Evening star., 1937-12-19
D. c. EFFICIENCY"
PLAN APPR0VEDBy
MEMBER Of HOUSE
Reorganizing Program of
Committee Backed by
Allen of Delaware.
PRETTYMAN PROGRAM
QUESTIONED BY HAZEN
Proposed Director of Public Safety
May Be Unnecessary, Com
missioner Says.

Declaring Washington is "the worst
governed city I've ever been in," Rep
resentative Allen, Democrat of Della.
ware, yesterday announced his supper.
of plans for recognizing the munich.
pal government announced last week
by the Citizens Committee on Eff.
cheney.
At the same time, however, Distric;
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen took
issue with some of the proposals or
the committee, which was headed by
E. Barrett Prettyman. In particular
Mr.. Hazen questioned the wisdom Of
placing the Police and Fire Depart
ments under supervision of director
of public safety and the proposed
subordination of the auditor, tax as
SCISSOR and tax collector to a director
OF the proposed department of finance.
AS member of the District Com
mittee, Representative Allen disclosed
he had been making a quiet" study
of conditions in the city, and would be
prepared when reorganization legisla-
ton is considered to unloose some
shafts of criticism at the ineffciency
Of the present set-up.
Going to Get Active"
GAS a new member of the District
Committee, merely sat by at the last
session of Congress and said little"
declared Mr.. Allen But I'm going
to get active now. I know of number
of bad conditions that should be cor
rected and intend to do my share in
bringing about an improvement"
Mr.. Allen declined to mention spe-
ciically conditions in which he is
interested in improving. except to de-
clare there are too many taxicabs in
Washington, and that the fire depart
ment is 'mistreated"
There are nearly 5000 taxicabs
here" he declared. THAT is far too
many. I think the number could be
reduced to 1000 without inconvenience
ing the public"
A House-approved bill is now pend
ing in the Senate which would author
ize the Public Utilities Commission
gradually to restrict the number OF
cabs. The commission has announced
its goal would be maximum OF $500.
Mr.. Allen explained the "mistreat-
ment" of the fire department is due
to the failure of Congress to put the
working conditions of flremen on a
parity with members of the police
department. He pointed out firemen
work 70 hours a week and police
men 48.
Bill for Firemen.
A bill which has been on the House
calendar since the last session OF
Congress would grant a 5-day, Co.
hour week to firemen.
That bills all right, but it doesn't
Q far enough" said Mr. Allen. Fire
men should not be required to work
any longer than policemen"
The Commissioners have opposed
the firemen's bill because of the addi-
tional expense the introduction of a
flve-day week would involve.
Commissioner Hazen agreed some
shifting of divisions in connection with
the proposed Observation-Disclosures of
the municipal agencies undoubtedly
tration and economy.
A formal statement on the Commit
tee recommendation is to be formu-
lated this week by the Commission
ers. to be sent to House and Senate
District Committees. Copies of the
document already have been placed
with some congressional leaders.
am afraid that cbn,,Irl >Ja
eide first that there should be a
formal departmental system that it
would mean the creation of eight new
positions of directors at $4,000 per
year, making an added cost of about
$4,000 per year." said Mr.. Hazen.
I wonder If that would prove eco
nomical.
i do not see, for instance, that
anything would be gained by creation
of a position of director of public
safety, who would have supervision
over the work of the superintendent
OF police and over the chief of the
Fire Department.
Direct Talks" Favored.
Maj. Brown and Chief Schrom now
report directly to the Commits
sions. I still would want to talk di-
rectly with them about important
policies affecting their departments.
And I believe that the assessor,
particularly, should be independent of
the other financial divisions. I fail
to see just what would be accomplished
by making him subordinate to a new
director of department of finance.
Perhaps we need full-time budget
officer, who would supervise tax COL
lections in connecting with District
budget problems. This work now is
done by Maj. Donovan, the auditor.
But see no reason for making the
finance director responsible for the
specialized work of the assessor."\
Mr.. Hazen praised the committee
recommendation for merger of the
Park Police with the Metropolitan Po-
lice, for assuring District resident rep
resentation on the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
many other phases of the long report.
The action of the committee in urg-
ing larger Federal payment toward
the National Capital, the Commissioner
said, is just one more proof Of the in