Evening star., 1943-11-02
Elected Government,
D. {. Representation
Urged by La Roe

Election of District delegate in
Congress. coupled with an elected
city government having powers
fixed under Federal statute, was
proposed last night by Wilbur La
Roe, jr,, chairman of the Civic AZ
fairs Committee of the Federation
of Churches. as a fair and sensible
solution" of the problem of National
Capital management.
Speaking before the Dupont Cir
Gle Citizens Association. meeting al
the Mayflower Hotel, Mr.. La Roe
said it was his opinion that Con-
gress Cas legislative body was
too big and too clumsy to handle
the details of local government.
He said emphasis should be placed
not on desire to take from Congress
or the people of the Nation RESPONSE
bility for management of the Dis
trict but rather on the fact that Dis
trict residents are United States citi-
zens and as such should have repre-
sentations in Congress and the right
TO vote in national elections with
also some participation in local
government.
Outlines Plan.
In my opinion he said, "a rea-
sonable compromise would be at
tained if we were allowed to elect
District delegate to Congress
whose sole job would be to fight for
our interests and to keep Congress
informed of the Districts needs,
coupled with form of local govern
ment in which the people of the
District would elect their own gov
erning officials but in which the
power of those officials would be
determined by Congress under a
Federal statute, with line drawn
between those purely Federal aspects
of the District, such as the building
of jefferson Memorial on the one
hand and the purely local aspects. |
such as the water supply and the
paving of streets on the other"
Mr.. La Roe,S recommendations
grew out of a discussion of the con-
gressional investigation Of Gallinger !
Hospital.
The Gallinger investigation was
not conducted on a judicial basis
Mr. La Roe said.
The type of witnesses called did
not give the public confidence in the
inquiry" he said. continuing. as is
so often the case when Judge turns
prosecutor. important evidence vas
ignored and unfair emphasis dra-
matically placed on the mimpor-
tant.'
Coloring of the facts. he charged,
brought the recommendation for the
dismissal of four officials who have
served honorably and well.
Calls District "HclpIess.'
Mr.. La Roe asserted that the in
vestigation proved the utter help
lessness of the District citizens to
protect themselves against unfair
ness. The three Senators who con-
Quoted the inQuiry-from Delaware.
North Dakota and Oregon-seemed
As the investigation progressed he
said. to have convinced themselves
Of the unfainess Of denying resi-
dents here the right to vote (,
Discussing the suggestion of Sen
ator Overton that if residents here
take over full responsibility for Dis
trict there should be a reappraisal
of fiscal responsibility. Nh La Roe 4
warned that citizens here should be-
gin to think straight" that the Dis
trict of Columbia is a political area
set aside in trust and that Congress {
never will relinquish its overall con- |
troll of affairs here
Turning back to the Gallinger in
MI. La Roe told the citi- !
zen aSSemblage that the teaching
staffs Of our two great medical uni
Georgetown and George ]
are largely responsible
for Gallinger Hospital and that in
a very real sense the unfair report
of the Senate subcommittee is a re-
Election upon the splendid medical
fraternity Of this city.
Under contract made
few years ago between the District
Of Columbia and Georgetown and
George Washington Universities. it
was agreed that the universities
would have the privilege of teaching
at Gallinger and that they would
take the responsibility for the teach
ing staff"
The citizens association unani- |
mously passed two resolutions giving ]
their vote of confidence to DR..
Edgar A. Bocock. superintendent of
Galllnger and his staff and also to
District Commissioner Guy Mason.
The resolutions were offered by Miss +
EssieVaughn and Rowland S. Mar
shall, respectively. ,
Mrs. Ernest E. Norris, chairman
of the groups Education Committee.
spoke on Future Educat ton
The appointment of Mrs. John D.
Robinett, as chairman of the Civil !
ian War Services in the Dupont
Circle area was announced after a :
brief discourse by E. Goring Bliss
on the work of that group.
William Clark Taylor, president, !
presided over the meeting.