Evening star., 1947-07-01
Raybur!n Slated
To1e5ffYo)n|:D.C,
Reorganization
HouseSubcommittee
Resumes Home Rule
Hearings Tomorrow
By Harold B. Rogers

Government here resumes public
hearings
The group, which opened its
lengthy series of sessions yesterday,
hopes to hear in person from Repre-
sentative Rayburn, Democrat, of
Texas, former Speaker of the House.
If legislative business prevents, he
has promised to send a statement.
Other witnesses will include rep
resentatives of the four major
Washington newspapers.
The three District Commissioners
who testified yesterday through
Chairman j. Russell Young, will
return later to complete testimony
City Rule Explored.
During the questioning of Com
missioner Young yesterday by COM
mittee members, the complex or
ganization of the District govern
ment and it's relationship to the
Federal Government were explored
briefly from several angles.
Representativ Deane, Democrat,
of North Carolina referred to the
big three dimension chart of the
municipal organization hanging on
the committee wall.
Aren't you faced with serious
problems oftentimes, as to just
where to put your finger on the
responsible authority?" asked Mr..
Deane.
Definitely yes" responded Mr..
Young. I'VE face a lot of problems.
For instance we don't have any ad-
ministrative control of the Public
Welfare Board" He added that a
bill is pending in Congress to trans
fer most of the powers of the board
to the Commissioners and to set up
a new Department of Public Wei
fare. The bill has been approved by
a House District subcommittee.
Doesn't Know Authority.
Aren't you criticized sometimes
for not carrying out authority, when
YOU don't know exactly what your
authority is?" pursued Mr.. Deane.
That's absolutely true replied
Mr. Young.
When DR.. George Galloway. sub
committee staff director, attempted
to learn on what specific subjects
Congress had delegated Ordinance
making" powers to the Comuis-
sioners, Vernon E. West. corporation
counsel, said that was hard to
answer
In general authority granted by
Congress, Mr. West said, the Com
missioners had been given broad
power but Congress has been limit
ing such authority. by special acts.
The Public Welfare Board has some
authority of its own, now, Mr. West
pointed out, as does the Minimum
Wage Board, in it's ability to make
regulations.
Asked about presidential ap-
pointees in the District, Commis-
sioner Young said the Public Utlll-
ties Commissioners we're members
of commission which properly is
independent of the Commissioners.
The Recorder of Deeds, appointed
and confirmed by the President. Mr..
Young said, was not under admins
trative supervision of the Commits
sioners. A bill is pending in Con-
gress to place the Recorder of Deeds
under the District Commissioners.
Quizzed on Requests.
Representative Allen, Republican,
of California, questioned Mr.. Young
about what requests or demands
were made upon the District govern
ment by the executive or legislative
branch of the Federal Government.
Among services rendered, Mr.. Young
said, were police and fire protection
outside of Federal buildings, water
supply to the Federal Government
and co-oepration with Federal agen-
cies in protection of the President
of the United States.
Commissioner Young stressed that
the District government lis an
agency of Congress, and responsive
to legislative orders and requests.
"As an actual fact, said DR.. Gal
loway, "the District government has
several bosses The President makes
oOl VI GiiS
Budget controls its fiscal affairs; the
District is subordinate to District
committees of the House and Sem
ate: it has to look to appropriation
committees of Congress for funds,
and looks to the entire Congress
for approval of measures affecting
the municipality"
Formal Reply.
In the Commissioners formal re-
ply to a set of questions about the
city's form of government, they cited
constitutional and court authorities
for the relationship between the
Federal and city governments. and
recommended the District should be
granted all power and authority
which the Legislature of State
would ordinarily grant to munich
pality.
Under present statutes, the Com
missioners said, the city was bound
to support activities of specified
Federal agencies operating in the
District, but they insisted they knew
of no Federal agencies operated ex-
clusively for persons in the District
toward which the city should pay
expenses.
The District, they said, should be
required to pay for services it re-
ceives from Federal agencies under
contracts. where the city lacks its
own facilities. such as st. Elizabeths
Hospital, the National Training
School for Boys and Freedmen S
Hospital.
But the Commissioners were en-
phatic in denying that the city
should contribute to the support of
private agencies or organizations
with which it has not contracted
voluntarily"
"The Commissioners are of the
opinion" their statement said, that
the utilization of taxpayers funds
for the direct support of private in
stitutions would be absolutely con-
trary to all recognized principles of
government"