Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-02
Officials Prepare to Assume
Responsibilities to Pre-
serve Integrity.
BUREAU OF EFFICIENCY
IS EXPECTED TO AID
Federal Bureaus "Nibbling" at Lo-
cal Authority Seen as En-
dangering System.

Mindful Of the need of prompt and
complete assumption of responsible
ties to preserve the integrity of the
District government as vested by the
organic act of 1870. the District Com
missioners today were prepared to-
assume full charge of the continu-
ance Of investigation into local gov
ernmental affairs where the Gibson
subcommittee, dying with the Sixty
ninth Congress, leaves off, and were
planning to push the survey into local
government whole-heartedly with the
cooperation Of the United States Blu.
reau Of Efficiency.
Chairman Gibson of the House sub
committee meanwhile was uncertain
today whether he can get his sub
committee together for another hear
ing before Congress closes. He is
endeavOring to muster a sufficient
number for a hearing this afternoon,
when he purposes to bring up for con-
sideration District claims for back
taxes against the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad.
Action Not Expected.
In spite of the fact that yesterday
Mr.. Gibson declared his intention to
abandon the attempt to have the life
of his subcommittee continued, he has
introduced a resolution asking that
the members of the subcommittee be
authorized to continue such surveys
or inquiries as they deem necessary
during the recess of Congress. 1t is
doubtful whether the resolution will
be acted upon.
Each of the three District Com
mISSiOnarS luce 4n.
day as keenly desirous OF co-operat.
ing with executive agencies of the
Federal Government in arriving at the
best possible system for local admin.
istration of government, but each
also declared that the ultimate author.
lty as vested in the Commissioners
as the executive arm of the local
government would be stringently pro.
tected by them against any possible
encroachment.
VIII Investigate Offices.
The result of this decision is that
the Bureau of Efficiency, working
with the Commissioners at the lat
ter's request, will probably probe into
the working machinery of every office
of the District Government where
necessity for survey exists during
the congressional recess. The survey
will not be detailed in all lines.
Many offices have already been sur
veyed by the Bureau of Efficiency.
Several, it may be found. will need
no survey. But Commissioner Dough
erty declared that. in turn, the ma
chinery of the Police Department.
Fire Department, license office, Health
Department and other branches com
ing under his jurisdiction, would be
looked into; Commissioner Taliferro
stated that where he felt the need
existed the bureau would be invited
to extend it's survey, and Commls-
sioner Bell said that already plans
were under way for the investigation
into certain phases of the Engineer
DEPARTMENTS working arrangements.
AS a nucleus for the Commissioners
activities the transcript of the record
of testimony before the Gibson sub
will be turned over To
them, it was stated by Commissioner
Taliaferro. The exact plans for the
of the survey inauGurated
by the Gibson subcommittee have not
been worked out by the Commission
ers and no decision has been reached
as to whether the nature will be in
the form of public hearings, private
inquiry or a strict checking-up on the
offices under the control of the Com
Fears "Nibbling" at Rights.
The attitude at the District Building
seemed to be summarized by an eX-
preston by Col. Bell. engineer Com
missioner, who stated that unless the
Commissioners assume the respon-
sibilities detailed by the powers con-
ferred on them by the organic act,
there might be reason to fear that
S1Ia e.fD 20. do
the work the local governmental heads
should assume.
"Nibblings" at the authority and
Jurisdiction of the Commissioners have
been going on for some time in cumu-
lative fashion, Col. Bell intimated. For
instance, bill is now pending before
Congress whereby the authority of
the District commissioners, sought
for closing streets obsolete under the
plan, would be subjugated TO
the approval of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
Again. when 1t was considered proper
to divert local water to Arlington
County, Smother branch of the Fed
eral Government. the War Depart
ment, obtained authority to supervise
this function whereas. Col. Bell con-
tends, the authority of the Commits
sioners extended to the local water
supply system.
Realizing that by such "nibblings"
at power and jurisdiction, the sub
stance of those elements are eaten
away rather than by a bold single
stroke. Col. Bell is of the opinion that
unless the commissioners step in with
a determined assumption of RESPONSE
bilities. they may find them waited
away by some Federal agency with
L. H., vf-.A~.
the future of seeing the local govern
ment in the hands. practically. Of Fed
.ral bureaus, or at least subjected to
The authority or approval Of Federal
bureaus.
Would Prevent Supervision.
1t is to prevent anything like this
prospect, dim as it may be, In the
opinion of the commissioners that