Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-11-15
eRu|eP|a an
Delegates Broad
Interim Powers
Joint Committees
Decisions Would Be
Law Till June, '49
By Don S. Worren

extraordinary powers over dis
trict affairs would be placed in the
hands of a joint House-Senate
Committee during the time needed
to establish the proposed "home-
rule" government for Washington.
How this very difficult" transit
ton period would be met was
spelled out today in a final supple
mentary statement by the Auchin-
Gloss Subcommittee of the House
District Committee in support of its
council-manager city suffrage plan.
1t proposes that . the suggested
Joint District Committee of Con-
gress, to be set up to oversee all
operations of the new District gov
eminent, be given plenary powers
from the time of enactment of the
reorganization law until June 30,
1949.
Decisions Become Law.
Except as to subjects covered in
the proposed Reorganization Act,
the decisions of the joint committee,
until that date, would have the
effect of Federal law, unless re-
pealed by Congress.
The formal recommendations OF
the Auchincloss Subcommittee in its
preliminary report on reorganlza-
ton specifies:
That in addition to its regular
powers, for the period from the
date of the approval of this act
by the President until January l,
1949, the joint standing committee
have plenary powers with respect
to the District and the conduct of
it's affairs, the decisions of the COM
mittee to have the force and effect
of laws of the United States and
to remain in effect until June 30,
1949, unless repealed by Congress. y
To this it added: During the
most difficult period of transition,
the last six months of 1913, Con-
gress may not be in session. Some
superior authority would have to
take the responsibility for the day
to-day problems which are certain
to emerge during this period. Emer
gency powers of necessity would be
required If these are too stringent
or too sweeping, they could be cor
rected by Congress when it re-
turns"
Permanent Committee.
The Joint Committee on the Dis
trict, to consist of Is members, nine
from the House and six from the
Senate, would be permanent and
would replace the present House
and Senate District Committees and
the District subcommittee of the
Appropriations Committees of the
| two houses.
Under the plan, it would be given
a loan of 100000 from the
Treasury to cover emergency costs
all to be repaid by the District. The
new join committee, itself, would
have a Federal appropriation OF
100000 to finance its own staff ano
operations.
Committee would be first step In
the reorganization program. One Of
it's first acts would be the naming oil
Board of Elections to arrange fol-
the election of the city council.
Would Hold Election.
Assuming enactment of the plan as
now proposed, the election boarc
would arrange for a council election
the first Tuesday after the first
Monday in November, 1948, although
thereafter council elections woulc
be held in odd-numbered years. The
first council, If the law were en-
acted in the next regular Congress
sional session, would take office ir
January, 1949.
The proposed Board of Public
Education, to take charge of the
school and library systems, would
be elected in June, 1949, to take
Office the following July l.
All of the regrouping of District
agencies and the transfer of agen-
cies between the District and FEEDER
al governments, as proposed in the
Auchincloss plan, the subcommittee
explains, would become effective
on July l, 1949.