Evening star., 1946-05-23
D. {. Se|f.RuIe
Approved
Committee
McCorron Measure,
Voted l2-2, May Go
To Senote Today

BY a 12-to-2 vote, the Senate
Judiciary Committee today or
dered a favorable report on the
McCarran bill to create a char
ter commission to draft self
rule" plan of District govern
ment.
The vote was taken by a poll in
which all but two members of the
l7-man committee participated. Ono
member declined to vote.
Senator McCarran, who heads the
committee as well as the subcom-
mittee which conducted hearings on
the bill, said he would submit the bill
to the Senate during the day. It is
expected he will press for quick con-
sideration in the hope that final
action may be taken by Congress
before 1t adjourns.
Fight on Floor Expected
A tight is expected to develop on
the Senate floor since some of the
Southern Democrats have warned
they will contest any move to give
vote Of any kind to Washington
residents. One of these is Senator
Eastland, Democrat, of Mississippi, q
member of the Judiciary Committee,
who has given notice he will oppose
the bill.
The McCarran measure directs
the charter commission to prepare
and submit to Congress within one
year a proposed charter for the
District which would include a
council-manager plan. Not less
than one-third Of the councilmen
would be appointed by the Presi-
dent, with the advice and consent
OF the Senate, leaving the remainder
to be elected by District residents.
When approved by Congress, the
Charter commission would be di-
rected to hold a referendum to de.
termine II Washington residents an.
prove the proposed new government
Fsetup
Another charter commission pro-
posal is contained in the omnibus
Dill introduced recently by Senator
La Toilette, Republican, of Wiscon-
sin, who headed the congressional
joint committee which proposed ex-
tensive reorganization and moderni-
zation of the congressional ma
chinery. This is now before special
Senate committee headed by Sena-
tor La Toilette.
La Toilette Clears Path.
1t was announced today Senator
La Toilette had notified Chairman
McCarran he would not go ahead
with this District section of his
congressional reorganization plan, so
as to give clear path to the Nc
Carran bill.
The charter commission bill men
tions seven Washington residents
for members of the charter COM
mission. They are Renah F. Cana
lier. attorney and former counsel
OF the Senate District Committee:
Wilbur s. Finch, suffrage advocate
and president of the Federation Of
Citizens Associations; Woolsey w,
Hall, president of the Federation of
Civic Associations; Jesse Manbeck.
president of Columbia Typographical
Union; Joseph c. McGarraghy.
president of the Board of Trade, and
Mrs. Louis Gutenberg and Mrs.
Charles Weston, active in civic and
club organizations.
The bill authorizes the proposed
commission to accept donations to
cover partly the cost Of its work, in
Guiding the hire of expert assistants,
and authorizes an appropriation Of
up to $4,000 toward these costs.
The commission is directed to
draw a plan that would give the
council all of the usual powers,
functions and duties of the govern
ing body of municipality, includ-
ing the power to levy taxes and ex-
pend city funds, but Chairman Nc
Carran has explained such powers
would, of course, be subject to the
constitutional provision which vests
exclusive legislative powers" in
COnUreSc