Evening star., 1943-10-07
.McCarran Files
Bi||toGiveD.C.
Home Rule
Seven Wards Would
Elect Commissioners;
City Manager Planned
Ry J. A, O'LEARY.


A new move to give Washing
ton home rule with an elected
board of seven Commissioners.
and a city manager. was put for
ward today in a bill introduced
by Chairman McCarran of the
Senate District Committee.
The Commissioners, elected from
seven wards to be laid out on the
basis Of the map used in the last
decennlal census, would appoint the
city manager for slX-year term. at
100000 year, subject to confirma =
ton by the Senate Each elected
Commissioner would get $4,000 a
year.
Congress Control of Funds.
The Commissioners would take
over the ordinance-making power of
the present board, and could promul-
gate any law, rule or regulation not
inconsistent with an existing act of
Congress- All ordinances of the
Commissioners would be subject 10
congressional veto, and Congress
would retain control over appropria- =
tionS.
subcommittee consisting of
Chairman McCarran and Senators
Overton Democrat, of Louisiana
Burton. Republican, of Ohio: Tyd-
ings, Democrat, of Maryland. and
Bushfield, Republican. of South Da :
kota was appointed today to con-
siCier the bill.
Senator McCarran said public
hearings would be held at an early
date to get the views of all organized
groups in the city. The Senator said
he had endeavored to WORK ont the
simplest plan for giving local res
ldents home rule and at the same
time preserving congressional
check on actions Of the local govern
ment.
Senator McCarrans bill comes in
the wake of a revived interest in
local suffrage. which grew out of the
recent investigation of Gallinger
Hospital by Senators Holman OF
Oregon, Bushfleld Of South Dakota
and Buck of Delaware. all Repub-
licanS.
The President. who under the or
eanic act of 1878. nominates the two
civilian Commissioners. and assigns
the third member of the board from
the Army Engineer Corps. would be
relieved of this responsibility for the
selection of the local governing body,
under the McCarran plan.
Referred to Committee.
Following is a digest of the bill
which was referred to the District
Committee for study and report:
Effective on the FIRST of July. the
provisions of the act of June II. 1878
concerning appointment of Commits
slonerS are repealed.
z. All present powers of Commits
Sl0nerS are vested in a commission
OF seven members, and a city man
ager, and such duties shall be di-
vlded between Commissioners and
city manager as provided in sec
ton 3.
5. All powers OF legislative nature
heretofore vested in the Commits
Sloners shall be vested in the COM
mission of seven, to be elected bv the
citizens Of the District as provided
IN section 4. All other powers of the
commissioners shall be vested in the
city manager, to be appointed in
accordance with section s,
Esta bliShes Wards.
4. For purposes of the election of
Commissioners, the District of Co.
lumbia shall be divided into seven
wards, following the lines of census
tracts established by the United
States Census Bureau for pur-
poses Of the 18th decennial census.
as follows:
'b) Ward shall consist of tracts
numbered 78, 10, 30, 81, 80, SO, 81
85. IS, 80, 90 and 9l
fc) Ward 2 shall consist of census
tracts 63 to II inclusive and &C.
'd' Ward 3 shall consist of census
tracts numbered 3a. 80, 40. Al, AZ. 50,
53, 81, SIS, 56. 81 and 81.
'e> Ward shall consist of census
tracts numbered As to 81 inclusive
and So. SO, so, 81 and s6.
ID Ward 5 shall consist of census
tracts numbered %, %, "a, 81, 80. 80
"a. 35, 87 90, SO, "a, 95.
(e) Ward 6 shall consist of census
tracts numbered II, 10. 20. 81. Is. 26
n. %, %, 30, 36. 81. 43 and A
(h) Ward 7 shall consist of census
tracts numbered to Is inclusive
and 18.
ID One Commissioner shall be
'See HOME RULE, Page A-4)