Evening star., 1947-06-29
DC. Home Rule
Hearings TO Star
Party Leaders
Sessions Opening
Tomorrow to Go
Through July
By Harold B. Rogers

tomorrow at Une ceremonial Opcil-
ing before House subcommittee of
a long series of hearings looking
toward home rule and reorganiza-
ton of the District government.
Representative Auchincloss, Re-
publican of California, chairman OF
the Home Rule Subcommittee of the
House District Committee, an
nounced last night the hearings
would continue almost daily through
July.
No particular bill is under con-
sideration, he said, but the hear
ings are expected to develop suffi-
cient testimony from congressional
and public sources to enable his
committee to prepare bill for the
next session of Congress, probably
in February. The measure would
contain a new charter for the city
government.
The subcommittee will meet to-
morrow, Wednesday and Thursday
to- hear a number of witnesses in
vited from congressional, business
and civic circles.
Beginning next week, Mr.. Auchin-
Gloss said, hearings will be con-
Quoted daily, from Monday through
Friday, under a schedule already
established by himself and the COM
mittee staff. .....
Ninety-five persons have been in
vited to testify The Auchincloss
subcommittee will meet each Mon
day, Wednesday, and Friday, and
subcommittee of the Auchincloss
group will meet on Tuesdays and
Thursdays each week. ill.,
Chairman Dirksen of the House
District Committee will formally
present each of the witnesses at the
opening session beginning at 10 m
tomorrow in the House District
Committee room in the Old House
Once Building.
Among the witnesses, expected to
appear in person, or to present
statements for the record are
Speaker of the House Martin
Majority Leader Halleck, Minority
Leader Rayburn, Minority Whip
Mccormack, and others.
The three District commissioners,
Mr.. Auchincloss said, will appear to
start the BALL rolling"
At the Wednesday hearing, it is
expected witnesses will include
representatives of Washington
newspapers. No hearing will be held
Friday this week because it will be
July 4.
Explaining that hts committee has
been making long preliminary
study of the subject assigned to it..
Mr. Auchincloss emphasized that
no conclusions of any kind had been
reached as to the nature of charter
for the city expected to be forth
coming ....
"Of course" he said, Home Rule
is in everybodys mind. But whether
that is going to be the result re-
mains to be seen. The committee
is not committed in advance to
any specific solution.
The big question seems to be,
How much control should Congress
retain over District affairs?'"
Sentiment is growing fast in
Congress in favor of unloading some
of the problems of the District
government. he pointed out.
Desire to Cut Work Strong.
There is a strong feeling Mr..
Auchincloss said, for reduction of
the work load on Congress now
functioning as a board of aldermen
for this city"
For instance we can't spend any
more time working on such legisla-
ton as that recently passed to
authorize removal of stone piers
from street near the White House" Z"
Many members of the House al
ready have responded to Mr.. Auchin-
Gloss personal letter asking for
opinions on the subject of home rule
and reorganization of the city gov
ernment he said.
Among those expected to take a
personal interest in the matter and
to testify. he announced, will be
Representative Mary Norton, Demo-
crat, of New Jersey, former chairman
of the House District Committee;
Representative Kefauver, Democrat,
of Tennessee, author of the new
book, Twentieth Century Congress, !"
containing chapter on the District
of Columbia, and Representative
Bloom, Democrat, of New York,
former chairman of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, who has
shown interest in District matters.
Study to Be Bipartisan.
Evidence of its broad scope was
shown by Mr., Autchincloss last night
in making public detailed analysis
of the subject matter for investiga-
ton assigned to his full subcom-
mittee, and its three sub-subcom-
mittees.
Subjects of the hearings to be
conducted by these four groups are
as follows:
Full subcommittee, consisting of
Chairman AuchincloSs, Representa-
tives McGarvey. PENNSYLVANIA :;
Youngblood, Michigan: Allen, Cali
fornia, Republicans: and Deane.
North Carolina; Jones, Alabama,
and Mcmillan. South Carolina.
Democrats. General relationship
of Federal and District governments. !.
2, problem of Federal agencies
operating in the District: 3. the type
of local government for the District;
4. home rule for the District.
Subcommittee No. division of
responsibility between national and
local governments for law enforce
ment and judicial administration.
Subcommittee No. Fiscal con-
troll and financial administration
problem of self-supporting boards
and commissions; merit system for
District employees.
Subcommittee No. 3-Problem of
administrative boards, commissions.
and independent agencies; problem
of institutional care in the District.
Hearings Next February Seen.
When the bill is written eventu-
ally proposing charter for the Dis
trict government, it will be intro
duced in the House, Mr.. Auchincloss
said, and full hearings will be held
on it. These may take place in
K1-L.