Evening star., 1941-01-05


has led to proposals to reword the
la1O. Municipal ctUil SerUice pro-
gram 1UGS one OF the items in
cluded IN omnibus plan for Dis
trtct government reorganization
1Chich failed to be enacted at ScS-
sion OF Congress just closed.
BY DON 8. WARREN.
Establishment of a distinctly sep
arate civil service system for the
municipal government, broadening
of the District income tax and au-
thorizing the leasing of the new
armory for athletic or other events
when it is not needed by the Ma
tional Guard are among major pro-
visions of the Commissioners tenta-
tive legislation program for this
session, it was revealed yesterday.
More than a score of bills are be-
ing whipped into shape by Corpora
tion Counsel Richmond B. Keech
to carry out the ideas Of the city
heads, and others may be added.
Included in the list is an omnibus
bill for broadening the powers Of
the Commissioners. The bill con-
sists of II items of more or less nom
controversial nature which were
lifted out of the Commissioners
plan for reorganization of the mu-
nicipal setup.
The bills are expected to be ready
soon for formal approval by the city
heads and thereafter will be sub
mitted to the Budget Bureau for
permission for the Commissioners
to sponsor them in Congress. Most
Of the items have been submitted
to Congress in the past. although
there are some new proposals, and
some old ones will be presented in
new form.
Fight for Amendment Vain.
Proposals for amendment of the
District income tax law. to get away
from the restrictive features and
difficulties of basing the levy only
on persons "domiciled" in the Dis
trict, were before Congress at the
past session, but failed of action de-
spite the Commissioners efforts TO
obtain its passage Representative
Dirksen, Republican. of Illinois is
prepared TO sponsor such changes.
The primary change would be that
the tax would be levied against
persons having places Of abode" in
the District for more than six
months out of the year. The Com
miSsioners. it was said, plan to pro-
vide for no exemptions, even for
members of Congress or the
judiciary. but they anticipate some
exemptions may be written into the
bill when it gets TO Congress. %
New in the agenda is proposal
by Engineer Commissioner McCoach
to give the city heads authority
over the use of the National Guard
Armory, which. when completed, will
cost District taxpayers about s2.750.-
600. However, the armory would be
available for Guard use not less
than nine days each month and
otherwise available to the Guard at
the request of the commanding
general of the Guard. Troop quar-
tiers of the armory would not be
available for public use, thus safe
guarding the primary use Of the
structure for Guard purposes.
Plan Seeks Profit.
The basic idea back of the plan,
it was explained, is to permit the
District the chance to collect reve-
nues from the structure, the belief
being that by leasing the hall for
sporting events, horse shows, thea
trical or musical programs or other
public events, the District might
be able to reap a profit each year.
Under the present plan the re-
celpts, If any, would go into a fund,
to be invested for the District by
the United States Treasury in Sc
curities, to be held for future erec-
ton of stadium, if and when au-
thorized by Congress. incidentally.
it is proposed in the bill that the
armory be called the Washington
Arena.
New also is the form of the mu-
nicipal civil service bill, which was
one OF the items included in the
omnibus plan for reorganization of
the District government which
failed Of favorable action at the
past session of Congress. One of
the principal questions about that
plan was whether the system should
be operated through a distinctly
municipal setup or through the es-
tablished machinery of the United
States Civil Service Commission. the
cost being major item of con-
sideration.
As the measure now is planned.
1t was said, the idea would be TO
proceed to an entirely separate ma
chinery for the District by gradual
means so that the whole cost and
difficulty of establishing a merit
system for all District employees
would not come at once.
Preference Feature.
Under the new plan Congress
would authorize, a civil service for
the District, setting up distinct pref
cIcIlCc lOl culpIOy Illelit VI DOIld IlQS
District residents for District gov
ernment jobs. When making q new
appointment to District job, the
District could hold its own exam
ination or the Commissioners could
elect to ask the Federal agency to
perform this service if there was no
qualified District resident on the
register of the Federal agency, and
the Federal agency would be paid
the cost of such service.
Persons who had held District
jobs for II months or more at the
time of enactment of the law would
be covered into the District civil
service. How to handle those hav-
ing less than a year of service is
under consideration The plan calls
for District Board of Appeals con-
sisting of three municipal officials
and three employees
The boards decisions would be
final except where severance of an