Evening star., 1932-05-20
Tells Society. of Natives at
Banquet That a "ReaP
Scheme Is Needed.
TRACES ADMINISTRATION
OF NATIONAL CAPITAL
Quotes Madison Assertion That
Residents Would Have Voice in
Authority Over Them.

tical idealism to evolve a real" plan
of government for the District of Co.
lumbia was voiced by Representative
William r. Coyle of Pennsylvania in an
address at the twelfth annual banquet
of the Society Of Natives of the District
of Columbia last night at the Hotel
Shoreham.
Representative Coyle, himself a ma
tive of the District of Columbia and a
member of the Society Of Natives, re-
viewed the history of the administra-
ton of the National Capital, showing
how today Washington's mayor" is, in
effect, about half of the Cabinet, the
District Commissioners and Is other
commissions and boards, a full half
score of Judges, most of whom have ap-
pointive and administrative functions,
some Senators and representatives, leo
by the President of the United States"
Urgues Real Plan.
"Everybody's business is nobody s
business" Mr.. Coyle said with REFER
ence to the divided authority under
which the District is run, "and gives an
unusual opportunity to the busybody to
acquire a nuisance value, as well as an
inflated idea of his Importance" In
conclusion he asked:
will not some Congress soon de-
velop among its $40 members and dele
gates some group with enough prac-
tical idealism to evolve a real plan for
the government of Uncle Sans city?
The simplicity of outline and four
square lines of the marble shaft that is
the Nations memorial to the Father OF
His Country is In its sheer physical
beauty a prototype Of the beauty Of the
City of washington today. Can We find
the broad vision and national viewpoint
in the National Congress that will be
willing to retire the Congress from its
irksome role of town council, promote
Uncle Sam to the intended national
role, and enlist in the duty of local
government the heart and voice and
mind of half million residents at the
seat of Government and 100 years after
Jackson's time heed his true, if rather
caustic words, and deal four-square with
themselves and with the residents of
Uncle Sans city?"
In his review of the Districts gov
ernmental history Mr. Coyle cited Madi
sons assertion in the Federalist that
the residents of the area to be estab-
Nshed as the seat of the Federal Gov
ernment will of course" have a voice
In the authority over them.
Cites Fiscal Relations.
Madison and his contemporaries, ~
the Pennsylvania Representative as
serted, little dreamed of the day when
the Congress would be town council and
Uncle Sam the mayor, pajandrum and
dictator"
Continuing. Mr.. Coyle said that more
the Capital during the last so years
imbued with the thought that he would
enhance his importance at home by
ranting against the provision of the act
of June II, 1878 (now more honored in
the breach than in the observance)
which provides that one-half of the
expenses Of the District of Columbia
shall be paid out Of the Treasury of
the United States"
This class of special pleader," Mr.
Coyle said, has mentioned not at all
that the safeguards which Madison as
sumed as a matter of course were as
dead as any Summer rainbow of 1889,
and that the voiceleSs, votelesS inhab-
itants of Washington are defenseless
against his attack For home constit-
uency is never interested-at least so
argues the self-appointed watchdog of
the Treasury-in any appropriation eX-
cept for expenditure within that home
constituency This same type of mind
dwells not at all on the fact that all
rights and privileges of citizenship have
been gradually and surely taken away
from this half million of people, while
the duties and obligations of citizenship
have been enforced and reinforced"
Schools Cited as Example
Mr.. Coyle cited the public school sys-
TEN of the District as an example of the
injustice of this attitude. District
schools, he pointed out, for many years
have provided free education for the
children of voters in the States who
contributed nothing to the cost of that
education.
Mr.. Coyle cited Andrew Jackson's
contention that while the trainers of
the Constitution were wise in placing
the people of the District of Columbia
under the jurisdiction of general gov
eminent" it was not necessary to de-
prive the District residents of all of the
privileges of f-government.
531 Voting Members.
"Uncle Sans town council, consisting
now Of 531 voting members being paid
about $4,000 per legislative hour in
session, said Mr. Coyle, still charges
itself with responsibility in many in
consequential details of the spigot
though delegating independent respon-
Sibility for many generations of the
bung to an opera bouffe army of 103-
63 courts, boards, commissions and in
dividuals, reporting jointly to the Com
misSionerS and Congress, and 81 ad-
ministrative and directive boards
bureaus, courts, departments and
individuals, with direct authority from
Congress. AS though that were not
enough generals and admirals, there
are three important and independent
boards with plenary powers of contro
and indefinite tenure of office: % The
Board Of Education, appointed by the
Supreme Court; (2) the trustees Of the
Public Library, appointed by the Com
miSsioners (both boards being autono-
nous, and 90 the Board OF Public
Welfare, having by congressional dele
CATION of power complete control ant
management Of all-that is, nearly all
corrective and eleemosynary nstitu
tiOns
Under our mayor, Uncle Sam, th
President of the United States act
sometimes as city manager, sometime
as governor and sometimes as count
commissioner. Five courts and thirteel
boards and individuals designate tn
remaining fourscore less one, and tn
system student would find his chart c
authority and responsibility resemblin
a mystic maze with both mirrors an
mirage. Three different and independ
ent departments control parks and play
grounds, and the control of the par
area does not necessarily carry with
control Of the contained playground.
Three commissions and one Cabin
nffcer control trees and the trees Q