Evening star., 1939-11-14
Reorganization
Continued From First Page)

\IOlltllluCu TlOIIl 3lISG TdRc.)
views. Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, di-
rector of highways. it was noted, be-
lieves this department should be re-
tanned as at present. Maj. Daniel j.
Donovan, auditor. and Richmond B.
Keech, vice chairman of the Public
Utilities Commission, it was stated,
believe the license features should be
transferred to the License Depart
ment, but that the engineer features
should 60 to the Department of Pub
lie Works.
proposed the abolition of the now
separate Department of Vehicles and
Traffic and the transfer of all of its
functions, except licensing work, to
the Police Department, but the final
draft carries the notation that other
members of the group hold different
There was disagreement also over
the Seal proposal that the admins
tration in control of all municipality
owned hospitals and the contract
hospital services be transferred from
the Health Department back to the
Department of Public Welfare. Mai.
Donovan, Mr.. Keech and Capt.
Whitehurst. it was noted in the doc
ument, maintained that no change
should be made in the present hos
pital control set-up.
The document also proposes that
the Commissioners. among other
new powers, be authorized TO levy,
assess, collect and adjust taxes" but
this was opposed by Maj. Donovan
and Capt. Whitehurst, while Mr..
Keech sided with Mr.. Seal.
The original draft by Mr.. Seal
carried a provision for the creation
of a Labor Department, but this was
stricken by committee agreement on
the ground that If the District gov
ernment, per Sc. took over direct
administration of the District un-
employment compensation system
and the District Employment Center
services, the District might be re-
quired to assume all of the costs,
which, it was figured, might amount
to nearly $500,0O0 a year.
Proposed Changes Listed.
Spokesman for c. I. o. and A. F.
OF L. groups, however, are expected
to continue their somewhat dif-
ferent proposals for a Labor Depart
ment
Among the changes and line-ups
included in the pending plan are the
following:
A merger of the Municipal Court
and the District Police Court INTO
combined organization to be known
as the City Court of the District,
which would have one presiding
judge, who would be authorized to
make assignments of judges in the
interest of efficiency and economy.
The Department of Weights,
Measures and Markets, which now
reports directly to the Commission
ers, would be placed in the Police
Department, as would the inde-
pendent Office of District poundmas-
ter.
The now-separate Department of
Insurance would be made a part
of the proposed new Department of
Corporations, one of the functions
of which would be to take over the
registration of corporations and
other business firms which incorpo-
rate and operate under District
laws.
The proposed bill calls for an in
crease IN the salaries of the Com
missioners from $1,000 to $4,000
year, suggestion that has proved
mildly embarrassing to the Com
missioners, even though it is assert
ed by Mr.. Seal that the inspiration
for this change did not come from
the Commissioners, or any one of
them.
Eleven Departments Provided.
There would be created the fol-
lowing II departments: Finance.
law, public works, personnel, police,
fire, health, licenses corporations,
public welfare and recreation.
In the body of the draft, it is
stated that the following officials, if
holding office at the time the act
takes effect, would become the heads
OF departments: Auditor Donovan,
who would become director of
finance; Maj. E. w. Brown, who
would be continued as superin-
tendent of police; Fire Chief Steph-
en- T. Porter, who would continue
as fire chief; DR.. George c. Ruh-
land, health officer, and Robert E.
Bondy, who would be continued as
director of public welfare.
The Department Of Finance
would include the auditor, the as
SCISSOR, collector of taxes, budget Of
f1cer and disbursing officer.
In proposing a municipal civil