Evening star., 1939-10-14
Plan for D. {.
Streamfininq
Shapes Up
Reorganization Droft
Envisions II or Il
District Departments
By DON s. WARREN.

controversial elements, but other
wise including much larger num-
ber of ideas on which 1t is expected
there will be more or less general
agreement, a plan of reorganization
of the District government now Is
being drawn into final shape by
some members of the Commission
ers kitchen cabinet"
While still falling short of de-
mands of civic groups which advo-
cate national representation and
election of District officials, the
plan now being developed, it was
learned today by The Star, calls for:
l, Retention of the Board of Com
missioners and enlargement of its
powers subject to the exclusive"
jurisdiction given the National Leg
islature in the Constitution.
2. Creation of municipal civil
service.
g. A provision for freeing the Dis
trict estimates from the control of
the Federal Budget Bureau, to per-
NIT the city heads to forward their
budget directly to Congress after
holding public hearings.
a. Creation of a position of Dis
trict budget officer, who would make
year-round check on fund needs
and how appropriations actually
are spent; and,
S. Creation of a position of exec
utive assistant to the Commission
ers, who would hold considerable
administrative powers. but only at
the will of the Commissioners and
subject to whatever restrictions they
place on him, this post not to be
confused with that of city man.
aeer' or city administrator" as
proposed in some of the past re-
organization plans.
Controversies Forecast.
Some other elements of the pend
ing draft, over which more or less
severe controversies are expected to
develop, are said to be:
/. A proposal that the municipal
hospitals be- placed under the gen.
eral direction and control of the
Board of Public Welfare, as they
were until about two years ago
when, by mere shift of appropria-
ton items, they were transferred to
the jurisdiction of the District
Health Department.:
O. A proposal that the independ-
ent Office of vehicles and traffic be
abolished and its functions be trans
ferred to the Police Department.
with the exception of those relating
to the issuance and revocation of
motor vehicle operators licenses,
permits, registration and title GER
tificates and the keeping of records
relating thereto, which would be
shifted to new license department; ;
there being provision for employ
ment of necessary engineering as
sistance;
3. A proposal to transfer to the
license department the functions of
the recorder of deeds only insofar as
they relate to the receiving, record
ing and releasing of motor vehicle
liens, and
a. The question of whether a
municipal civil service should en-
tail establishment of an entirely
separate and self-contained setup
or whether there should be service.
fully in keeping with the Federal
plan, but making use of its eX-
animation. records and legal system.
at cost to the District. instead of
duplicating that system.
Leaves School Board.
There is almost unanimous agree
ment at the District Building. as
we'll as among the overwhelming
number of civic organizations, for
retention of the present independ-
ence of the Board of Education and
the Board of Trustees of the Free
Public Library. including control
over their personnel.
Most of the work of drafting the
proposed legislation, so far, has
fallen upon Elwood H. Seal cor
poration counsel. Other members
of the so-called Kitchen cabinet
have co-operated to some degree. al
though there is known divergence of
opinion over some subjects, but there
has been no final decision by them
on most OF the SUBJECTS.
Some controversy is expected over
the limitation of powers of the pro-
posed executive assistant to the
Commissioners. Two of the city
heads, Melvin c. Hazen. president of
the board, and Col. David McCoach,
ir,, Engineer Commissioner, have
declared they would insist that this
official be made directly subject to
the control of the board Originally
Commissioner George E. Allen sug-
gested he assume all of the admin
istrative functions of the Commits
sioners. Lately, however, Mr.. Allen
has not detailed his ideas on this
point.
Twelve Departments Envisioned.
The pending plan calls for a
etreamlining of the municipal es-
tablishment into at least II definite
departments, all these directly under
the Commissioners, with the possible
addition of a twelfth, to be the
recreation department, which would
be under the jurisdiction of the
Recreation Board and consist of
members of the Board of Commits
sioners and the Board of Educa-
ton, as now constituted under the
current appropriation act.
Aside from Mr.. Seal, members of
the Commissioners Committee are
Maj Daniel J. Donovan, District
auditor and budget officer; Rich
mond B. Keech, vice chairman of
the Public Utilities Commission, and
Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, director of
highways
While none of these officials has
made any formal public statement,
1t is known that the vast majority
Of municipal officials. as we'll as
many civic leaders, are opposed In
principle, at least, to creation of any,
thing resembling a city manager
form of government, unless full
f1edged suffrage is granted, includ-
ing the election of more or less
automous city council "Realists''