Evening star., 1939-10-13
Revan1p Plan
Calls for Z
Departments
Labor Unit Provided
In Tentative Druft
Of LocuI Bill

IeOTRdQZdClOn OF CQe DlScr1cC
government into IL major depart
ments, all to be under the direction
Of the Board of Commissioners,
which would be retained as now
constituted, Is proposed in the ten
tative draft of a bill now being
put into final form by members
Of the Commissioners kitchen
cabinet"
The powers of the Commission
ers, it was understood, would be
considerably broadened, but no sug-
gestion is made to deprive Con-
gress OF any of its control over the
National Capital, except to relieve
the national legislature of some of
the more or less minor purely"
municipal functions.
Details Not Revealed.
Details of the program and the
language of various sections were
not made public, but it was stated
one of the II departments would
be labor department. In this con-
nection it was. learned that Cor
poration Counsel Elwood H. Seal,
chairman of the committee of mu-
nicipal officials assigned to the
study, has conferred with repre-
sentatives of both the Central La
Dor Union and the Washington
unit Of the Congress of Industrial
Organizations, seeking to reconcile
their views over details of this
program.
1t was said Mr.. Seal has had
conferences with John Locher, head
of the Central Labor Union, of the
American Federation of Labor and
with William F. Rogers, president
OF the District Industrial Council.
Most of the present departments
would be retained, but some of them
would be shifted to new line-ups,
II the pending plan is approved, 1t
was understood.
Finance Department Rumored.
Reports that creation of depart
ment OF finance, which would in
clude, among others, the Offices of
the auditor. tax collector and tax
assessor, is being considered by the
Commissioners Committee on Re-
organization, were heard today, as
one official suggested there be added
a research and administrative plan
ming unit.
The research unit suggestion was
given to Mr.. Seal by Roland M.
Brennan, now special assistant to
the director Of highways, who soon
will assume his new post as District
purchasing officer.
Mr.. Brennan said establishment of
such a unit would serve to improve
departmental organization, proce-
dure and practices. He added, THE
stimulus of separate agency to
| function tn this capacity is essential
sometimes to improve departmental
efficiency. Whether it would be a
division closely co-ordinated with
budget control in the proposed de-
partment Of finance or an arm of
the top organization, would have to
be decided. 1t probably would be
more effective as an agency directly
responsible to the Board of Com
missioners."
Mr.. Brennan, who served formerly
as secretary to the Board of Com
missioners and earlier as chief clerk
OF the Engineer Department, said
he had always felt the Commits
sioners should have a staff of in
vestigators for special assignments
and research. One of the suggestions
now being considered by the Com
missioners' committee calls for ap-
pointment of an administrative as
sistant to the city heads, who would
be their agent rather than a city
manager"
Full Membership to Meet.
Various agencies of the District
having to do with the examination,
regulation and licensing of prac-
titioners Of various kinds would be
placed under license department.
Provision would be made, it is un-
derstood, for continuation of the
various technical examining boards.
The full membership of the So
called kitchen cabinet" is to be
called into session within 10 DAYS,
Mr.. Seal said. to pass upon details
of the proposed bill. 1t then is to
be filed with the Commissioners for
their consideration and action.
A report of the views of the COM
mittee on the revised plan of E. o.
Griffenhagen and associates, as
sponsored at the last session by
Representative Kennedy, Democrat,
OF Maryland, probably will be at
tached to the bill. 1t is said there
will be many objections to the Ken
nedy plan.
In addition to Mr.. Seal, members
OF the committee are Maj. Daniel
j. Donovan, District auditor and
budget officer: Richmond B. Keech,
vice chairman of the Public Util-
ties Commission, and Capt. H. c.