Evening star., 1943-11-21
lMcGehee Indorses
|biII 10 Widen Power
|0f Commissioners
BY DON s. WARREN.

Possibility of action on the pro-
posed grant Of additional powers to
the Board of Commissioners over
the normal and routine operation of
he city government was revived
In discussions yesterday on CAPITOL
Hill.
The subject was stirred by Chair
man McGehee Of the Judiciary Sub
committee Of the House District
Committee. He declared Congress- IS
wasting too mucn time and casn in
considering and passing on bills on
routine administrative matters that
should be handled by the city heads.
Tentatively scheduled for discus
sion at tomorrow mornings meeting
Of the full District Committee is the
bill OF Representative Hebert, DEM
ocrat, OF Louisiana to grant author
ity to the Commissioners over a
number of matters. In agreement
with the objectives Of this measure,
Mr.. McGehee said he would try to
learn If still other powers should
be added.
Outlines Expenses.
When you consider the paw of
435 members of the House and 96
Senators, for the time devoted to
routine matters. plus the cost of
printing bills, records of hearings
and reports. and other expenses
such as pay of clerks and official
reporters" said Mr.. McGehee, ut
must amount to an average of. per-
haps, $1,000 to pass one District
bill"
He cited as case in point the bill
dropped into the House hopper Fri
day by Chairman Randolph of the
House District Committee, to per-
NIT the Mayflower Hotel to lay
steam pipes under DeSales street
to connect the hotel with a pro-
posed service and shop building
across the street. Such matters, Mr..
McGehee holds, should be left to
the Commissioners instead of re-
quiring formal action by Congress
He mentioned naming of streets in
the District as another illustrate
The Hebert bill. supposedly devoid
of any controversial" subjects such
as included in some of the earlier
bills to reorganize the City Govern
ment, was introduced last May 6.
Broadens Powers.
1t provides the city heads with
power to regulate plumbing, electri-
cal and ventilating businesses; to
waive payment of license fees by
persons In the armed services; to
rent District-omed properties when
not required for Government use;
to grant revocable permits for lay
ing Of conduits and other utilities;
to suspend District employees at their
discretion and to delegate such au-
thority to subordinate officers: to
name streets. after public hearing;
to collect fees for copies of regula-
tions or other official documents:
to appoint contracting officers; to
delegate certain duties to the di-
rector of inspection. and some ad-
ditional authority over necessary
purchases of supplies and real estate.
Definitely scheduled for action at
tomorrow's meeting are the new
Harris bill to reorganize the Boxing
Commission, pay its members 81 300
a year and limit its surplus funds
to $4,000, with any extra receipts
to go to the general credit of the
District; the Randolph bill to settle
the old District Virginia boundary
issue by using the present high
water mark on the Virginia shore
and to give the United States con-
current jurisdiction with Virginia
over the mo mans land" strip be-
tween there and the historic high
water mark; the Mayflower Hotel
steam pipe measure, and one to per-
init persons in the armed services
to use for the duration automobile
driving permits which otherwise
have or would expire.
Building Bill Delayed.
The McGehee subcommittee.
after two-hour session yesterday,
announced 1t had postponed de-
cision on the bill to ban construc-
ton Of an apartment house on a
tract at the southwest corner OF
Sixteenth and Shepherd streets
NV, a project bitterly opposed by