Evening star., 1933-09-08
CHAIRMAN NORTON
AGAINST ONE-MAN
RULE FOR DISTRICT
Woman Leader Doubts That
President Will Ask for
Government Change.
CITES SIX ARGUMENTS !.
OPPOSING PROPOSAL
Favors More Participation by Capt.
tai Residents in Affairs Of
D. G. Control.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

BY WILL p. KENNEDY.
1.-THE District of Columbia should not
have the suggested one-man govern
ment as q substitute for the existing
three Commissioner form Of govern
ment. The people Of the District do not
want such q government and as tax
paying and arms-bearing citizens 1t
should not be forced upon them. Their
participation In their local government
should be enlarged rather than be wiped
out In that way. Such one-man rule, or
city madagership cannot be set up with
out q special act Of Congress, and Con-
gress, q quarter of q century ago, en-
phatically discarded such a proposal
during the administration Of Theodore
Roosevelt"
That is the summarized opinion Of
Representative Mary T. Norton OF New
Jersey, chairman of the House District
Committee, who Is herself sponsoring
National Capital the largest possible
participation in both local and national
sef-government, and who announced
that she will oppose any effort to set up
o city manager or other form OF one
man rule.
Doubts Roosevelt Support.
II do not believe that President
Roosevelt is seriously entertaining any
such change In the local government
emphasized Mrs. Norton. "Of course,
him sponsor q change of this sort, and
they may be giving the impression that
they are rejecting the viewpoint of the
President. feel very sure that Mr..
Roosevelt will not make any recon-
mendation of this sort to Congress un-
til he has made a careful personal
study. I feel even more certain that
such q study will convince him that
one-man government for the District
would be serious mistake.
IF this one-man government would
mean great measure Of economy for
the people Of the District and by that
! mean reduction in taxes, would
be glad to support such movement.
But cannot see how it would be pos
sible to accomplish this. It is obvious
to appoint an administrative head for
each Of the departments of the city
goyefpment presided over by a Com,
missioner Therefore. there could be
nothing saved. The salary of the pres
ent Commissioners Is modeSt-probably
less than is paid in any other city Of
its size"
For the past 10 years Mrs. Norton
has been making a close personal study
Of the government Of the District of
Columbia and considering the proper
legislative proposal to improve the sit
uation by enlarging the interest and
participation of the residents. She an
nounced months ago her determination
70 int ~ iv,n .iv4n
session to give the largest measure OF
elf-government to the people residing
in the National Capital. She had given
study to previous legislative proposals
for granting the voting right to District
people and especially to the storm that
broke In Congress Is years ago when
President Theodore Roosevelt made
like proposal that was pigeonholed at
the Capitol.
Points Against Plan.
There are six outstanding arguments
against the one-man rule, as I see the
situation said MS. Norton.
First. We already have the local
government headed up in one man
the President. The District Commis-
sioners are his agents, and the job is
too big and too complicated to intrust
It to any SINCE man with city-manager
powers.
Second. The District is not like any
other city, where q manager may be
successful, because Congress is jealous
legislative enactmentS, including the
appropriation Of moneys for support OF
District activities, dominates and over
rides the District Commissioners or any
other administrative officer that might
be put in charge. Congress will never
surrender its exclusive jurisdiction
Third. There Is the new element OF
the budget director, who dictates how
the proposed expenditures for the sup
port and upkeep and upbuilding Of the
Capital City municipality must be
"Fourth. The District Commissioners
exercise quasi-legislative function IN
issuing regulation which should not
like q city manager, whose duties
should be exclusively administrative.
Fifth. The, residents already have q
too scant participation In our boasted
American self-government,' and the
new plan for q one-man rule would en-
tirely wipe out any infinftesimal share
they may now exercise.
Sixth. II a comparison were made
It would probably be found that the
District government compares favorably
with that Of any other city Of its size
in the United States. That until the
people of Washington are granted the
same privilege as are the citizens every
where else in the countrt-self- govern
ment-there seems to be no good rea-
son for any change"
Chairman Norton considers herself
pledged to the people to lead the fight
for them for effective voice In their To-
cal government, as she has repeatedly
promised in radio addresses and In
speeches TO- citizens associations and
other large groups Of citizens that she
will work earnestly In the coming ses-
sion for enactment Of legislation along
that line. She considers that such leg
islation arousing the civic zeal Of the
residents will be helpful to Congress in
exercise Of exclusive jurisdiction"
II have the utmost faith in the wis
dom Of President Roosevelt, and until
he himself tells me that he Is In favor
Of q one-man rule for the National
Capital win not believe it." said Mrs.
Norton, who Il one Of the most loyal
supporters Of the President.
Asks Absolute Divorce.
ROCKVILLE. Nd. September 9 (spe-