Evening star., 1926-11-30
Bill to Enlarge Powers of
Commissioners Is Too Broad

desire to limit the supply OF their
particular commodity and to Seek
means which will place 1t within the
power Of that group to so limit. Bu'
it is submitted that the accomplish
ment of the means should be mad
difficult, not easy; that the merits OF
each application should be closels
Scrutinized and the necessity of regu
lation decided without regard to th
social or civic standing of the mem
bers of the group. 1t is not believa,
that this would be possible were tn
Commissioners given the powe
sought.
Assuming that there may be
stances in which there indisputah
appears the necessity for regulator
interference, such instances are
rare that their consideration woul,
impose no great burden upon Co:
gress, whose deliberate action wou.
safeguard against i'll advised and III
warranted regulation. The Commit
sioners are executive officers,
trained legislatOrs-and are qui
often not even lawyers versed In leg.
terminology. 1t is questionable :,
least whether men usually selected 4.
the office of Commissioner are qua
fled by either experience or trainiu
to analyze proposed laws or regu.
tiOns dealing with the subject-rnatte
under consideration.
The provision of the proposed III
designed to give to the Commission
ers power ITO appoint District civ
employees as special policemen for til
protection of public property and TN,
enforcement of municipal regulation.
in orr yx-it 1ntJf a1AitinnuI
sation" was disapproved by the Cit
Zens' Advisory Council in so far as
applied to the enforcement of munir
ipal regulations in general.
The present power of the Commis.
sioners to appoint special policeme,
is ample. The additional powe.
sought, that of appointing Distric
civil employees, is unnecessary, mis-
chievous in tendency and subversiv,
OF the morale of the metropolitan Pc.
lice, the personnel of which is charge
with the protection of all propert y
and the enforcement of municipal
regulations.
The possession of a little exti5aoi
binary authority often has the tend
ency to unduly eXalt the importanC'
OF the individual, and the vesting ui
civil employees with police power
would tend to produce IL group ol
!, ,busybOdies and wOuld-be sleuthS
Petty infringenents of municipal reg
ulations would often he magnfied intr
important ones. and it is conceivable
that no locality in the District woula
be free from their overzealouS activi.
ties.
No doubt the present Commission
erS would use the power with great
care, but. Commissioners come and
Commissioners go, and there is M
assurance that other and different
incumbents of the office would use
The power with the same discretion
The possibility is present that ever
civil employe would be clothed with
police power to enforce all municipal
regulations. The mischief of such n
thing is apparent.
1t will be noted that no objection.
was raised by the council TO the grant
of power to appoint civil employees
as special policemen for the protec-
ton of public property. 1t is conceded
that occasion might arise through
strikes or in times of public diSOrdci
when such power would be highly
desira BILE. But when it comes to the
appointment of civil employees as spc-
cial policemen for the enforcemen mi
of municipal regulations in general
that is another matter. 1t would
place in the hands of the Commits.
sionerS "A most dangerous weapon for
the vexatiOn, IL not oppression, of
the people. 1t will be noted that
there is no limit upon the number
of civil employees who might be so
appointed. In fact. there is nothing
to prevent the entire civil personnel
from being so appointed. The expendi
ture of public money would be nu
deterrent, for the appointees are IL
receive no compensation for their
services.
Assuming that for reasons Of theii
own the Commissioners should exer.
else their power under this provision
by the appointment of any number
of civil employees as special police
men (and there Is no limit upon the
number). what would be the logically
anticipated effect upon the morale OF
the metropolitan police? IT Is a
truism that everybody's business is
nObody's business. 1t Is the duty ot
the metropolitan police to enforce
municipal regulations in general. and
it Is conceded that they are perform
ing their duty in this regard efficient
ly and satisfactorily. and the evil eff
feet Of divided authority is too well
known to need comment And what
about the morale of the civil EN-
ployes? 1t Is assumed that their du
ties as civil employees require Their
full time and attention, and yet the,
may have imposed upon them the ad
ditional duties of special policemen
To state the proposition is to an
swer 1t.
Espionage has grown In this cotlr
try to an alarming extent. It is. il
my Judgment, one of our present -da,
evils. Under it the people become
restless and suspicious It is my firm
conviction that any additional lecis
lation tending TO increase present con
ditions In this respect would be mos.
unfortunate.
Legislation to extend the powers ot
the Commissioners along certain lines
Is very desirable; but the bill proposed
by them goes too far and should be
amended by striking out the proyi
sionS above noted
WIN. 5. TORRERX.