Evening star., 1933-02-23
OFFERS NEW D. c.
GOVERNMENT PLAN
Congress Representation and
Increased Voice in Affairs
Urged by Coyle.

A new plan Of civic government for
the District, designed to give the resi-
dents a representation in Congress and
! at the same time provide for an in
creased voice in municipal affairs
| through the Board of Commissioners,
was advocated today by Representative
Coyle, Republican, of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Coyle proposed appointment by
the President of two delegates to rep
resent the District in Congress, to be
selected from slate Of candidates
recommended by the Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations. These delegates also
would serve as additional members of
the Board of Commissioners, making a
board of five members instead of three,
as at present.
Would Submit Recommendations.
Under Mr.. Coyle's plan, the aug
mented Board Of Commissioners would
be required every year to submit di-
rectly to Congress recommendations as
to taxes and desired legislation which
would automatically become law after
laying on the table for 80 days unless
overridden by direct motion in either
the House or the Senate.
Mr.. Coyle said he believed this plan
would be more effective than having the
delegates selected by popular vote. 1t
also, he declaerd, would give the aug
mented Board of Commissioners direct
control over the expenses of the District
and save Congress much of the time and
responsibility of delving into various
matters affecting the Capital City.
The two District delegates under Mr..
Coyle'S plan would be appointed to the
House and have the same rights and
privileges of delegates from the Terri
tories of the United States.
Interested in ID. C. Affairs.
Mr.. Coyle declared he had during his
service in Congress been intensely in
terested in the affairs of the District
primarily because he is native of
Washington. He said he had made an
exhaustive study of the governmental
history of the District and is convinced
that the people should have greater
voice in their own affairs.
I'VE have q good government now,
he said, "but it has too many peculiari-
ties. For instance, there are sc differ
ent boards and commissions that have
a hand sin District affairs under the
present system of government, not to
mention the various individuals who
make recommendations to Congress.
The two District delegates in Congress
appointed on the recommendation of
such a representative body as the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations would
have the right to present to Congress
the views of the people, and believe
would result in a more satisfactory and
representative form of government"
Without any details, Mr. Coyle first
suggested his plan to the House yes
terday in farewell speech. His term
expires March A.
Presidents Warned Congress.
"For long time" Mr.. Coyle told the
House. Presidents have said to Con-
gress, one after the other, from the
time Of the first Adams to the present
day, that matters affecting the District
of Columbia, crowding onto the shoul-
ders of Congress, the work-of which
has multiplied at least 10-fold in my
time, frequently fell on crowded ground,
frequently fell in years-in which there
was hardly time to attend to the af-
fairs of the District of Columbia.
Ito the Congress itself, I seriously
suggest that some sort of joint and
continuing committee be appointed
among the residents of the District of
Columbia and members of Congress to
consider and report to the Congress
some method of taking of the shoul-
ders of Congress these manifold mat
ters of detailed legislation regarding
local affairs of this city"