Evening star., 1940-09-10
Reorganization
Continued From First !

tCOnUlnueO from f1ISI rage
dicted confidently II the Senate
District Committee would indorse his
bill without delay, the Senate would
give it stamp of approval before
adjournment of Congress.
Senator King. however, was not
no optimistic. With the Senate now
faced with action on the excess
profits tax and the conference re-
port on the national conscription
bills, he declared, there is not
much chance" the reorganization
legislation would be given consider
alton in the Senate.
Capper to Support Bill.
Senator Capper of Kansas, rank
Ing minority member of the Senate
District Committee, announced later
he would support the local reorgan-
isation bill passed by the House.
Il am strong for it and will be
glad to help Chairman King get
some kind of action" Senator Cap
per said 1T broadens the powers
of the Commissioners. a step have
always favored. 1t cuts out Federal
budget control of District esti-
mates, which is fair and just.
II believe 1t will bring the gov
eminent together in a more prac-
teal way and relieve Congress of
some Of its comparatively unimpor- =
stant functions"
Committee May Ask Hearings.
Senator King also said his COM
.r1ittee probably would want to hold
5pubhc hearings on the bill before
passing on it. But Mr.. Kennedy
sdeclared he could convince" the
committee that public hearings are
unnecessary, since every phase Of
Tthe reorganization subject was thor
soughly canvassed before the House
District Committee.
IF the Senate District Committee
Ein approve the bill" Mr.. Kennedy
eaid, II am sure the Senate will
approve 1t within IS minutes"
The Commissioners called in their
Kitchen cabinet" primarily to dis
cuss the effect Of five amendments
the House adopted to Mr.. Kennedys
reorganization bill.
All of the changes were regarded
rs minor in character. The most
important would place the Depart
asnerit of Weights, Measures and Mar
kets under the proposed depart
'snent of licenses instead of the
Police Dena rtYnent
Sets Check on Personnel Cuts.
Another change would require the
independent civil service commits
sion the bill would set up for the
District to pass on any action taken
by the Commissioners to reduce the
humber of municipal employees.
Representative Schafer, Republican,
of Wisconsin, sponsor of this amend
ment, said it would prevent whole
sale dismissal of District employees" 4"
A third amendment, proposed by
Representative Sasscer, Democrat,
of Maryland, would require all ap-
pointees to judgeships in the inferior
courts in the future to be members
of the District bar for at least five
years rather than being bona flde
citizen and resident of the District"
Tor that period, as Mr.. Kennedy's
Bill originally provided.
= The two other amendments, of
Tered by Representative Case, Re-
publican, of South Dakota, would
give justices of the United States
Court for the District final authority
20 approve settlements for claims
and suits against the municipality
rs we'll as cases involving property
acquired by the Commissioners for
public use, either by purchase or
condemnation.
. Representative Bates. Republican
OF Massachusetts, member of the
District Committee, sponsored the
amendment shifting the Depart
sment Of Weights, Measures and
Markets from the Police Department
10 the proposed department OF
s1icenses in the reorganized setup
He gave no reason to the House fol
Recommending the change.
q An attempt was made by Repre-
sentative Holmes, Republican, oi
Massachusetts, further to amend the
bill by removing provision which
would have permitted the President
to select the health officer from
among the medical officers of the
Army or Navy Medical Corps or the
United States Public Health Serv-
ice. The proposed amendment
however, was defeated by vote ol
-s6 to 7.
There are 435 members of thu