Evening star., 1939-07-09
Revised Reorganization Bill

efficient and more economical gov
ernment. Whether these objectives
would be attained is purely a matter
of personal opinion, although there
is little doubt that among the local
officials affected by the changes
not necessarily adversely affected in
salary or influence-the opinion is
highly skeptical. Nobody can say
until the trial is made
The important thing for the people
of the District of Columbia to re-
member, however, is that the bill has
not been drawn with any idea of giv-
ing them the slightest representa-
tion-or the control that follows such
representation in the government
which taxes them and which spends
their tax money.
The bill has not been drawn with
any idea of eliminating the funda-
mental sources of conflict between
the local community and the Ma
tional Government over the financial
responsibility that must be shared
between them in the development of
the American Capital AS a matter
OF fact, the provision of the bill which
gives the Commissioners power to ap-
proprlate local tax money without
Congressional approval but makes no
mention whatever of the amount or
the method OF fixing and appropriate
ing the Federal payment, would in
practice work to eliminate the Fed
eral payment entirely.
That would be ruinous not merely
to local taxpayers but to the develop
ment of Washington as the Nations S
City. And unless there is written
into this legislation a specific dec
laratlon regarding the financial obli-
cation of the sovereign power, along
with the multitude of financial re-
sponsibilities to be discharged by
local taxpayers, the legislation will
increase rather than diminish the in
tricacies of the very problem it is
supposed to solve
The specific delegation of powers
to the Commissioners, carried in the
bill, is excellent. Congress should be
relieved OF many petty duties which
can as we'll be discharged by the
Commissioners. But the analogy
which the report on the bill draws
between Washington as municipal
1ty in its relationship to Congress,
and a municipality in a State in its
relationship to the State Legislature,
is faulty. 1t is faulty because it
overlooks the matter of voting repre-
sentatlon, entirely lacking in Wash
ington but present everywhere else.
1t Is faulty in that it disregards the
Jealousness with which Congress-
despite the moaning and the wailing
OF some of its members-regards it's
prerogatives and asserts them in
Washington to an extent unknown
anywhere else. And it Is faulty, as
the Jacobs report was faulty, in its
conception of the Washington mu-
nicipallty as an entity, separate and
distinct from the Federal establish
ment in Washington of which in
reality 1t is an integral part.
There are detailed parts of the leg
islation which arouse curiosity, if not
criticism. The system of criminal
prosecution in Washington under the
United States Attorney-which, in
cidentally, has shown an extraordi-
narily fine record for the past year
is abolished in favor of new system
under which all such prosecutions,
except those involving general Fed
eral statutes, are placed under what
is now the Corporation Counsels Of
fee, and what would, in effect, remain
the Corporation Counsel's office. The
division of jurisdiction will prove ex-
pensive and it is difficult to under
stand where it will increase efficiency
as it will obviously make for con-
fusion
The Public Utilities Commission is
shorn of its duties in administration
and becomes purely a judicial body.
1t cannot initiate regulatory matters
and its members, receiving fee on
a per diem basis, will suffer reduc-
ton in compensation that may lead
them to seek livelihood elsewhere.
The important part of the admins
tration of utility regulatory law is
left to one man.
The new recreational setup pro-
posal may be workable, but it differs
entirely from the setup provided in
the pending 1910 appropriation bill.
And while it may be unimportant-
where, oh where, are the National
Geological Park, the Park Police and
the Alley Dwelling Authority? Some
where along the line they seem to
have been lost in the shuttle. At
least they have not been given a
home in the new bill.
Purkino Meters