Evening star., 1933-07-29
PRESIDENT DELAYS
NAMING D. c. HEADS
AS He LEAVES CITY
Opinion Is Expressed He May
Make Appointments While
on Vacation. *..g.
SENATOR KING URGES
SPEEDY SELECTIONS
Possible Incumbents Will Remain
Until Plan for Single Ruler
Acted Upon. 80
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

President Roosevelt left Washington
last night for a brief vacation at Hyde
Park, N. Y, with the appointments of
Commissioners still hanging In the
balance. No announcement regarding
the commissionerships which had been
hoped for yesterday. was forthcoming
from the White House. The Presi-
dent at his press conference indicated
that he had not had an opportunity
to give final consideration to the ques-
tion of appointing these officials.
The problem OF the Commissioner
appointments may be tackled by the
President while he is away from Wash
ington. Indeed, Senator King of Utah,
chairman of the District Committee,
who has discussed the matter with the
President ON several occasions and who
has urged the President to make his
selections without further delay, ex-
pressed the opinion today that the
Chief Executive would make the ap-
pointmentS from Hyde Park, where he
would probably have the time to make
his decision regarding the many candi-
dates who have been advanced for
these Offices.
One-Man Rule Suggested.
Other prominent officials of the Gov
ernment said, however, that they be-
lieved the selection Of the District Com
missicnerS would await the Presidents
return to the Capital in about two
weeks.
A theory was advanced in some
quarters that the President might make
no appointments to the commissioner
ships, but would retain the services
of the present Commissioners until
after Congress meets and he could
obtain from that body legislation
amending the organic act Of the Dis
trict to provide for a single head Of
the District government. That, how
ever, would mean considerable delay.
Congress does not meet until January.
Furthermore, there is likely to be strong
opposition to any such change in the
District government on Capitol Hill.
Senator King, chairman of the COM
mittee which must handle any bill to
amend the organic act, is opposed to
a one-man government for the Dis
trict and prefers the Board of Com
misSioners.
1t is known that one of the Demo-
cratic leaders at the Capitol would not
object at all to the retention of DR..
Luther H. Reichelderfer as a member
OF the Board of Commissioners.
Wealth Of Candidates.
The large number of candidates for
the offices of District Commissioner
plus the still larger number Of hackers
of the candidates, including some very
prominent Democrats, has made the
choice of the two civilian members of
the Board Of Commissioners much
vSoio hay l1A
the case had the appointments been
made months ago. Press of public
business prevented the President from
taking early action on the District
appointments. however
Rival factions among the Democrats
in Washington have entered the con-
test over the Commissioners, in addi-
ton to number of members of Con-
gress. The local Democratic organiza-
tion has supported Ernest G. Walker
and Malcolm S. McConihe The heads
OF the organization, John F. Costello
and John B. Colpoys, are opposed by
other Democrats here Mr.. Costello is
national committeeman for the Dis
trict. Mrs. J. Borden Hartman. the
Democratic national committeewoman
for the District, was enormously report
ed yesterday to have been a delegate
for the District at the Democratic Ma
tional Convention in Chicago and to
be one of those in the delegation ready
to vote for a candidate for President
other than Franklin D. Roosevelt. Mrs.
Hartman was not delegate at the
convention, although she attended the
convention as national committee
woman. Following the nomination of
Mr. Roosevelt for President, Mrs. Har-
riman, an old friend of the Roosevelt
family, worked hard for his election.
The struggle over the commissioner
ships still continues to be one in which
the local organization, headed by Cos
tello and Colpoys, either will receive
recognition or will be turned down.
President Roosevelt is seeking to
bring about the appointment of Com
missioners we'll qualified to handle the
District government. It Is obvious that
a difficult situation has been created
because of the efforts of various good
friends of the President to have say
In the matter of the Commissioner ap-
pointments The decision rests en-
tirely, however. with the President
himself.