Evening star., 1927-04-24

Continued from First Pagel
tzation in the direction of city-wide |
betterment FOR Washington.
Opposition to this move is believed
TO be based primarily on the conten-
ton of friends of the council that the
council, as now constituted, should be
the co-ordinating agency; that repre-
sentative Government in the United
States is based on the direct represen-
tation of the people, and not of groups.
1t is maintained that the council func- |
tions primarily as representative of
the people of Washington and was
never intended to represent any spe. |
cial groups, because the members of /
all groups already are eligible to mem |
bership in citizens associations and |
thus to a voice on the council.
Would Restrict Council.
The other resolution, presented by |
Grover w. Ayers, from the West End |
Citizens Association, il passed by the |
federation, would succeed in tying |
the council into an interesting series |
of knots, from which it might be in |
grave danger Of strangliug itself to |
pitiable death. Mr.. Ayers is no
friend of the council and has sought |
to abolish il. His resolution, while |
# might be interpreted as giving the |
council more power, would receive
such Interpretation only from the
most cheerful optimist. 1t follows: |
The council shall act as an advisory
body to the Commissioners of the Dis /
frict of Columbia upon matters affect
ing the Government of the District
of Columbia; but the council, when
asked for advice on matters affecting
the Government of the said District,
either by Congress or a committee
thereof, or by any official body of the
Federal administration, may answer
tthe speeific question or questions in
writing through the president Of the
Fedora ton of Citizens Associations, |
who may, at his discretion, appoint
q committee composed of delegates 10
the federation TO present the answer
to the respective body; however,
where the question or questions re.
late to appointment 10 office in the
said District, the council shall have
no power to express an opinions nor
shall the council have power TO initiate
recommendations for appointment to
office or to commend appointments al
ready made, where such appointment
is made by the President of the United
states or by Congress"
This resolution. Mr. Ayers states,
would remedy some Of the faults. but
not all.
Membership Divided.
AS the situation now stands, in ad-
vance Of the next meeting of the fed.
Grafton, the membership of the fedora.
tion is divided on the question Of en-
largiug the powers of the council,
though 1t seems to be generally agreed
that some action must be taken to
''Iegalize" the councils assumption of
duties not assigned in its constitution.
The unfavorable attitude Of some
members Of the city's trade bodies 10.
ward the council evidently has been
qncorrectly interpreted to mean that
these critics Of the council disapprove
of the federation, thus soliaifying
members Of the federation against
what they assume is a movement
against the federation, when, in real
ity, it Is an unwillingness on the part
of these critics 10 see the council as
now composed set up as representa-
tive of Washington,
The last meeting of the federation
showed Enthusiastically that while there
may be disa greenent within that body
oyer the scope of the council, the ma
ioritv favors increasing its constitu-
tionat prerogatives. And such action
lis to be expected, although the man
ner is set to be decided,