Evening star., 1939-04-05

ments. as follows: Personnel
finance, law, public safety, unem-
ployment compensation, health, pub
lie welfare. public works and parks
and recreation
Oppose Abolition of Boards.
Mr. McGarraghy also pointed out
that the Trade Board opposed aboli-
ton of the Board of Education or
Board of Library Trustees as inde-
pendent agencies. but believed
clerks and custodial employees in
both the school and library systems
should be obtained through the pro-
posed department of personnel.
The objectives of the Griffenhagen
report, Mr.. McGarraghy said, as in
terpreted by the board, "are to fur
nish the District of Columbia a mod
ern, efficient and economical munich
pal government and the Board of
Trade is in sympathy with and
wishes to render its support to their
accomplishment.
1T is believed that the Griffen-
hagen report furnishes a valuable
contribution to the end stated
above he said. Said objectives
can be accomplished by accepting
many of the proposals in the report
and the principle of the report with
respect to departmentalization of
the District government. We be-
lleve. however, that a less number
of departments than are proposed
in the report should be provided,
this in part due to the fact that
certain citizens boards hereinafter
referred to should continue in their
present form rather than be made
departments of the municipal gov
ernment.'
Charles A. Thomas. president of
the Federation Of Civic Associations,
gave his support to the recommen-
dations of the Board of Trade He
said there is nothing in the Griffen-
hagen report the Commissioners
cannot do if given increased powers.
DR.. DoXey Wilkerson of Howard
University opposed the Griffen-
hagen recommendations with re-
spect to the school system.
Hazen Offers Protest.
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen,
as chairman of the Alley Dwelling
Authority, opposed the reorganiza-
ton Of that authority as proposed in
the Griffenhagen plan.
The A. D. A. should be an inde-
pendent unit" he declared. 1T is
now really a Federal unit, and I
don't believe anything can be ac-
complished by putting it under the
city government.
John 1hlder, executive officer of
A. D. A. also opposed the change.
He said the present setup is far more
simple and economical than pro-
posed in the Griffenhagen plan.
Instead of simplicity there would
be compleXity," he declared.
Mr.. Ihlder cited numerous diff
culties that would arise under the
Griffenhagen setup and said the A.
D. A. should be continued as now
constituted.
Mr.. Noyes' Statement.
The statement of Mr.. Noyes fol-
lows in part:
The opinion Of the Public Lii
brary trustees has been invited con-
cerning the effect upon community
welfare of the substitution OF the
Public Library system recommend
ed in the Griffenhagen report for
the existing library system created
by act of Congress in 1896 The opin-
ion of the trustees concerning this
effect upon community welfare of
the proposed substitution can be
given disinterestedly, since the
trustees have never received nor de-
sired compensation for services
which have involved for 43 years in
performance of civic duty the
sacrifice in the public interest of
individual time, energy and anxious
thought.
Supplements Education System.
The Public Library was created by
act of Congress in 1896 as a supple
ment to the public educational sys-