Evening star., 1940-04-16
|HouseD.C.U Unit
Meeting Sought
On Recognizing
Randolph Awaits
Subcommittee Action
On Job Compensation

Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee indicated today
he may call q special meeting of the
group later in the week to take
action on proposed legislation to re-
organize the municipal government
and to lberalze the local unem-
ployment compensation law.
Both Of these matters are Of
major importance and should be
decided without further delay" he
declared. "The full committee, how
ever, cannot act without recon-
mendation from the subcommittees
In charge of bills calling for the
changes. If the subcommittees make
reports I will call a special meet
ing of the full committee, so the
bills can be called up Monday. the
next District day in the House"
Meantime, Representative Ken
nedy. Democrat, of Maryland said
he hoped to have the reorganiza-
ton legislation. which is in his
charge. ready for consideration Of
the full committee in a few days.
He Is chairman of the subcommit-
tee handling the plan to modernize
the municipal government.
McGehee Seeks Decision.
Announcement also was made by
Representative McGehee, Democrat.
Of Mississippi, chairman of the
Judiciary Subcommittee, he hoped
to have finished" plan for con-
sideration of the full committee, if
1t holds special meeting this week,
for liberalizing the unemployment
compensation law. Mr.. McGehee
explained he is arranging for con-
ference between various groups in.
terested in this legislation in an
effort to iron out" differences that
may exist.
Bills pending before Mr.. Nc
Gehee's subcommittee would reduce
the pay roll tax of employers from
to 81 per cent and increase bene-
fits to the jobless as a means Of
reducing the present $4,000, 900 re.
serve benefit fund.
Mr.. Kennedy paved the way for
quick action on the revised plan for
modernizing the District by having
the Government Printing Once
turn out yesterday committee
print" of the bill containing changes
in the reorganization setup tenta.
lively approved by the subcommit.
tee last week at several executive
sessions.
Drops Advisory Council.
The committee print" revealed a
proposal of the Commissioners for
creation of council of nine citi-
zens to advise them on policy mat
tiers had been discarded, as we'll as
a provision that would shift from
the Office of the recorder of deeds
to Traf1c Director Van Duzer's de-
partment the duty of recording and
releasing liens and encumberanceS
on motor vehicles.
In addition, the committee print"
Of the bill disclosed elimination of
a provision that would have given
the Commissioners authority to
abolish bureaus or boards without
the specific authority of Congress
and would have directed them to
continue in Office, under reorganiza.
tion, the District auditor, the super.
intendent of police the chief engi-
neer of the Fire Eepal ,:-?ent, the
director of public welfare, the di.
rector OF traffic and the superin-
tendent of insurance.
The revised plan also would re-
duce from IL to II the number Of
municipal departments in the re-
shufning and consolidation of va.
rious agencies under reorganization,
1t also provides for creation of an
administrative assistant to the
Commissioners whose duties would
be to make detailed studies and
investigations Of all departments to
enable the Commissioners to de-
termine what future changes should
be made in the interest of efficiency
and economy.
The reduction from II to II de.
partments would be effected by
combining a proposed department
OF taxation with proposed depart.
ment Of finance.