Evening star., 1939-07-16
Hasty Action Opposed
On ID. c. ReOrganizatiOn.

1AStv ActlOn opposed
On ID. c. Reorganization.
Even though the House Dis
trlct Committee proposes to at
tempt to hold hearings this week
on the revamped reorganization
plans for the District govern
ment, there is strong opposition
both within and out of Congress
against action at this session.
Several members of the subcom-
mlttee in charge of the measure
want 1t to go over until next
session.
The opposition in civic circles
to immediate action is coupled
with objection to a number of
features of the revised bill. BY
direction of the Executive Board
OF the Federation of Citizens
Associations, President L. A. Car
ruthers on Friday sent a letter
to all members of the Senate and
House Committees on the Dis
trlct OF Columbia and to the
party leaders in both houses.
The letter stated that the Fed
Grafton favors, in principle, mod
ernlzlng and streamlining the
District of Columbia government
where such reorganization tends
to greater efficiency and econ
omy. Because of the Importance
OF this complicated legislation
and the short time for study of
It's provisions and the fear that
there will be no opportunity for
full hearing, the Federation asks
that the matter 60 over until the
next session of Congress.
The District Commissioners,
or rather Messrs. Hazen and Nc
Coach, and the chief subordinate
officials of the District govern
ment are far from satisfied with
the revised plan. Mr.. Hazen, in
characteristic language, has re-
marked that the plan lis not so
hot While the bill would ap-
pear to be giving the Commits
sioners greatly enlarged powers,
1t is claimed that they will be
stripped Of much of the author
lty they now possess. They
would, it is believed, be to large
extent playing second fiddle to
a municipal dictator bearing the
title of administrator or man
ager. Rumor persists that this
new office is to be created as a
berth for a handpicked officer
who would never be selected for
the office if the local citizens
had any say in the matter.
Very few citizens have had
opportunity to study the revised
bill, but the press has tried to
give the gist of the proposals.
AS far as can be ascertained
those favoring the plan are Rep
resentative Kennedy, Commits
sloner Allen and the President.
1t is doubted if the President has
had the time to make a thorough
study Of the matter. OF course,
the plan is approved by the
Grlffenhagen Associates, though
they still deplore the ignorance
which prompted civic groups to
oppose the emasculation of the
Board of Education and the
Board of Library Trustees as
provided in the original plan.
The civic groups realize that
eventually some sort of a re-
organization bill will in all prob
ability be enacted. It will be a
sort of new city charter but, un-
like the case of a charter for any
other municipality, the people who
live under it and are taxed by its
authority will never have a
chance to pass upon it before it
becomes effective. 1t will be SIM
ply a case of take it and like
it, whether you do or not"
The reorganization plan has
one virtue which would receive
practically the unanimous ap-
proval of the local community
it eliminates the Bureau of the
Budget from the District affairs.
There is lack of agreement in
civic circles as to whether this
virtue would compensate for some
other features.
In all fairness it should be
said that on every hand Repre-
sentative Ambrose j. Kennedy of
Maryland is praised for his in
terest in giving the District an
improved and more efficient gov
ernment. His efforts in this line
are thought to be perfectly sin