Evening star., 1939-05-21
King Sees Senate
Approval Of Revised
Griffenhagen Plan
Predicts Administrator
Proposal Will Win il
House Supports 1t
By ]. A, O'LEARY.

Enactment of the modified plan
for reorganization Of the District
government at this session appeared
more likely last night, when Chair
man King Of. the Senate District
Committee predicted it would 20
through the Senate If the House
passes it.
The Utah Senator had reference
to the revised program discussed at
White House conference a few
days ago, under which municipal
activities would be regrouped into
IL or Is departments, retaining the
board Of three Commissioners, but
with city administrator to exer-
else administrative control over the
departments.
Senator King said he favors the
city administrator proposal, which
would leave the Commissioners free
to consider and act Jointly as
board on municipal ordinances and
questions Of policy. He indicated
he has been out of sympathy with
the long g-standing practice of hav-
ing each Commissioner exercise di-
rect supervision over specific
group of departments.
Firm Revising Plan.
Meanwhile, members OF the firm
Of Griffenhagen & Associates, who
submitted the more far-reachine re-
organization report to Congress in
February, are at work revising the
plan to conform to the suggestions
that grew out of the conference be-
tween President Roosevelt and
members of Congress.
The original report recommend
ed that all local functions be merged
into II administrative departments.
The President has indicated he be-
lieves the number could be re-
duced further to about r. The
final redraft Of the plan probably
will fix the number somewhere be-
tween those two limits.
For example. there is strong rea-
son to believe the proposed new De-
partment of Education and Depart
ment of Libraries will be dropped
from the original list of II. which
would preserve an independent
Board of Education and the existing
status Of the Board of Public Library
Trustees. There are indications also
that the Alley Dwelling Authority
may be left as separate agency.
This would leave the list of new
departments as follows: Finance,
Personnel, Revenue, Law, Police,
Fire, Public Utilities, Insurance. Oc-
cupational Standards, Unemploy-
ment Compensation, Health, Well
fare, Public Yorks. Parks and
Recreation and Title Records.
Safety Department Doubtful.
If a further reduction should be
decided on. consideration might be
gwen to uniting Police and Fire into
Department of Safety. but this Is
not regarded as likely to be done.
In some quarters the view is held
that this would accomplish little
more than interpose a director of
safety above the heads of the police
and fire services.
A meeting of the House subcom-
mittee in charge of reorganizatio ton,
headed by Representative Kennedy,
Democrat, of Maryland, may be
called before the end of this week
II the experts are ready with a re-
vision of the original plan.
Pointing out that the present
three-man Board of Commissioners
apparently is to be retained in anv
local reorganization attempt at this
session. Senator King expressed
hope last night that the President
Will make an early appointment to
fill the vacancy on the board. that
has existed since Commissioner Allen
resigned eight months ago.