Evening star., 1936-07-05
BY JESSE c. SUTER.

pendence day. 1t is very doubtful
If any American community enjoy
ing the full benefits Of the Decla-
ration of Independence celebrated
July 4 on a larger scale than the
voteless and unrepresented District.
The large general celebration
under the able leadership of C.
Melvin Sharpe was on a grand
scale; even the smaller celebra-
tions in the various outlying neigh
borhoods would have been a credit
to cities Of considerable size.
Parades, pagents, band concerts
and patriotic exercises preceded a
grand finale of fireworks. Even to
the close observer, the celebrating
residents of the District Of Colum-
bia would have every appearance
OF being full fledged American
citizens.
Last week started out with a
civic bang IN the form of the citi-
zens' conference with the peoples
counsel on the public utility prob
lens The meeting was fairly rep
reSentative of the organized civic
bodies, but the time was far too
short to consider adequately the
agenda outlined by Roberts. There
was some criticism aimed at the
presence in this meeting Of Gen
eral Manager E. D. Merrill and
another representative Of the Cap
ital Transit Co. Roberts is quoted
as having referred to these gentle
men as "unbidden guests" AS
these gentlemen had attended what
Roberts termed his Board Of Di-
rectors," he has sought permis-
sion Of Merrill to attend a meet
ing Of the transit companys di-
rectors.
The Board of Education held its
formal reorganization meeting on
Wednesday, when the resppointed
members were enrolled for a new
three-year term. Mrs. Henry Grat-
tan Doyle and Henry Gilligan were
reelected to serve as president and
vice president, respectively, for the
ensuing year. All committees of
the board were reappointed and
various changes of personnel ap-
proved.
The police department has been
enabled to make a number OF
changes in its organization by rea-
son of the 43 new policemen be-
ginning service en- July l. as au-
thorized under the recently passed
appropriation bill.
With the District officials busy
in adjusting their activities to the
long delayed 1887 appropriation
bill, they are reminded by the
auditor that the time has about
arrived for the preparation of their
estimates for the 1888 budget. The
long delay in the passage of the
District appropriation bills always
increases the burden and incon-
venience to the various DEPART
ments Of the District government.
Would Public Ownership Solve
Or Complicate Transit Problem?
THERE cropped out of the citi-
zens' public utility pw-pow
last Monday evening the idea that
there must be decided improvement
in public transportation or else
public ownership and operation
would be necessary. Similar threats
have been advanced periodically
for many years. This was notably
true during the World War, when
there were bills pending in Congress
providing for the purchase and
operation of the street railways as
part of the District government.
Some of the civic leaders who
attended Mr.. Roberts meeting on
Monday have been turning over in
their minds this question of public
ownership and operation. They
have been carefully analyzing the
local transportation system as in
actual operation under such plan.
They recognize that this would be
a new and added feature Of our
District government completely
under the autocratic control Of the
Congress. They are familiar with
the difficulties under which existing
departments of the District
government labor and draw a
deadly but far from satisfactory
parallel
The transit department Of the
District government would an
nually submit to the Commissioners
its estimates Of the required appro-
priations to cover the next fiscal
year. These would be reviewed by
the Commissioners and, after being
pared to the bone, tranmitted to
the Budget Bureau. District Off
cials would then appear before that
bureau and endeavor to justify the
transit estimates as approved by
them. The superior wisdom Of the
bureau would next be exemplified
through further pairing and in this
doubly reduced state, the budget
would be transmitted by the Presi-
dent to Congress.
Congress in general, and the
House District Appropriations Sub
committee in particular, would,
through the framing of the appro-
priation bill, together with sundry
controlling legislative riders, exer-
else the same autocratic control as
over other branches of the District
government.
In the House Appropriations Sub
committee, some dictator would
assume absolute control of the
transit system. He would dictate
the number Of motormen, conduc-
tors, bus drivers or other employees.
1t would make no difference to him
whether or not the size of the per-
sonnel were sufficient to operate
the equipment owned by the system.
Under such control some of these
civic analysts can see visions Of
usable cars and buses standing idle
in the barns because the appropria-
ton for required conductors, motor
mon 0r his drivers had hooy, r,,t ",