Evening star., 1935-02-06
WELFARE BOARD
FIGHTS CLAUSE IN
COMMISSION BILL
Dental Society Also Files
Protest on Expanding City
Heads Powers.
STATEMENT REQUESTS
EXEMPTION STANDING
Chairman of Welfare Group
Writes Sentiments on Con-
troll Policy.

The Board of Public Welfare and
the District Dental Society today reg
istered opposition to a clause in the
bill which would expand the powers of
the Commissioners so as to give them
authority to direct or veto actions of
citizens boards in the District govern
ment.
The proposal has been met with
overwhelming opposition from many
citizens organizations. as well as the
Board Of Education, the Board Of
Library Trustees and officials Of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
The Welfare Board now is appointed
by the Commissioners, who have gen.
eral control over its operations. but
the board wishes to preserve its pres
ent powers over the detail and control
Of the activities of the agencies and
individuals under its jurisdiction.
Exemption Requested.
This was made clear by Frederick
w. McReynolds. chairman Of the
board, in a statement to the Commits
sioners. which has been Endorsed by
the membership Of the Welfare Board.
Specifically. McReynolds asked that
the Board Of Public Welfare be added
to the exemptions listed under the bill,
these now including the Public Utili-
ties Commission and the courts.
McReynolds wrote:
The organic act creating the Board
Of Public Welfare was prepared by an
able and representative commission Of
District citizens. under the chairman
ship Of the late Justice Siddons. Of
District Supreme Court, with the ex-
pert advice and assistance of William
Hodson of New York, the greatest
authority In the country on that sub
ject.
Authority is Cited.
'The District Commissioners appoint
the board. appoint and discharge all
employees thereof, have full control Of
its budget and the buildings occupied
by its activities. jurisdiction of. its
books, records and so forth. The board
has detailed control and management
Of the activities committed to it, and
authority to recommend appointment
and the discharge of employees.
Thus the act contains an admirable
system Of checks and balances, and
the powers granted the board are only
those that the Commissioners have
not the time to study and make in
telligent decisions upon"
The relations between the Com
missioners and the present welfare
board have been agreeable during the
past year. Last Winter. however. a
considerable row was kicked up over
the question Of the appointment of a
new director for the board. One rec
ommendation from the welfare board
was set aside by the Commissioners
and Elwood Street. present director,
was appointed last June.
Two members of the Welfare
Board resigned early last year as
result of disputes, one over manage
ment of emergency relief problems
and another when Commissioner Al
len sent a separate bill to Congress
which would have stripped the We'll
fare Board of any real power and
converted it into merely an advisory
body. Allen dropped that bill last
Spring after relations between the
board and the Commissioners i'm
proved.
Bill Being Studied.
The proposed Commissioners bill
now is under study by Corporation
Counsel E. Barrett Prettyman and it
has not been decided finally in what
form it will be sent to Congress, if
at all. Commissioner Melvin c.
Hazen has opposed some features of
the bill, those which would give the
city heads dictation power over the
Board of Education and the Board Of
Library Trustees.
The District Dental Society voiced
specific objection to a feature of the
bill which would change the present
system Of appointing members of the
Dental Examining Board, which
passes upon qualifications of practic-
ing dentists. The Commissioners now
appoint members of this board, but
only upon recommendation by the
white and colored dental societies.
These group submit lists of nominees
from which the Commissioners select
members of the board The District
Dental Society believes this system
would be abandoned If the bill passes
in form