Evening star., 1939-11-19
Citizens Views Invited

The so-called Seal plan for the
reorganization of the govern
ment of the District of Colum-
bla was completed by the "kitch-
en- cabinet" and reported to the
Commissioners during the last
week. 1t is in the form of a sug-
gested draft of bill Ito provide
for the reorganization of the
government of the District of
Columbia"
Immediately upon receiving
this document the Commission
ers appointed November 27 as
the day on which they would
start a hearing of citizens on
the proposed new setup. Com
missioner Hazep expressed at the
same time a desire to learn the
views of the community regard
ing the creation of a council
which would sit with the Com
missioners in the handling of
budget and taxation matters.
Copies of the tentative bill are
being distributed to the repre-
sentative citizens groups for
study in preparation for the
hearing. A number of organiza-
tions have already requested
time and announced the names
OF their representatives.
The setup proposed has been
fully explained in The Star and
also discussed editorially. It fol-
lows largely the Griffenhagen
plan, with most of the features
omitted to which there was
strong community objection. The
Board of Education and the
Board of Library Trustees are to
be continued as independent
agencies as at present.
There are several controversial
matters included in the plan,
upon which members of the
cabinet" are unable to agree.
Among these are the proposal to
abolish the one-man Board of
Tax Appeals; the transfer of the
Department of Vehicles and
Traffic to the Police Department
and the proposal to transfer the
control of the hospitals from the
Health Department to the Board
of Public Welfare. AS to each of
these there is considerable diverg-
ence of opinion throughout the
community.
There is further disagreement
in the cabinet" as to the grant
ing of taxation powers to the
Commissioners. 1t is to meet this
situation that Commissioner
Hazen has suggested the possible
creation of a council of from
six to nine members appointed
either by the President or by the
Commissioners.
Some civic leaders who have
been giving close study to reor-
ganization are of the opinion that
most of the provisions in the
tentative bill would result in a
decided improvement in the Dis
trict government. There are in
dications of far more general
support for this latest plan than
for the Griffenhagen proposal
1t is anticipated that the most
serious obstacle to be encountered,
both at the hearing before the
Commissioners and before the
House Committee on the District
of Columbia, will be the opposi-
ton of the local municipal suf-
frage groups. Their declared at
titude is positive and vigorous
opposition to any reorganization
plans which do not include the
election of municipal officers.
In other words suffrage or
nothing" with the strong prob
ability of obtaining the latter.
A few of the civic groups are
demanding that any reorganiza-
ton legislation include provision
for representation of the Dis
trict in Congress and in the
electoral COllege. OuCn lIlClu-
sion is legislatively impossible
as a part of the local govern
ment setup. The reason is that
a constitutional amendment is
required to empower Congress
to grant the privilege of repre-
sentation in the councils of the
Nation to the residents of the
District of Columbia. Such con-
stitutional proposal would not
even be before the same COM
mittees.
The discussion of reorganization
in connection with the hearing is
expected to stimulate the study
of the Districts problems and
increase the interest of the COM
munity in the many civic groups.
The District Commissioners will
not prepare their report for the
subcommittee of the House
Committee on the District of
Columbia until after they have
the benefit of the hearing of the
citizens.