Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-22
WOULD ABOLISH
DISTRICT BOARD
Research Body Recommends
Substitution of City Man.
ager and Council.


tional Capital and substitution of SIN
gle executive, or manager, with leglS-
lative council of seven members, Is
urged in a report on a comprehensive
survey of the government and admins
tration of the District of Columbia by
the Institute for Government Research
of the Brookings Institute, which is an
association of public-spirited men for
scientific study of governmental affairs.
Congress has complete legislative
power over the District of Columbia ard
Its government, and 1t exercises that au-
thority to a degree of detail that tends
to diStort its vision and to hamper the
work OF the agencies charged with the
enforcement Of its measures SAYS this
report in introducing its recommended
ton for legislative council.
Act ~ Executives.
"Under the present form of govern
ment, the Commissioners make NUM-
cipal regulations, determine policy and
administer their policies and regulations
through their own membership, the
subordinate units being divided among
the three Commissioners" explains the
institutes report in recommending the
creation of a new Office of general
manager. THE objections to this pro-
cedure are manifest" continues the re-
port. Sitting as a board. the Commits
sioners perform the duties of NUM-
cipal council; acting severally they have
the duties Of executive officers One
member may take action on q matter
in the field assigned him, and later
when the same matter is reviewed by
the Board of Commissioners. will vote
on the review of his own action. There
is a tendency for the board to approve
perfunctorily the recommendations Of
q particular Commissioner relating to
work under his direction, and there Is
natural disinclination on the part OF
each Commissioner to make any sug-
questions regarding the work under the
direction of the others.
Under the present practice of COM
bining policy making and executive
functions in The same body, the expe-
ditious and orderly conduct Of public
business leads inevitably to this situa-
ton. This has been the universal his
tory of all commission governments
where the members also have had ex-
ecutive power"
The report points out that many
members of Congress would welcome
relief from the burden Of minor munich
pal legislation If assured that it could
be Effected without jeopardizing ade-
quAte congressional control. 1t cites as
another great difficulty" that the Dis
trict authorities are not given enough
leeway in the minor details Of the gov
eminent Of great city OF half mil
lion people, such as closing street
or change in an alley.
ut would appear" says the report,
that the obvious remedy for this Sit
uation Is the delegation of the power
of ordinance-making to a subordinate
legislative body or council"
Council of Seven Proposed.
The proposal is for a council of seven
members, Ave of whom would be resi-
dents OF the District of Columbia to
be appointed by the President. by and
with the consent and approval of the
Senate, for overlapping terms of five
years, at moderate" annual salary
(perhaps about $2.500). This coun-
ell would have no administrative duties
or responsibilities.
The two members Of the council not
residents Of the District, it is suggested,
should be the chairman of the Senate
and House District committees, which
now consider and make recommended
ticns on all matters of legislation affect
ing the municipal administration of the
National Capital.
This would seem to provide an
effective means by which Congress
could keep in close relations with the
chosen representatives of the people of
the District and share in the formula
ton of policies that will be likely to
receive the approval of Congress" tue
objections to congressional representa-
ton on the present Board of Commits
SionerS would not apply to the proposed
council, whose duties would be purely
legislative and not largely administra-
tive, as are those Of the present board
It Is proposed in the Institutes rec
concentrations that this council be
vested with the ordinance making
powers commonly possessed by the leg
islative bodies of representative Amer
lean cities and with such powers of
territorial legislatures as are applicable
to the District of Columbia. This, the
institute feels, would provide for the
unique needs of the District, which
combines the characteristics Of a city
with certain features that arise from
its analogy to territory or State"
1t Is to be expected, according to the
report, that Congress will reserve DOW
er to annul any ordinance made by the
council, and that it might go further
and provide that certain classes of leg
islation should take effect only after
interval W Oh COIRTPS-
Sional approval or veto.
In insisting that there Is ample prec-
edent for such restriction, the re-
port calls attention to the act of Feb
ruary 81, 1871. creating a territorial
government and legislative assembly.
which was upheld By the Supreme Court
OF the United States. ruling that it lis
not open to reasonable doubt that Con-
gress had power to invest. mad did in
vest, the District government (created
by that acD with legislative authority"
Should Name Head.
This council, 1t is proposed, should
appoint the executive head of the
administration, and also such
members Of boards as are now ap-
pointed by the District Commissioners
the Board of Public Welfare
and the several examining boards for
issuing licenses for professional or
mechanical pursuits; also members of
the Education and Library Council,
which Is also proposed by the institute
From its membership 1t should elect
a member Of the Public Utilities Com
mission, a member of the Zoning Com
mission and a member of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion.
One of the most important functions
OF the proposed council would be the
of the financial and work
program that shall be submitted to
Congress, and the allotment of appro-
priations made by that body to specific
objects or purposes. Responsibility for
the formulation. in the first instance, of
the budget will rest with a proposed
department of finance acting as the
chief aid in respect to financial mat
sers Of the general manager.
1t would become the duty OF the
council to examine the budget as thus
to modify It's provisions In |
such respects as 1t deems advisable. and |
10 submit 1t in its revised form to Con- |
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