Evening star., 1939-05-21
BY JESSE c. SUTER.

mas continued 10 QraW good
size crowd in the caucus room
of the House Office Building.
The committee chairman is seek
ing an additional allotment of
$500 to continue the inquiry.
The hearing is inclined to run
toward the sensational, as is usual
in milk inquiries. Among the at
tendants there are heard charges
of monopoly. both as to produc-
ers and distributors. While there
is an apparent desire for lower
price to the consumers there is
insiStence that there be no lower
ing of quality of milk or relaXa-
ton of the District standards of
sanitation at the dairy farms
from which the District is to OBJ
tain its supply.
The optometristS bill hearing
before a Subcommittee of the
House District Committee on
Wednesday brought out a small
but representative attendance.
The general civic reaction toward
this bill is that it proposes to
create a monopoly for the benefit
of optometriSts who are not con-
nected with any other business.
1t has been shown at the hear
ing that this business or profess
sion had its inception in con-
nection with small shops engaged
In watch repairing, jewelry and
other such establishments. The
opponents of the bills under
consideration favor legislation, if
needed, which will impose rigid
eligibility and reliability quail
f1cationS upon those engag-
ing in this business. The OBJ
jections raised are against re-
strictions which will be of no
benefit to patrons but will surely
result in increased prices to the
consumers. From the apparent
amount of pressure on members
of Congress from their constitu-
ents this proposed legislation has
the appearance OF one of those
unWanted benevolences which are
sometimes wished on the voteless
and unrepresented people OF the
District of Columbia.
The civic groups generally are
pleased to note that the Dis
trict Commissioners have sent
to the District committees un-
favorable reports on both the bill
to tax chain stores out of existence
and the bill to legalize race
track gambling. Regarding the
chain stores the Commissioners
cite the objections to this leg
islation by labor, consumers,
marketing and other organiza-
tions. AS to the race track
gambling the Commissioners
still consider it inadvisable to
introduce the system into the
District even though the recent
proposal offers the prospect of a
larger revenue to the District
than in previous bills.
Hearings have continued be-
fore the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee with a prospect of
an early ending. There are in
dications of increases in the
items for new school buildings
to begin a program of elimina-
ton of the old buildings long
ago recommended for abandon
ment and the substitution of
larger units for the uneconomic
eight-room buildings
A number of citizen repre-
sentatives of organized groups
have requested the opportunity
to be heard. The subcommittee
has rather large job ahead be-
fore it is able to write up it's
version of what the 1910 District
appropriation bill shall be.
ID. c. Reorganization Plans
Take an Entirely New Turn
The g-eXpected conference
on District of Columbia govern
ment reorganization plans be-
tween members of the House of
Representatives and the Presi-
dent was held the other day and
has resulted in radical modifica-
tions. The tentative plans pro-
vide for continuance of the
Board of Commissioners of the
District of Columbia as the
policy-making body in lieu of
the proposed municipal council.
The Commissioners would be
given increased powers so as to
relieve Congress on many petty
matters of legislation.
The Commissioners under the
new plan would be authorized
to create the new Office of CITY
administrator, who would carry
out the policies formulated by
the Commissioners. The Griff-
enhagen plan would be further
modified by reducing the num-
ber OF departments under which
the District government would
be organized and leaving the
Board of Education and Board
OF Library Trustees as indepen-
dent agencies.
These and other proposed
changes will necessitate the re-
writing of the subcommittee
tentative bill. There are num-
erouS objections which have been
made to items in the committee
original draft but it is not known
how these will be reflected in
the prospective new draft.
This new turn of events elimi-
mates from the revamping of the
business setup of the District gov
ernment any controversy over
the question of an elective local
government. The sponsor of a
reorganized District government,
Representative Ambrose j. Ken
nedy, Democrat, of Maryland is
an advocate of both national
representation and local elective
government for the District. He
is the author of joint resolution
for the former and a bill for
the latter. He proposes to con.
tinue his support of these meas