Evening star., 1942-04-19

Service. and the chairman Of the
District Committees of the Senate
and House
Originally the director Of Public
Buildings and Public Parks was a
member and executive officer Of
the Commission. but in 1888 this
position was abolished The aSso-
cate director Of the National Park
Service is now vice chairman and
executive officer
One ma tor difficulty which has
been found in the ex-offlcio men,
berS has been irregular attendance,
and the designation OF representa-
tives. often different ones at diff
ferent times Since one of the i'm
portant functions OF the Commits
sion is to decide on matters OF
policy, a constantly changing per-
sonnel interferes with continuity of
policy and proves unduly time con-
suming in the deliberations OF the
Commission.
There are those who believe gen.
orally In the exclusively citizen
commission of three or five mem
bers. Most authorities think that
men who are experienced or fa-
niliar with planning processes
should be selected. This sort of
commission is particularly difficult
to form in the Federal City unless
as now. the members may be Sc
lected from the country at large.
1t is highly desirable that the
citizens on the Commission be pro-
fessional or civic leaders with wide
experience, not already in the en-
ploy of the Federal or District Gov
ernmentS. Since the principal in
dustry in Washington is govern
ment, the choice within the District
is restricted. 1t seems quite essential,
therefore, TO be able to call on dis
tinguished citizens with wide ex-
perience from the country at large
with provision for at least one from
! the District.
Ex-Officio Members Favored.
This makes it all the more i'm
| portant that some ex-officio men,
bers be placed on the Commission
proper-at least the Engineer Com
missioner from the District and the
Director or Associate Director of the
National Park Service and the
Chairmen Of the House and Senate
District Committees in Congress.
Some students of planning believe
that all of the principal officials
whose field of action falls within the
scope of the plans of the Commission
should be members Of it; others that
there should be organized by the
Commission a Co-ordinating Board
which would include these officials.
Whether on the Commission or on
Co-ordinating Beard, these off,
Cials might include the United
States Commissioner of Public
Roads, the Director of the Alley
Dwelling Authority, the officer in
charge of Federal Public BUILDINGS
in the District, the officer in the
Corps OF Engineers of the ARMY in
charge of public works in the Dis
trict.
Mr.. Sullivan, in discussing the
composition of the Commission, has
in the opinion of some students,
over-emphasized the role OF tech
nical training for commissioner
ships. The present act stipulated
that the President shall appoint men
well experienced in city planning
that is, men who have had contact
with 1t and who have displayed un-
| derstanding of 1t.
Mr.. Sullivan lists civil and me-
chanical engineers, landscape archi-
tects, architects, sociologists, econo-
mists, educators and public health
specialists He suggests that the
national associations in each profess
/ sion nominate representatives from
which the President might make
appointments.
Mr.. Bettman disagrees with this.
He ADDS other professions from
which which commissioners might
/ be drawn, such as law, public ad-
miniStration, real estate. govern
ment, housing 1t soon becomes ap-
parent that the list of professions
which could make a contribution to
| planning might be expanded to a
score or more. Many, therefore. will
agree with Mr.. Bettman that the
appointing power should be left free
/ to discover the best men for the
positions.
Salaries Discussed.
/ The citizen members of the pres
ent commission are unpaid Conver-
SationS with them would indicate
that they generally favor unpaid
| members of the commission. There
/ is some opinion in favor of paid
members of the commission. or, at
least, of the chairman. A compro-
mise would be per diem or honor
arlum for days OF actual service,
/ plus, as now, expenses incurred in
/ attendance at commission meetings
( or in transaction of commission
/ business.
Arguments for paid chairmen or
I commissioners are that full-time
/ service is desirable Arguments
against paid commissioners are that
more experienced and higher cali
Der members may be secured if they
are not obliged to terminate their
other affairs and devote full time
/ TO the commission. Compensation
for commissioners has been known
to stimulate political pressure for
/ the appointment of entirely un-
qualified members.
Many students of planning be-
lieve that adequate appropriations
for the technical staff, working un-
der the general direction of the
commission, will bring better re-
suits than the appointment of high
" paid commissioners who might
then flnd it difficult to secure
budget which would provide for
an adequate technical staff.
Mr.. Bettman advocates full
time chairman of the commission.
There is something to be said for
this. While it is desirable that the
chairman be in position to give a
good deal of time and attention "a
the work of the commission, time is
not the only measure of service
and 1t may be that the proviso that
the chairman give full time would
7 rule out some excellent men nf wide