Evening star., 1941-01-05
D. T.. Committee
In House Delays
Work on Bills
Choirmon Randolph
To Abolish Special
Reorganization Unit
BY JAMES E. CHINN

~ STAAG0 Gs SAAAINN
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee indicated last
night he intended to abolish the
special subcommittee which, at the
last session of Congress, developed
the Inflated plan to reorganize and
modernize the municipal government
here.
The subcommittee has finished
its work" he said. Il see no further
need for it
At the same time Mr.. Randolph
announced his committee would not
begin to consider proposed District
legislation until seven vacancies are
filled. The appointments are not ex-
pected to be made for a week or 10
days.
Bill Died in Senate.
The subcommittee which handled
last session the legislation to revamp
the District government was headed
by former Representative Kennedy,
Democrat, of Maryland, who had
been instrumental in the move to
modernize the municipal machine.
Other members included Represent
ativeS Nichols of Oklahoma and
McGehee of Mississippi, Democrats,
and Dirksen of Illinois and Bates Of
Massachusetts, Republicans.
A bill which came out of the sub
committee after major alterations
and was subsequently passed by the
House, died in the Senate. There
have been no intimations of an ef-
fort yet this session to revive the
measure.
Although Mr.. Randolph will wait
on the filling of the seven commit
tee vacancies before tackling new
District legislation, he said there
would be only a few changes in
the heads of standing subcommittee.
Chairmen to Keep Posts.
Mr.. McGehee. according to Mr..
Randolph. will continue as chairman
of the Judiciary Subcommittee. And
Representative Schultz. Democrat,
of Indiana, now the ranking ma
jority member, will continue to head
the Police and Fire. the Streets and
Traffic and the Public Health Sub
committees. Mr. Nichols also will
remain as chairman of the Fiscal
Affairs Subcommittee, and Repre-
sentative D'Alesandro. Democrat, OF
Maryland as chairman of the In
surance and Banking Subcommittee.
Heads of other standing subcom-
mittees are still uncertain, due to
efforts of several members to get
assignments on other committees
which would automatically remove
them from the District Committee.
Mr.. Randolph said the Education
Subcommittee would have to be re-
organized. Both its chairmen, Rep
resentative Kennedy and Represen-
tative Fries, Democrat, of Illinois
were not reelected to the Seventy
seventh Congress. leaving two va
cancies among the majority men,
bers. BY virtue of seniority, Rep
resentative Poage. Democrat, OF
Texas is in line for appointment as
chairman of this subcommittee.
Mr.. Randolph also said he per-
sonally would give his support to the
revived resolution of Chairman
Summers of the House Judiciary
Committee providing for constitu-
tional amendment empowering Con-
gress to grant national representa-
ton to the disfranchised people of
the District.
Il will actively and energetically
do all I can" he said, Ito further
the suffrage program in the House"
Mr.. Randolph earlier issued a
statement which said:
THE new session of Congress al
fords the opportunity and response
bility for genuine friends on both
Capitol Hill and downtown to CO.
operate toward making this COM
munity a better place in which to
live.
Il trust there will be a uniting Of
forces to bring about the eventual
franchisement of those bona flde
residents of the District of Columbia
who have no voting privileges in any
OF the States.
I'VE should work to contribute
individually and collectively to the
continued building of greater
Capital City-one which will truly
reflect the developing spirit Of our
entire country in the challenging
days which lie ahead"