Evening star., 1939-09-17
Civic Problems, Civic Bodies
BUDGET Now Before Commissioners;
D. c. Reorganization Study

Priscilla SouSa, I'd. the daugh-
ter and granddaughter of WASH
ingtons own John Philip Sousa,
the march king. The widow Of
Sousa but for illness would have
also been present. Members Of
the Sousa family are much
pleased that Congress has named
the new bridge over the Anacos-
tia River. in line of Pennsylvania
avenue Sc, after their distin-
guished relative They plan to
come to Washington for the
dedication of the bridge.
District Reorganization
Up for New Study.
The proposal to reorganize the
government of the District OF
Columbia has taken new turn
through the selection OF Presi-
dent Cloyd Heck Marvin OF
George Washington University to
head a large Advisory Commit
tee to make a new independent
study of the problem. 1t is ex-
pected that much of the re-
search work will be made by
members of the faculty of the
university. Dr. Marvin, in 1915,
served as a member of an eff
cheney committee which reor-
ganized the government of Los
Angeles.
1t is understood that the Grif-
fenhagen and the Brookings In
stitution surveys and plans Will
be the chief source Of informa-
ton. The so-called kitchen
cabinet" of District officials is
also working on a plan, as is
Senator King.
In any normal American COM
munity the people would be con-
suited as to the form of govern
ment under which they are to
live. In the District of Columbia
it is entirely different. The peo-
pie here are expected to take any
kind of government which may
be wished on them and like it.
Suggestions have been made
from time to time to have a 10
cal referendum on the question,
but nothing has come Of it.
An unauthorized referendum
amounts to little.
In civic circles there is we'll
remembered the attempt, on in
vitation of the Commissioners, to
have a referendum in Takoma on
the granting of liquor licenses in
that section. On the very eve
of the referendum election the
vets applied for and obtained
court restraining order prevent
ing the Commissioners from
holding the referendum. The
court held, in effect, that as the
Commissioners had stated that
they would be governed by the
wishes of the people rather than
the exercise of their (the Com
missioners) own judgment, the
referendum was illegal.
This was done not in Nazi
Germany, Fascist Italy nor Soviet
Russia. but at the Capital of the
great American republic. 1t was
in this instance made perfectly
clear that the exercise of official
discretion by appointed admin
istrative officers is regarded as
more important in the District OF
Columbia than complying with
the wishes of the populace, or
even listening to them.
Upon this same basis of rea-
soning it could be held that any
hearing by the Commissioners
could be restrained if the Com
missioners would announce that
they would be governed by the
desires of the people.
There are many District people
who hold the belief that as pre-
liminary to reorganization of
the District government. if
general new setup is to be had,
it should be preceded by the pas
sage of the national representa-
ton amendment to the Consti-
tuition. When the District people
are given the rights of repre-
sentation in the Congress and the
electoral college, then, as full
fedged American citizens, they
will be able to participate in the
formulation of plan of local gov
ernment to suit their needs and