Evening star., 1939-02-06


tunity to appear.
Speaker Bankhead of the House
to whom the report was submitted
Saturday by E. o. Griffenhagen &
Associates of Chicago, formally re.
ferred the proposals to the HOUSE
District Committee, where Chair.
man Randolph said he would turr
them over Immediately to the spe.
cial subcommittee already appointed
to consider reorganization legisla
ton.
The special committee is headed
by Representative Kennedy, Demo.
crat, of Maryland, who has beer
urging reorganization of the District
government for two years, and viii
now make arrangements for hear:
ings. No date for these, however
has yet been fixed.
Election Is Urged.
Meantime the following reorga.
nization developments took place:
l. Election of the proposed gov.
erning body" by popular vote wa.
proposed by w. A. Roberts, former
peoples counsel, former member O.
1896 three-man Reorganization
Committee.
2. 1t was learned that President
Roosevelt probably will confer soor
with Chairman Randolph of thu
House District Committee, anc
meanwhile appointment of a sue
cessor to George E. Allen as one
of the District Commissioners !.
being held up.
3. Comparison of the new pro-
posals with those of Citizens
Efficiency Committee, headed by E
Barrett Prettyman in 1887, discloses
the new plan is far more drastic,
particularly with reference to chang
ing functions of Public Utilities
Commission, Board of Education
and the Public Library. On the
question of national representation
proposed by Prettyman, the new
report Is silent.
May Favor Administrator.
The report was not submitted to
President Roosevelt, it was empha-
sized at the White House, so the
Chief Executive has not as yet read
it. The President, however, has
given some study to local affairs, and
according to those who have talked
with him, he has pronounced views
as to what might be done to bring
about improved conditions. 1t is
believed he would be in favor of a
one-man administrator (provided
in the Griffenhagen reporD, possibly
in the form of an expert city man
ager.
Chairman Randolph probably will
confer again with the President soon
regarding the modernization pro-
posed for the local government
While it is felt that the President
would approve most of the recon-
mendations in the Giffenhagen plan
it is felt certain that he will not
assume the leadership in whipping
the plan into legislative form and
getting it enacted into law.
Appointment Will Wait.
Presentation of the plan which
would virtually scrap the present
commission form of government, set
up part-time governing body OF
council, and establish II depart
ments, lent renewed emphasis to the
Presidents previously indicated in
tention to delay selection of a Com
missioner to succeed Mr.. Allen. The
President is believed to feel it would
be better to wait until it has been
settled as to whether the local gov
ernment is to be radically changed
The question Of vote for voteless
residents of the District was raised
today in two places, as closer scru-
tiny was centered on the Griffen-
hagen report, which recommends nc
suffrage, but apparently leaves the
door open" to something in the
future.
In the first place, former People S
Counsel Roberts sent letter to
Chairman Randolph urging that the
proposed governing body" or leg
islative assembly, should be chosen
by popular vote.
Variance in Report.
Also, it developed that there is q
big difference between the former
Prettyman report on reorganization
and the Griffenhagen report on the
question of national representation
The Prettyman report proposed ma
tional representation. The Griffen-
hagen report provides for no such
national representation, and left
even the method of selecting the
proposed governing body for Con-
gress to decide.
Mr.. Roberts, an ardent champion
Of votes for the District, declared In
his letter to Chairman Randolph thai
the new reorganization proposals
"are admirably suited to the selec-
ton of a legislative assembly OF
seven or more members chosen by
popular vote of District residents
Every suffrage organization in
Washington should support his
plan," declared Mr.. Roberts, "ane
demand in addition that local suf-
frage be granted in time to provide
for the nomination of the first Dis
trict administrator by an elected
assembly,"
Appeals to Committee.
Congratulating the District Com.
mittee, particularly Representative
Ambrose j. Kennedy, whose energy
and effective support brought about
this survey" Mr.. Roberts appealed
to the committee: Please don'1
let the report be hamstrung by de.
lay or by sharpshooting by specia
interest groups:
'This Congress can solve the Dis.
trict's major problems" he said
"and insure tranquility over a loni
period of years if it will act at once
with respect to reorganization anc
suffrage"
Speaking in the capacity Of one
member of a former three-mar
committee on reorganization Of the
District, Mr.. Roberts said, II am
delighted with both the spirit and
text of the recommendations"
while there is q measure oi
b. -. -,