Illinois and other states soon
on private business.
Zoning Duties Discussed.
The afternoon conference Yesterday
was a discussion Of whether az not
there should he ~ new z"ning rommlS-
sion in the District. commissioner
R,idloph. at the morning conference.
had stated that the Board or commits
! sioners should he relieved ~ the zon-
| inC duties.
Rut when Engineer commissioner
He'll was questioned along The same
! line at the afternoon conference. he
expressed contrary view that mo
District Commissioners should con
time 10 serve on the coming commits
sion. Most of the time was consumed
hv Representative Reid putting long
series of questions ia t"mmiSs1"nef
Rev as tn how much of his time ~
given to each Of the multifari"iS
duties Of his office.
Proctor l.. Doughertv. the now l'S-
trict commissioner. was excused as
witness because he has only heen on
the jnh since August :. but he was
invited to make suggestions I" ~"
subcommittee later as to ways IN
which the District Government might
he improved.
The conference tOmOrrow ~ ~ no
in tho District committee rooms IN
the House Office Building At ii
o'clock.