Evening star., 1939-11-28
D. {. Suffrage
Demanded at
Seal Hearing.
PIeo Is Repeated
By Spokesman as
Vital to Planning
BACKGROUND

VitoI to Planning
BACKGROUND
Grifenhagen g. Associates,
Chicago firm OF municipal en-
gineerS, made study OF District
government and recommended
numerous changes Representa-
the Kennedy of Maryland, 1Dho
1Uas instrumental in promoting
the study, sponsored Grifen-
hagen plan. Due to considerable
opposition, House District Com
last regular session of Congress.
Since. group OF District officials,
selected by Commissioners, de-
Deloped another plan OF reOr-
ganisation, on 10hich public hear
ings began yesterday.
A drumfire of demands for local
government in the District was
sounded again today by Spokeslnen
for organized civic groups as the
Commissioners conducted the Sec
ond day of public hearings on the
so-called Seal plan for reorgan-
ization of the municipal establish
ment.
In somewhat different form, and
in some cases without specifying
details, spokesmen at the morning
session. with few exceptions insist
ed that residents of the District
should be given real voice in
their government in any plan which
might be sponsored for reshaping
the District government Also there
were demands from different spokes-
men for preservation of the indie
pendent character of the existing
agecies, notably the Department of
Vehicles and Traffic and the one
man Board of Tax Appeals
The hearing adjourned shortly
after noon. planning to convene
again at 2 pm. to hear other
witnesses
A change in the debate today
came when Miss Clara Goldberg
took the stand as spokesman for
the Women Trade Union League,
to call for a provision for the crea-
ton of Labor Department in the
municipal setup. The Commissioners
kitchen cabinet in planning the
reorganization bill, originally con-
sidered a Labor Department. but
eliminated it at the last minute
with the explanation that some
foornI ho cpnyl11 tho
Labor Department be given au-
thority over services of the District
Unemployment Compensation Board
and the District Employment Center,
the District might be required to
assume costs now coming from the
Federal Government, which, they
figured, might run roughly to $780,
900 year.
May Take Appeal to Congress.
However. District officials were
advised that spokesmen for labor
groups probably would carry their
appeal to Congress for a Labor
Department.
Among champions of local self
government for the District at the
local session were Mrs. Virginia
Weston, representing the "voteless'
D. c. League of Women voters;
Ernest F. Henry of the PetWorth
Citizens Association: S. A. Wood,
of the Citizens Forum of Columbia
Heights, Col. Luther R. Maddox,
president of the Columbia Heights
Citizens Association, and Henry L.
Colman, of the Northwest Citizens
Council.
Jesse C. Suter, appearing as an
individual, presented to the Com
missioners a copy of the resolution
adopted by the Democratic Party
at the Philadelphia convention in
order to correct a misunderstanding
as to its action. Yesterday, dis
cussion appeared to indicate that
the Democratic Party had adopted
a plank calling for suffrage for the
District. Mr. Suter reported the
resolution read as follows:
Resolved that it be the sense
of this convention that a commit
tee be appointed by the Congress of
the United States to make a study
of and to report on the granting to
the residents of the District of Co.
lumbia the right of suffrage"
No Other Plan Wanted.
Mrs. Weston told the Commits
sioners the District of Columbia
League of Women Voters 'consid-
ers that no reorganization plan for
the District which is not based upon
suffrage for the citizens of the Dis
trict will be satisfactory" She said
the Executive Board of her group
had taken the following position:
I'VE favor the council-manager
plan as the most enlightened form
of municipal government We favor
the inclusion of Labor Depart
ment in any reorganization plan.
We oppose increasing the powers of
the Commissioners to include the
power of taxation without repre-
Sentation for the District citizens.
We consider that it will be neces-
sary to submit the District budget
to the Federal Bureau of the Bud
get until such time as the District
has self-government.
I'VE approve the consolidation of
like functions under heads of de-
partments. We approve the reten-
ton of the independent boards
named in the Seal plan. We ap-
prove the inclusion of a Personnel
Department and the extension of
the merit system, but would like to
(Copt;pIoJ o. Do0o ~.I,,--- a y