Evening star., 1927-10-03
EFFICIENCY PLANS 4
BEING STUDIED
Commissioners and Bureau
Officials Confer on 30 Re- !.
ports of D. C. Activities. y

Forty of the IS reports made by the
Federal Bureau of Efficiency on mu.
nicipal government activities thus far
this year are being considered by the
District Commissioners this afternOcn
at joint conference with Herbert Il.
Brown, chief of the bureau, and his
assistant, Malcolm kerlin.
The Commissioners already have dis.
posed of % or 40 per cent of these
reports. but action has not yet been
taken on some of the most important.
which contain recommendations for
simplifying the procedure and eX-
pedlting the distribution of automobile
identification tags and the establish
ment of private hack stands in the
place Of private concessions around
hotels.
Insurance Attack Delayed.
Prior to the conference the bureau
sent to the Commissioners a complete
list of the reports it has made during
the year together with q memoran-
dun showing what disposition had
been made of each of them. This list
revealed that one report attacking
fire insurance rates I'm the District
has been drafted, but Is being with
held pending conference between the
bureau officials and Commissioner
Taliaferro.
This report is a statement of facts
relative to the premium rates on fire
risks charged i'm the District and fire
losses as compared with the same facts
shown in statistics for the several
States" said memorandum written
by V. G. Croissant of the bureau.
at shows that excessive rates are
charged. A tentative bill has been
prepared, which contemplates giving
the insurance superintendent author'
ity and power to control rates, to- Ii.
cense and control insurance adjusters
and to adjust claims.
This report and the draft of bill
are being held pending conferences
with Commissioner Taliaferro Mean
while, the superintendent of insurance
has included in his report to the Com.
missioners a proposal to seek legisla.
ton providing for a commission to in.
veStigate fire insurance rates in the
District of Columbia and has obtained
considerable publicity and favorable
newspaper comment on his plan. His
proposal, if adopted, will result in a
needless delay, il not a complete block
ing Of the action needed-reduction Of
the rates"
Child Jurisdiction Included.
Another report on which the Com.
missioners have not acted is the most
recent output of the bureau. contain
ing a recommendation that jurisdic-
ton over children under II years of
age apprehended by the police be
transferred from the Woman's Bureau
of the Police Department to the board
Of public welfare. Strong objection
already has been made to this plan
by Lieut.. Nina c. Van Wrinkle, direc-
tor of the 'Woman's Bureau.
The memorandum relating to the
bureaus report on hotel concessions
to taxicab companies. written by u.
p. Evans. member of the bureaus
staff. said:
"The Commissioners have delayed
action on this recommendation, but
have finally been forced by circum-
stances beyond their control to allot
25 new hack stands during the week
ending August 20. These hack stands
were not stationed on any hotel con-
cession, but ! am confident that
eventually the Commissioners will
adopt our recommendation. The cor
poration counsel has recently reported
to the Commissioners that the argu-
ments in our memorandum, are legally
sound and that he agrees in general
with our recommendations The press
has given this proposal considerable
publicity and has supported it editor
ially.''