Evening star., 1937-10-12
REPORT EXPECTED
TO URGE DISTRICT
BUDGET FREEDOM
Recommendation for Sep.
arate Officer by Citizens
Committee Forecast.
SHIFT MAY BE ASKED
q IN SCHOOL CONTROL
Lively Fight Promised if Move
to Put Board sin Politics"
Receives Backing.

The committee on reorganization Of
the District Government, according to
E. Barrett Prettyman, chairman, is
preparing to conclude its work at a
series of meetings the latter part of
this month.
First among the recommendations
this citizens committee will make to
the Commissioners to pass on to
, Congress, it was learned from an
authoritative source, will be one for
the establishment of separate and
independent budget Office for the
District.
While Prettyman held his own coun-
sel on this phase of the report, which
is due to be made early in November,
1t is understood he is thoroughly in
sympathy with the idea of giving the
Commissioners full control over the
local budget.
There are some 20 members on the
committee which has had reorganiza-
ton matters under consideration for
some time, but it We reported that a
majority, are in accord with the
. budget recommendation.
1t is. regarded as certain the Com
missioners would approve such a rec
ommendation. They have felt all
along that enforcement from the Fed
eral Budget Bureau is in the best
interests of the District.
Committees Have Veto Power.
Under the proposal the Commits
01NnATC would ho tho rr
voice over the 1udget in its final form.
1t would then be up to the appropria-
ton committees L. Congress to make
whatever changes they see fit.
Supporters say q budget freed from
Federal interference would represent
more essentially the actual needs of
the District. It certainly would save
a lot of conflicting arguments, in the
opinion of District officials.
1t was regarded as possible, also,
that the Citizens Committee, in rec
ommending broader powers for the
Commissioners, would suggest the
Board of Education be placed directly
under the city heads. This is another
matter which has long been considered
and on which there is also much con-
dicting thought.
This would give the Commissioners
power to appoint members Of the Board
OF Education, that power now being
lodged in the United States District
Court. It would also give them a veto
power over actions Of the School Board
Fight in Prospect.
Such . proposal, If approved by the
Commissioners, would be almost GER
tain to start lively row in many cir
cles which believe the best policy for
the public school system is to keep
It as free as possible from the posi-
bility of political influences,
These two problems-the one affect
ing the budget and the other the Board
of Education-were said to be the out
. standing recommendations which the
committee are likely to report.
+ The committee also will take a def
mite stand on the merging of various
departments of the local Government
IN order to bring about greater de-
agree OF efficiency. There was no indi-
cation as to whether it would suggest
merging of the park police with the
metropolitan police.
Park police are now under the
Jurisdiction of the Office of National
Capital Parks, which is under the
control of Secretary of the Interior
1ckes. Ickes is not likely to let the
park police be taken from his jurisdic-
tion, 1t was pointed out, without
putting up hard fight.