Evening star., 1947-11-07

Plan Hailed by
'Auchinc|oss Unit
Home Rule Report
Sees Opportunity for
Efficiency in Office

The Auchincloss Subcommittee Of
the House today predicted that the
post of city manager proposed in
the new home-rule plan for Wash-
ington would provide "unprece-
dented opportunity" for efficient ad-
ministration here.
In the manager, a supplemental
committee report pointed out, would ,
be concentrated the administrative
responsibilities which now are di-
vided among the board of commits
sioners and many other officials.
"He would not be hampered in ad- ,
miniStration, as the commissioners
have been, by lack of authority over
work for which they are respon-
sible," the report said. The city
manager would be appointed by the
elected city council, for a full-time
job, with salary not to exceed $25,-
900.
No Political Incentives.
"He would be expected to stay out
of politics" the Auchincloss Com
mittee explained" and to be mott
waited by professional rather than
political incentives. One of the ad-
vantages of the city manager plan
is that it permits the appointment
of an executive who need not be
subject to political change, and who
can give continuous direction to MI
nicipal administration. His in
innate knowledge of the work Of
the local government would serve
to bridge political changes in the
council, and to encourage the city
to plan for long-term detectives"
Representative Auchincloss, Re-
publican, of Ney Jersey, subcommit-
tee chairman explained over radio
program last night that a bill now
is being written to embody proposals
in the committee report, and will be
introduced early in the regular ses-
sion of Congress. He emphasized
that full public hearings will be
held on the bill. The report reor-
ganizes II local divisions into II de-
partments
Other speakers on the program
broadcast by Station WRC included:
Harry Wender, chairman of the
District Recreation Board, who in
sisted the whole proposal should be
submitted to an official referendum
of the people here; Rufus Lusk, pres
ident of the Washington Taxpayers
Association, who opposed local home
rule; Philip Graham publisher Of
the Washington Post, and David
Brinkley, WRC District Affairs Com
mentator.
Referendum Suggested.
Mr.. Graham recommended that
the home rule plan, after approval
hy9 Congress, be submitted to a
Epopular referendum before becoming
GGeetiye.
| He also suggested some changes
be made in the city council geo.
graphical representation plan, which
lcalls for four members at large and
two as representatives of each Of the
cityss four sections. He listed 1916
figures as showing populations as
follows: Northwest, 481 900; North
east, $4,000; Southeast, 10000, and
Southwest, $4,000. Mr.. Auchincloss
said there was a "lot of merit" in
the suggestion for some change in
the geographical representation.
Kenneth P. Armstrong, treasurer
of the Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations conferred at length yester-
day with the Auchincloss commits
tee staff: DR.. George B. Galloway,
and Clarence M. Pierce. He ex-
Iplained that he favored the suffrage
proposal to let all residents here
over 81, who had lived here one year,
vote for city councilmen He dis
agreed with recent objections from
some sources that Federal employees
who vote elsewhere should not vote
here, on the ground that they pay no
income taxes here.
Mr.. Armstrong, as head OF the
local suffrage committee of the Gen.
tral Suffrage Conference has called
meeting of his committee Novem-
Der 13, to analyze the home rule re-
port.
While the Auchincloss proposal is
being whipped into shape for intro
duction in the House, the McCarran
bill setting up a Federal City Char.
ter commission of residents here Is
pending on the Senate calendar.