Evening star., 1939-02-03
Reorganization
Plan for D. {.
Griffenhogen Decides
On Program to Be
Revealed Sunday
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

The Griffenhagen plan for re-
organizing the District government
was finally completed today, but it's
details will not be revealed to the
public until the Sunday morning
newspapers roll off the presses.
There were numerous last-minute
conferences on both the House and
Senate side of the Capitol before
the voluminous report, embodying
the proposed new municipal setup,
was given an o. K.
Chairman King of the Senate Dis
trict Committee had a preview, as
well as Chairman Randolph of the
House District Committee. The man
responsible for initiating the reor-
ganization plan - Representative
Kennedy, Democrat, of Maryland
spent several hours going over the
proposed changes with the man who
is recommending them-E. O. Grlf-
fenhagen, head of a Chicago firm of
public administration and finance
experts.
Would Merge Departments.
The plan calls for merging the
numerous District departments and
agencies into II bureaus-consolida-
tions designed to bring about econ
omies in the operation of the munic-
ipal government by elimination OF
overlapping and duplicated services.
But aside from that fact, little IS
known about the reorganization
setup, especially as it relates to the
top administration"
That is due to the fact that until
today Mr.. Griffenhagen had not
definitely made up his mind whether
the present commission form of
government should be continued,
whether it should be abolished and
a city manager form substituted, or
whether a business manager should
be included in the administrative
setup to head the II new bureaus
and serve also a liaison between the
officials of these bureaus and the
Commissioners. Some thought also
was given to proposal to have a
city council. appointed by the Pres
ident, to advise the Commissioners
in handling various municipal
problems.
Periodically, there have been re-
ports that Mr.. Griffenhagen had de-
cided to recommend one Of these va
rious plans He has replied:
Somebody is doing lot OF guess
ing
In fact. the two members OF the
House District Committee who actu-
ally knew the status of the Griffen-
hagen report at the time-Repre-
sentatives Randolph and Kennedy
branded some Of the stories as wet
as the morning dew
Commissioners in Dark.
Representative Randolph and
Kennedy as we'll as Mr. Griffen-
hagen have been careful not to dis
cuss the details of the reorganiza-
ton plan with any one. Mr.. Grif-
fenhagen called on the Commits
sioners several days ago, but left
them in the dark as to his recon-
mendations. The following day all
three were amused by published
story quoting Commissioner Hazen
as indorsing Mr. Griffenhagen's plan.
Representative Kennedy said mo
one" not even Mr. Griffenhagen
himself knew the final recommended
ton as to the top organization" of
the District government until today.
And now, he said, there is bond Of
secrecy not to disclose it until the
Sunday morning papers are in cir
culation.
Newspaper reporters are to be
given copies of the report tomorrow
with the following warning stamped
on the cover: Not to be released
in papers published prior to IL
O'Clock midnight Saturday.