Evening star., 1927-04-24
Commissioners Must Give
Final Decision on Scope of
Advisory Body.
EXPECTED
TO VOTE ON SATURDAY
Dilemma for District Officials Seen
if Resolution Removing Present
Restrictions Is Adopted.
BY BEN AIcKELWAY.

With special meeting called for
next Saturday night, ostensibly to
consider the most important business
now before 1.-THE future status Of
the Citizens Advisory Council-the
Federation of Citizens Associations
may vote to adopt the resolution en-
larging the councils power reported
at it's last meeting from the law and
legislation committee. The sense of
this resolution was approved by the
federation.
If the resolution as reported Is
passed by the federation, the problem
Of determining the exact scope of the
Advisory Council will then leave the
hands of the federation to come be-
fore the Commissioners for decision.
And while the present controversy
over the status Of the Advisory Coun-
Gil may be considered in some quar-
ters as a tempest in a teapot, it is no
small tempest and no small teapot.
The question should be of paramount
interest in Washington. 1t involves,
on the one hand what virtually
amounts to the creation Of a new
body sanctioned by the Commits
sioners, which undoubtedly will come
TO be regarded as the citys mouth
piece. On the other hand, it may
mean the curtailment of the present
Advisory Councils powers to such an
extent that it will become a useless
piece Of machinery, cluttering up the
works.
Commissioners Must Approve.
The time has come when the Fedora
finn nf (sifiynnSt
formally to recognize, and have the
commissioners recognize, the new and
important duties assumed by the Ad-
y1sory Council. The federation must
originate any move in this direction,
But as the Advisory Council was
formed with the sanction of the Com
missioners ''to act as an advisory
body to the Commissioners" the Com
missioners must approve any change,
especially any enlargement Of it's
powers.
The text of the resolution reportad
from the law and legislation commit.
tee of the federation on Saturday a
week ago follows:
The council shall act as an adj
visory body upon matters affecting
the District of Columbia, but 1t shall
not In any way restrict the activities,
or abridge the rights, of the fedora.
tions hereinafter mentioned or of their
respective member bodies, and it's ac-
ton thereon shall not be construed as
expressive of the views of the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations or OF
the Federation of Civic Associations"
Would Remove Barriers.
This resolution would remove the
barriers already removed, informally.
by the Advisory Council itself. In
stead Of continuing the Advisory
Council as body to advise the Com.
missioners, ii places no limit upon the
council regarding whom it may ad.
wise. 1t may advise the Commission
ers, the committees of Congress, the
superintendent of police, the fire mar
shall, the director of the Budget or
the President of the United States. so
long as the matters upon which it
offers its advice concern the District
of Columbia. It may advise the Com
missioners upon the appointees to
District offices. and, presumably, it
may advise the Commissioners of its
disapproval of such appointees Fur
thermore, in offering it's advice. IL
may do so Independently of the Com.
missioners, and its acts will be the
acts of the council and not neces-
sarily express the views of the fed
erations.
The federation continues its control
over the council by it's power of cleo
tion of it's members. If a member
repeatedly gets off on the wrong foot
or otherwise displeases the fedora
tion, in due course of events he will
not be reelected. So, while not nec-
essarily expressing the views of the
federation or of the citizens associa-
tions. the council remains, under the
resolution proposed, responsible to
the federation and to its constituent
bodies.
Commissioners i'm Dilemma.
Should this resolution be passed as
and referred to the Commits
sioners, the Commissioners will find
themselves in a rather embarrassing
If they conffne their
action to approval or disapproyal, the
Commissioners must offend either the
councils foes or it's friends They
must approve a council set UP as
the citizens of the Dis.
trict. with advisory powers, and there
by offend those who claim the council
has no right to be the mouthpiece OF
the citizens Of the District, or they
must disapprove the councils en-
Iarged powers, and thereby deal to it's
prestige a blow which will be felt bv
members of the federation, many of
whom now feel that the people of the
through this council, have
come nearer than ever before to set
ing up representative, elective body,
With a semi-off1cial standing.
In adopting this resolution, there.
ore, the federation will be putting the
'ouncirs neck on the chopping block
and handing the ak to the Commits.
ioners. The Commissioners may not
WELD the ak. but that is not the
,oint. 1t is an open question with
ome whether it is advisable to place
mes neck on anybody's chopping
,lock.
Other Resolutions Opposed.
Two other resolutions We're intro
Iuced at tho last meeting of the fed
ration bearing on the powers of the
ouncil. They probably will be voted
n at the meeting next week, but
leither is expected to pass.
One of them, offered by DR.. George
:. Havenner, from Anacostia, pro-
'osed that the president of the federa-
ion ask the presidents of the Board
( Trade. Chamber OF Commerce and
ferchants' and Manufacturers Asso.
iation each TO appoint committees to
onfer with committees of the fed
ration and the council with q view
0 creating liaison agency to co.
rdinate the activities Of the organ
ov4 E1aum 40 rFoi,,,~4- = 4