Evening star., 1939-11-27
Reorganization
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budget directly to Congress. and
agrees in general to consolidation
of the Municipal and Police Courts,
but sees no reason for establishment
OF a Department of Corporations,
| the witness testified
Just before Mr.. McGarraghy took
the stand. Lawrence E. Williams,
president of the Board of Trade,
testified that the trade body long
has been on record as favoring the
commission form of government and
does not see any reason to change
its position now.
Mr.. Finch, the f1na1 witness at the
mornln gsession, declared the Fed
Grafton is ready to approve a plan
for municipal reorganization only
when it can be shown it will result
in both economy and efficiency The
Kitchen cabinets plan as a whole
doesn't seem to represent any type
Of government which other cities
have found desirable, he declared.
In expressing opposition to the
proposed appointment of an ad-
mlnistrative assistant to the Board
OF Commissioners, Mr. Finch de-
clared the language in the reorgan-
ization plan with respect to this Of
flee is vague.
1T would seem from the proposed
plan that the administrative assist
ant would be sort of city manager
with his wings clipped or a messen-
ger boy for the Commissioners" he
said.
He said the Federation favors CIV
ing the Commissioners power to
make purely administrative regula-
tions, but does not feel they should
have the power to levy, assess or
adjust taxes.
Warning that the so-called Seal
plan for reorganization of the Dis
trict government-"like all of the
other plans increase rather
than decrease costs, was voiced by
DR.. George c. Havenner, veteran
civic leader. as the hearing opened.
DR.. Havenner approved some of
the proposals but in conclusion he
said he doubted if the plan would
work for economies and doubted if
the plan would work even for greater
efficiency. Il know of nothing rad
ically wrong with the present Dis
trict organization, he declared, "and
probably what faults there are could
be corrected by shift of personnel"
At the very outset of the first ses-
sion of the hearing, the opening
portion of which was broadcast over
Station WMAL. Commissioner Hazen
announced that the proposal for an
increase in the salaries of the Com
missioners from $4,000 to $4,000 a
year had not been inserted in the
proposed act by authority of the
Commissioners. He added:
This will be deleted. I tell you
that to save you any possible en-
barrassment in discussing it before
u.s."
More than half hundred wit
nesses are to be heard and, Judging
from the schedule, a wide variety
of suggestions will be offered, in
cluding demands for election of the
governing body of the District and
others for the preservation of the
present independence of some of the
units which would be affected by the
Seal plan. The Seal plan, with the
exception of several points over
which there was disagreement,
represents the recommendations of
committee of four District officials
which has been dubbed the Com
misSioners' Kitchen cabinet"
DR.. Havenner, former president of
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, who served in Government
posts for some 80 years, but who
appeared as a spokesman for the
Northwest Citizens Council. declar-
ed first his belief in the cause of
national representation for the Dis
trict and in local suffrage. However,
he said he would not discuss the
proposal for giving District residents
representation in Congress on the
ground that this should not be in
volved in ap organic act for the
District, since it would call for a
constitutional amendment.
Favors Local Residents.
DR.. Havenner left to others argu-
ments for election of city officials.
Taking up the Seal plan in detail,
DR.. Havenner voiced full approval
of the idea of creating an inde-
pendent District civil service system,
insisting that preference for jobs
in the municipal government should
be given to bona fide District resi-
dents. However, he disagreed with
the setup proposed in the bill. The
proposed administrative assistant to
the Commissioners, he said, should