Evening star., 1939-07-21
D. 6. REORGANIZATION

Decision OF Chairman King OF the
Senate District Committee to remain
in Washington after Congress ad-
journs to cooperate with District
officials in working out a local reor-
ganization program for the next ses-
sion is commendable.
1t is reassuring at this time because
it shows that Chairman Kennedy of
the House Subcommittee on Reorgan-
ization is unduly pessimistic in the
statement that "the whole issue Is
thrown back into confusion" by the
decision of his subcommittee to post
pone the question until January.
Mr.. Kennedy, having worked
closely with the experts who pre-
pared his bill, may be understand
ably disappointed that his COL
leagues did not accept it Immediately.
But it is no reflection on his efforts
or the experts when members of
Congress, District officials or local
taxpayers ask for more time to
examine a plan that did not take
the concrete form of a printed bill
until July 6, with Congress striving
to adjourn by July 20 or a few days
thereafter.
Mr.. Kennedy takes the view that
the postponement, in effect, amount
ed to outright rejection" of the plan,
and feels that it is unlikely that ANY
really effective plan" will be brought
out at the next session.
But, again with all due respects to
the experts, if six months of study
should lead District officials and
local citizens to suggest changes in
their plan, it would not mean out
right rejection"
There are factors to be considered
here that would not arise in any
other American city, and which may
we'll necesSitate local alterations in
a plan that would work satisfactorily
anywhere else.
For example, the bill converts the
Board of Commissioners into pol
lcy-making body, with broad admin
istrative power vested in new city
administrator Regardless of how
this would work in other self-govern-
ing communities, its application to a
voteless National Capital deserves
the deliberate study it will be given
during the recess The concentra-
tion of administrative power in one
managing official would not be so
simple here as it might be elsewhere.
Here the governing would continue
to start at the White House, where
the President would appoint the pol
icy-making Board of Commissioners.
They in turn would appoint the ad-
ministrator. And no matter how
much additional authority Congress
may delegate to the local governing
officials at the start, the House and
Senate would still remain as sort
of super policy making council
whenever it saw fit to take hand
in solving any particular local
problem.
This does not mean that the ad-
ministrative machinery of the Dis
trict government cannot be improved.
On the contrary, the Commissioners
have indicated a desire to work out
Improvements. But they should be
devised to fit in with the unusual ma
tional control that already exists,
and not remove municipal govern
ing power further away from local
residents
Senator King will bring to the
further study of the problem many
years of experience as District legis-
lator. He is thoroughly familiar with
the District government, and has
long believed in broadening the pow
ers of the Commissioners. He has in
dicated that he would welcome the
cooperation of House members. This
presents an opportunity for Mr.. Ken
nedy and other House members to
join in further efforts that NAV
bring forth satisfactory reorganiza-
ton early next year.