Evening star., 1947-03-03
Home Rule
Continued From First Page,

Charter Commission to recommend
. city council l-city manager form
|of government win be eliminated.
This would leave the commission
far more leeway to study the whole
problem and report back to Con-
gress whatever form Of home rule
It might consider best.
The McCarran bill as it now
stands provides that the Charter
Commission makes its recommends
tions to Congress, that Congress
must approve some form Of char
ter and submit It to the residents
Of the District for q referendum
This provision viii be clarified and
strengthened. Mr.. Kirkland said.
The question OF personnel Of the
Charter Commission was discussed
at length by the subcommittee and
left open for further consideration.
Commissioners Object to Personnel.
The personnel Of the commission,
who are named in the bill, met OBJ
lection from the District Commis-
sioners in letter they submitted
to the hearing last week. The COM
mission members should be more
representative Of the broad scope
OF civic life, the Commissioners
contended.
Whether there will be any changes
In the list Of seven persons already
named In the bill was still uncertain
today, according to committee men-
bers. But there was considerable
opinion, that a somewhat larger list
might be approved.
Senator Johnston, Democrat, of
South Carolina, said he definitely
felt that there ought to be more
than seven members,
Mr.. Kirkland said that in rewrit-
ing the bill, he has been asked to
stipulate that the Charter Commits
sion could provide general form
OF government for the District which
would be satisfactory to the people
residing there, but at the same time
would give the Federal Government
specific supervisory power.
should Imply Control by Congress.
In discussing this point, he said
the committee had emphasized there
should be recognition In the meas
ure OF the tremendous interest" of
the Federal Government. This
Should imply, he explained, that the
Congress should have control over
the Federal City.
Another change In the bill will be
TO increase the Federal appropria-
ton for the Charter Commission
expenses from its present $4,000 to
$4,000 year. Furthermore. the
bill will provide that the work of
the Charter Commission shall be
financed entirely by the Federal
Government.
Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada. author of the measure, in
dicated at the hearing last week he
had expected funds to be contribut-
ed toward the Charter Commission
from private sources. But he did
not indicate specifically what private
sources.
The increase to $4,000 a year for
the commission expenses was recon-
mended, Mr.. Kirkland explained. to
enable the unit to employ an able
executive secretary stenographic
help and for such other expenses
as postage and stationery.
Asked when he#might be able to
complete the task Of redrafting for
the subcommittee, Mr.. Kirkland said
ne would start on 1t this afternoon.
But he could not predict when it
would be completed nor when the
subcommittee would be called to-
gether to take action.
The measure can not be ready.
however, for the entire Senate Dis
trict Committee which will meet at
2 pm. tomorrow in regular session
for transaction of whatever business
Is ready.