Evening star., 1934-06-17
GROUP WILL STUDY
PLANS TO CHANGE
D. c. GOVERNMENT
King Names Three to Report
to Senate Committee at
Next Session.
WILL GET INFORMATION
ON CITY MANAGER FORM
Data Assembled by Peoples Coun-
sci, Auditor and Budget Bu-
reau to Be Presented.

A subcommittee of three was named
late yesterday by Chairman King Of
the Senate District Committee to
study all proposals for reorganization
Of the District government during the
recess and report to the full commit
tee at the next session.
Senator Gore, Democrat, Of Okla
homa, was named chairman Of the
subcommittee, and the other members
are Senators Reynolds, Democrat, OF
North Carolina, and Couzens, Re
publican, of Michigan. Senator King
will assist the subcommittee from
time to time as its work progresses.
Chairman Gore said last night he
had no ideas in advance on any par
ticular changes that should be con-
sidered, but intended to approach the
subject with an open mind.
viii Get Mass Of Data.
There will be turned over to the
subcommittee the mass Of detailed in
formation assembled during the past
year by Peoples Counsel William A.
Roberts, Auditor Daniel j. Donovan.
and a representative Of the Budget
Bureau. Their reports consist largely
of factual information about the his
tory of the District government, the
present set-up of municipal bureaus
and a compilation of District laws.
One volume of the report of these
officials, however. contained a history
Of the city manager or council man
ager form of government that has
been tried in a number of other cities,
in the event Congress should decide
to consider such change here. Sena-
tor Gore said he had no definite opin-
ion at this time on that phase OF the
study.
Couzens Against Manager Form.
While the local officials were gath
ering data on the city-manager sys-
tenn, they asked some of the members
of the House and Senate for their
views regarding 1t. At that time
Senator Couzens stated in his letter
of reply that he did not see any ad-
vantage to be gained for the District
of Columbia by the adoption OF the
city-manager plan, nor do see any
reason for relieving the District Com
missioners of the responsibility OF
managing the District, after they
have once been approved by the
Senate"
He added, however, that he did not
want his letter to convey the idea
that he had given detailed study TO
the question. The Michigan Senator,
having been at one time mayor OF
Detroit, is thoroughly familiar with
the problems of municipal government
and organization.
Kings Opposition Indicated.
Senator King has indicated in the
past that he is not in favor of sub
stituting an individual manager for
the board of three Commissioners. al
though he might consider some plan
for a city manager under the Com
missioners.
1t is probable that the bill to con-
fer broad general power on the Com
misSioners to make regulations on
many of the subjects now requiring
action by Congress, will be turned
over to this subcommittee for study
also. Senator King had this bill be-
fore the District Committee during
this session, but several weeks ago
Senator McCarran asked that 1t be
postponed for more careful study of
the legal question of whether Congress
can, under the Constitution, delegate
such broad powers on the Commis-
sioners. The bi" therefore, was not
acted upon at this session.
The proposed reorganization study
is expected to deal with possible con-
solidations of municipal agencies.