Evening star., 1939-05-28
Kennedy and Allen
1oConfer on D. {.
Reorganization
Legislators Frown on
Increasing Board Of
Commissioners

A conference tomorrow between
recently reappointed Commissioner
: Allen and Representative Ambrose
Kennedy Of Maryland will be the
/. first. development in a week of ac-
u tlvity on revised plans for reorgani-
zation of the District government.
Meanwhile, both Chairman Ken
nedy Of the House subcommittee in
: charge of the subject and Chairman
King of the Senate District Com
mittee frowned on suggestion that
the Board of Commissioners be en-
i larsed from three to five.
Mr.. Kennedy's announcement last
night from his home in Baltimore,
that he expects to 60 over the pro-
= gram tomorrow with the new Com
missioner was interpreted as indi-
j eating the reorganization legislation
will soon be ready for House COM
, mittee action.
Made Purpose Known.
I'm calling Mr. Allen back into Dis
trlct service week ago. President
Roosevelt made known it was for
the purpose of having the former
Commissioner help carry out local
reorganization. At the same time
1t was indicated that Commissioner
Allen would be assisted in the task
h by Louis BroWnlow, also a former
. District Commissioner and now one
OF Mr.. Roosevelt's closest advisers
on reorganization of the National
Government.
> Reports persisted in congressional
circles yesterday that if the modi-
ned plan goes through of keeping
a the three-member Board of Commits
. sioners, with city administrator to
' direct and coordinate the actual op-
Grafton of the municipal government,
, that Mr.. Brownlow is slated to be
{ the administrator. Definite infor-
nation was lacking on Capitol Hill,
although informed sources indicated
> they expected Mr.. Brownlow would
be seriously considered if the new
ofi1ce is created.
: After serving as Commissioner
from 1915 to 1920. Mr.. Brownlow
was city manager of Petersburg, Va,
and later of Knoxville, Tenn. He
has had wide experience in public
administration.
Other Conferences Planned.
Representative Kennedy said that.
after exchanging ideas with Com
missioner Allen, he probably would
call his subcommittee together later
In the week. and also confer with
Senator King.
In addition to creating the new
ONCE of administrator and broad
ening the ordinance making power
OF the Commissioners, Mr.. Kennedy
indicated the revised bill will set
forth in detail how District agencies
are to be. regrouped into a smaller
number of departments, as recon-
mended in the Griffenhagen report
While the original bill calls for
II departments, it is generally ex-
pected that before it is reported to
the House the proposed new Depart
ments of Education and of Libraries
will be eliminated, making IS. This
would preserve the separate Board
OF Education and the Board Of Pub
lie Library Trustees. A modified
reorganization of this scope grew
out Of recent conferences at the
White House. s.
Discussing the suggestion of a
.flve-member Board of Commits
sioners, Senator King said:
"A board of three is large enough
If there were five they would divide
up the work of supervision more and
more. I would have three and make
them responsible, with broader
powers. I would not object to hav-
s. ing an executive, or administrator
to carry out their general policies"
! Mr.. Kennedy said he is not dis
posed to favor enlarging the board
p at this time.