Evening star., 1937-03-01
D, c. .REORCAN|z|NC
TO Be DISCUSSED
BY CIVIC LEADERS
First Meeting Will Be Held
With Commissioners
on Friday.
LEGISLATION TO WIDEN
POWERS TO BE SOUGHT
Hazen Points to Handicaps Faced
by Officials Because of Lack
of Authority.

Auc 10 prominent ClLJ residents IN
vited by the District Commissioners
to investigate the efficiency and pos
sibilitieS of reorganizatio of the Dis
trict government will hold their first
meeting Friday at pm. with the
Board Of Commissioners.
Commissioner Melvin C. Hazen. in
announcing the session, said he would
suggest to the committee that its ini-
tial investigation be directed at leg
isiation to enlarge the powers of the
Commissioners so as to expedite the
administration Of local affairs.
"As 1t Is now, we can't even name a
new street or change the line of a
sewer without special authorize ton
from Congress"
The committee vill be required to
appoint a chairman next Friday and
prepare q plan Of procedure.
Hazen said it should divide the work
among subcommitteeS 50 as to facili-
tate the program, which is an exten.
sive one.
No Special Fund Available.
Unfortunately, he said, no special
fund is available for the use of the
committee. He explained it will be
necessary to draw upon District funds
to take care of necessary expenses and
that employees of the District would be
designated to serve as secretaries.
The question Of enlarging the powers
Of the Commissioners is one that has
long been hanging fire. but Hazen said
ne believed 1t was the most important
matter before the Reorganization Com
mittee deserving immediate attention.
Senator William H. King, chairman
Of the Senate District Committee, has
notified the Commissioners that he
and Mrs. Mary p Norton, chairman
OF the House District Committee, hoped
that something would be done soon TO
give the Commissioners wider author
lty over local affairs. Senator King
was ready to introduce a bill, he in
formed Hazen, when an agreement had
been reached on the proposed legisla-
ton OF that character.
Question Of Charter.
Another matter which Hazen hoped
the committee would look into even
tually was the question of q charter
for the District Of Columbia.
Every large city has one, and I
think it would help things here" he
said.
The committee Of 1s may be at
work most Of the Summer, it was in
dicated. but Hazen believed its pro-
gram could be expedited If it broke
up into a number Of subcommittee,
each with its specific problems to
handle. It was not expected that the
committee would Jump right in to
upset the apple cart" but would feel
its way gradually at first. as indicated
Saturday by one of its members,
Thomas E. Lodge, president of the
Federation Of Citizens Associations.
The question of taxation probably
constitutes its toughest problem.
Hazen said today he believed the COM
mittee would not 60 into the question
Of fiscal relations between the District
and Federal Governments, but ex-
planned it was one Of the possible ave-
nues Of investigation.
Cherry Blossom Festival.
Whether there is to be a Cherry
Blossom Festival in Washington this
Spring is a decision which will be put
up to the District Commissioners this
week.
A committee Of, six representing
business and civic interests will con-
fer on the matter with Commissioner
Hazen Thursday at pm. Members
Of the committee are Edgar Morris, C..
Melvin Sharpe. Thomas E. Lodge,
James E. Colliflower, Robert ]. Cot
trell and Frank r. Jelleff.
With indications of an early Spring,
the decision must be given quickly, as
1t is anticipated the cherry blossoms
will be in bloom much earlier than
usual this year.