Evening star., 1940-04-10
D. T.. Subcommittee
Tentatively Approves
Some Consultations
Meeting Tomorrow Night
Expected to Settle Main
Reorganization Features
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

Ine reShufnlng and consolidation
OF number of municipal depart
ments and agencies as embodied in
the long dormant plans for reor-
ganizing the District government
were tentatively approved today by
a subcommittee of the House Dis
trict Committee.
Meeting behind closed doors with
a group of District officials, the sub
committee for more than two hours
studied in detail two proposals for
revamping and undermining the
municipal machine. One was con-
tanned in bill sponsored by Repre-
sentative Kennedy, Democrat. of
Maryland, the subcommittee chair
man. The other was recommended
by the Commissioners.
Mr.. Kennedy announced at the
close of the session the subcom-
mittee had not yet reached the
fundamental features of either plan.
He said another executive meeting
would be held tomorrow at 7:30
pm. in an effort to finish the re-
view OF reorganization program and
agree on the final shape the re-
organization legislation should take
before it goes to the full District
Committee.
Kennedy Predicts Agreement.
Chairman Kennedy predicted the
subcommittee would agree on a re-
organization plan and have it ready
for consideration of the full COM
mittee Monday.
Departments and agencies that
would be involved in the consolida-
tions tentatively approved were not
revealed by Mr.. Kennedy.
I'VE are going to get to the main
features of the reorganization pro-
gram tomorrow night" he declared,
"and I believe when we finish we
will hay b definite plan with all of
the existing differences ironed out" !"
The major differences in the two
plans affect the top setup of the
municipal government.
Representative Kennedy's pro-
posal-based on the so-called Griff- =
enhagen plan-would retain the
Board of Commissioners as the gov
erning body of the District but
would create an Office of city man.
ager. The city manager would be
the executive or administrative head
of the government.
Commissioners Oppose.
The Commissioners, however, Wig
orously opposed that arrangement,
and recommended that they be au-
thorized to create a paid council of
nine citizens to advise them on legis-
lative, budget and tax problems.
Mr.. Kennedy said the advisory
council plan would not give the dis
franchised residents of the District
proper representation, and he in
tended to make fight in the SUBJ
committee to have provision writ
ten into the final reorganization leg
islation to allow the people of the
city to elect the Commissioners. For
several years he mas been a strong
advocate of local suffrage.
"We will reach the suffrage ques-
ton at tomorrow nights meeting"
he said.
The subcommittee went into ex-
ecutive session at 1890 am, with
Commissioners Allen and McCoach.
In addition to the Commissioners,
the District officials closeted with
the subcommittee included Corpora
ton Counsel Elwood H. Seal, Capt.
Herbert G. Whitehurst, director of
highways; Richmond B. Keech, vice
chairman Of the Public Utilities
Commission, and 10 v. Morgan, sole
member of the Board of Tax Ap-
peals. Capt. Whitehurst, Mr.. Seal
and Mr.. Keech were members Of
the so-called Kitchen cabinet" the
commissioners organized some time
ago to prepare for them a program
for revamping and modernizing the
municipal setup.