Evening star., 1940-03-01
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES.


heard pleas for local suffrage today
in the proposed reorganization of
the District government, witnesses
criticized the Commissioners sharp
ly for alleged lack of interest in
welfare institutions and other pub
lie matters and for their pending
plan broadening their legislative
and administrative authority.
The crowded committee room was
thrown into gales of laughter when
Mrs. Ruth Buchanan, member of
the Voteless League of Women
voters and a widely-known welfare
worker. described her impression OF
Commissioner George E. Allen.
He is not in the city much"
she said, "and he is not interested
in our institutions
But he came here yesterday to
urge reorganization of the District
government" said Representative
Bates. Republican, of Massachusetts,.
Mr.. Allen retorted Mrs. Bu-
chanan, doesn't know anything
about reorganization"
She added that none of the Com
missioners had "set foot in the
Training School for Girls or other
District institutions and knew MOTH
ing about them.
Reorganization Plan Hit.
The opening witness today, Wilbur
S. Finch, president of the District of
Columbia Suffrage Association, at
tackled the Commissioners plan of
reorganization-giving them wide
legislative authority and creating
Citizens Advisory Council appointed
by them-and urged an executive
head of the local government and q
councilmanic body elected by the
people.
Mr.. Finch referred to the so-called
Seal plan adopted by the Commits
sioners as "the acme of perfection
in hodgepodge government"
AS she sketched her impressions
breezily, Mrs. Buchanan brought fire.
quent laughter from committee
members and spectators. Chairman
Kennedy was kept rapping for order.
When she said, "Mr. Allen doesn't
know anything about reorganiza-
tion,' the spectators applauded.
Mrs. Buchanan said the League of
Women Voters surveyed the Home
for the Aged and Infirm at Blue
Plains three years ago and made
the same tragic report that Mrs.
Roosevelt made recently" but no.
body paid any attention to the
group.
Why" suggested Representative
Bates. didn't Mrs Roosevelt speak
to the man whom her husband had
appointed"
The committee member referred
to Commissioner Allen, who is in
charge of welfare activities.
THE Commissioners" said Mrs.
Buchanan, never visit those insti-
tutions yet they come before you
gentlemen and presume to tell you
| their needs
Suffrage Plea.
Another plea for local suffrage
was made by Mrs. Joseph Low, pres
ident of the League of Women
Voters.
She urged the right of District
citizens to elect municipal officers
who collect our money and
spend it."
She added:
ut seems incredible that any one
who believes in our form of govern
ment could oppose that"
Mr.. Finch, who also is chairman
of the Reorganization Committee of
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, told the Kennedy subcom-
mittee which is considering reor-
ganization legislation:
"We can never expect to have an
alert, conscientious, efficient and
economical city government so long
as the citizens and taxpayers are
permitted to participate in its con-
troll only insofar as they can grab
the coattail of a Commissioner or
Congressman"
Citing decisions of the Supreme
Court, Mr.. Finch held that Congress
clearly had right to authorize for
the District some form of repre-
sentative local government, coun-
cilmanic or other municipal body
elected by the people.
Seal Plan Called No Help.
He said of the so-called Seal plan,
which the Commissioners have in
dorsed unanimously and which was
presented to the subcommittee yes
terday:
Outside of creating a so-called
citizens advisory council, members
OF which would be appointed and
removed by the Commissioners, and
glorifying the Office of the secretary
to the Board of Commissioners by
calling that official administrative
assistant no change is made by the
Commissioners plan in the top or
ganization of the District govern
ment."
Mr.. Finch added later in his testi-
mony:
The proposed creation of a So
called citizens advisory council UNI
der the complete domination and
control of the Commissioners adds
absolutely nothing to the Commits
sloners' plan OF government, except
perhaps more confusion to an al
ready confused plan.
ut would be no advantage to any
body except the Commissioners, who
could find in it place to repose all
responsibility for matters of policy
and legislation.
IF such a council is created,
whether 1t be elected or appointed,
1t would, so far as the citizens are
concerned, be nothing more than q
barrier between the citizens and the
(see REORGANIZATION, Pg. A-5J