Evening star., 1937-02-28
ID. c. GOVERNMENT
STUDY IS EXPECTED.
TO BEGIN AT ONCE
Committee Members Say
No Time Will Be Lost.
Plan Meeting.
HANDLING OF SUBJECT
BY SUBGR0UPS URGED
Hope Inquiry Will Include Data
on q. S. Share in Capital
Expenses Is Expressed.

With its first meeting scheduled
for this week, the committee selected
by the Commissioners to investigate
the efficiency and possibilities of re-
organization of the District govern.
ment expects to lose little time in
beginning its inquiry, it was indi-
Gated yesterday.
A poll of the 18 prominent resi-
dents invited to serve on the in
Vestlgatlng committee showed. how
ever. that while many have definite
views as to just where better eff.
cheney might be promoted. thev are
going into the inquiry with open
minds"
Otflcial notification of their selec.
ton to the committee had not been
received by most of the l8 persons.
ana they were inclined to withhold
comment until they find out how the
investigating o"oup is to be organized
and the method it will follow in its
inquiry.
l.. "A. Carruthers, prominent civic
leader and one of those selected by
the Commissioners. said he believes
the investigation could best be handled
by separating the group into sub
committees, and assigning each unit
10 particular phase of the govern
ment organization.
Urges Study of U. S. Share.
Hope that the inquiry would in
cluoe a study of the Federal Govern
ments share in the finances Of the
municipal government was expressed
by Mrs. Lloyd W. Biddle. another
member, who is president of the Fed
Grafton of Women's Clubs.
1T appears to me there's no oues-
ton but that better system of
financing the operations of the Dis
trict government must be found" she
said.
tIhomas E. Lodge. president Of the
Feoeratlon of Citizens Associations.
said he does not believe it was the
Commissioners idea that the commit-
tee should Jump right in and upset
al! the apple carts" but to attempt
to find out where efficiency can be
increased and costs decreased, 80
that the people Of Washington will get
more for their money"
Undoubtedly there is an overlap-
ping OF work in some departments and
| other problems, resulting in rather
poor service to the public" Lodge said.
Costs should be decreased and eff
cheney increased. 1t can be done. How
to do it is what we're going to attempt
to find out.
There are so many different things
to consider it would be impossible to
say which is the most important. Ger
talnly there should be a more general
distribution of taxes, for one thing 4"
Tax Set-Up Change.
Harold E. Doyle. former president
Of the Washington Real Estate Board,
also agreed some revision in the tax
set-up probably is necessary He and
Lodge are members of the Commis'.
sloners' Committee on Tax Delin-
| quency
In announcing organization of the
committee. Commissioner Hazen said
those selected were considered good
croSs-section" of the city and empha-
sized the members were chosen as
representative citizens and not as
representatives of organized civic or
business associations"
The group probably will consider,
among many other things. proposal
that the costs of the Court of Ap-
peals, the United States District Court
and the United States branch of Po-
lice Court should be divided between
the Federal Government and the Dis
| trict
Other members of the committee
are James A. Cobb Robert v. Flem-
ing, Theodore S. Grape, Thomas j.
Groom, Frank r. Jelleg, Mark Lans-
burgh. John Locher, DR.. William Nc
! Clellan, Edgar Morris. E Barrett Pret-
lyman, Henry I. Quinn, DR.. William
M. Sprigg, Lloyd B. Wilson and
Ford E. Young,