Evening star., 1934-07-15

TT THE District government Is TO
be reorganized and the basic laws
OF the municipality changed. as
i contemplated. James @. Yaden.
president Of the Federation of
Citizens Associations. has some very
definite views on the form the new
set-up should take
Ever since the discussion OF remod
cling the municipal government be-
came serious. Yaden has given con-
siderable thought TO a plan he would
advocate. not as president of the fed
Grafton, but as an individual. whose
many years experience as a civic
leader has given him a deep insight
into the present form of municipal
government. its problems and its
shortcomings.
Yaden, like so many others who
have devoted years to the civic bet
terment of the Nations Capital. feels
that number of fundamental changes
in the municipal structure are neces-
sary If a truly idealistic form Of gov
ernment is to come out of any reor-
ganization.
Six definite, but correlated plans ere
involved in Yaden's proposed new
set-up. Basically, however, all Of them
are founded on what he describes as
"Americanism and the rule OF the
people"
improvements Sought.
Yaden does not propose to scrap the
present commission form of govern
ment which has existed since 1873.
Instead. he would improve upon it,
using some of the more progressive
ideas that are designed to give the
people of the District a potent voice
in their government. Under his plan,
he said, the District government would
be more representative and more di-
rectly responsible to the people.
First, Yaden said. the three Com
missioners should be elected by
popular vote, or as an alternative. the
two civilian Commissioners should be
elected and the Engineer Commits
sioner appointed by the President of
the United States.
He prefers, however, that in any
new Set-up, the people be given the
power to elect all three Commissioners,
but he fears such a plan might meet
with objection. due to the insistence
in some quarters that the Federal
Government have representation in
the District government. That OBJ
lection easily could be avoided, or
entirely removed, he believes. by
leaving in the President. the author
ity to place an Army officer on the
Board of Commissioners as the repre-
sentative of the National Government.
Second, Yaden proposes the crea-
ton of city council of seven or nine
members, preferably nine. This
council, he said. should be elected
by the people under a plan that
would give each section of the Dis
trict fair representation.
Commissioners Similar to Mayer.
The Board of Commissioners under
this set up. Yaden pointed out, would
constitute the administrative heads
of the District, or be comparable to
the mayor of a metropolitan city
To the city council Yaden would
confer legislative and budgetary au-
thority. Congress. he said. if it has
the authority. could grant to the
council and the Commissioners such
legislative and administrative powers
as it wishes, and thereby retain an
element of control over the Federal
city.
Another important factor in Yadens
plan would vest with the Board OF
Commissioners undisputed control
over all subordinate officers and boards.
He thinks the Commissioners should
have authority, subject to confirma-
ton by the city council. to appoint
all boards and department heads. as
well as such officers as Police Court
judges, the recorder of deeds and the
registrar of wills. This includes the
Board of Education. whose members
are now selected by justices of the
District Supreme Court.
Finally, Yaden would place in the
President the authority TO declare an
emergency and assume entire charge
of the District. Such plan, he
explained. would enable the Presi-
dent TO step in and take complete con-
troll of the municipal government
should a1v Sar{O,Is condition, ayire