Evening star., 1939-07-07

olSllCd " SO-OI dIlu
co-ordinating committees, in the alb
sence of centralized authority and
responsibility and unified organ
ization, have demonstrated their
inability to improve the situation
materially. Capitalization OF the
functions within the school organ
ization, whose officials have quite
different services to render and are
equipped with quite different quail
fications, Is not the right solution.
Articles XVII and XVIII provide
for the departments of education
and libraries to be continued as
separate establishments. not under
the control of the administrator, but
under the control of the Board of
Education and the Board of Library
Trustees, respectively, which would
be continued as now existing. AS ex-
planned, these exceptions have no
logical basis, but are provided on
grounds of practical expediency, be-
cause OF the, no doubt, well meaning
but narrow and misguided opposi-
ton TO including these agencies and
functions in unified plan of local
government, in due relation with
others.
Librarians Title Changed
To Director of Libraries.
These two departments would
continue to administer the school
and library programs of the Dis
trlct. They would be provided with
specialized services rendered by the
departments of finance, personnel,
| law, public works, and others in
their several fields The name Of
the Board of Library Trustees would
be changed to board of libraries"
and that of the librarian to "direc-
TOR OF libraries in the interests of
UNIFORM plan of terminology,
Such Improvements in internal or
ganization and procedure would be
provided as might be found to be
practicable. On the basis of COM
paratlve figures. there should be
some substantial opportunities for
improvements and economies.
The three existing courts of the
District, the municipal, police and
Juvenile courts, would be combined,
admlnlstratively, by the provisions
OF Article XIX, into one municipal
court OF the District with a pre-
siding judge chosen by the Judges
from the number The presid-
ing judge would be empowered
to set up and change branch
courts from time to time, tc
assign the several judges thereto
and to supervise the calendars and
I the general business of the branch
courts, so as to provide for the
prompt disposition of the business
OF the court. One of the Judges
would be required to have the quail
flcatlons now required of the Judge
OF the Juvenile Court, who would be
assigned continuously to a juvenile
branch of the court except as lack
OF business in such branch would
permit temporary assignment TO
other branches. The judges would
be required to sit in banc, upon call
OF any of the judges, to consider
matters pertaining TO the admin
lstration Of justice in the court, and
to make rules and prescribe fees as
now provided for the several courts.
The three Offices of clerks of court
would be placed under the super
vision OF a clerk of the combined
court, appointed by the judges.
Article Xxx provides for continual
ton OF certain local government
services to the District government
by agencies of the Federal Govern
ment for which charges would be
made to cover the costs.
G. A. o. Would Provide
For Independent Auditing.
/ The General Accounting Office
would provide for Independent au-
dltlng. To make this service truly
independent. the bill provides that
the General Accounting Office shall
be completely disassociated from the
administrative affairs of the District
ana all supervision or control there
OF. Its functions would be solely to
audit the financial accounts and
statements and to make reports
thereon for the information and ap-
propriate action of the heads of the
departments, the administrator. the
commissioners and, should occasion
arise. the appropriate committees of
| Congress.
The Controller of the Currency
would continue to examine all bank
ing institutions as in the States.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission the office of
National Capital Parks. the Com
mission or Fine Arts, and the Ma
tlonal Guard of the District would
continue as before with respect to
services rendered for the benefit of
| the District, as would the Federal
Courts in the District with respect
to cases arising under laws of spe-
clal application to the District as
we'll as Federal cases.
In addition to such services, spe-
cifcally provided for, authority
would be given for continuation OF
existing services and the Inaugural
,tlon OF new services as between
agencies OF the District government
and agencies of the Federal Govern
ment, to the extent deemed advan-
tageous, on a voluntary contractual
basis, and for the securing of serv-
ices by the District government on
a similar basis from private or semi
private institutions, associations and
other contractors.
Speciflcally-mentioned services for
the benefit of the District so
authorized to be provided for on a
contractual basis are those of the
Procurement Division and various
other agencies of the Federal Gov
ernment from which services of
supply and consulting services have
heretofore been secured, the Public
Health Service, the Bureau of AMI
NAL Industry, the Civil Service Com
mission, the National Training
School for Boys, the Bureau of
Prisons, and ST. Elizabeth's and
Freedmens hospitals.
| Seryipac cnooifcol