Evening star., 1947-04-06
House Hearings
On Home Rule
Due About !! May |
Subcommittee to Study
Issue Without Toking
Up Specific Bills
By Harold B. Rogers

Dy n0foto p. Rogers
Public hearings on the proposal
for some form Of home rule for the
District probably win be started BY
the House District Subcommittee On
Home Rule and Reorganization
about May /.
Chairman Auchincloss OF the CONF
mittee said yesterday his unit plar,-
ned to approach the problem with
out any specific bill in mind. This
procedure, he predicted, would give
the subcommittee an idea Of what
the people Of the District want.
II substantial sentiment is found
here for local self-government,
Representative Auchincloss, Repub-
lican, of New Jersey. said the sub.
committee then would be prepared to
write proposed charter. It would
be submitted to Congress next year.
Committee Gets Report.
This forecast Of committee action
was made by the subcommittee
chairman after receiving q report
on organization Of the District Gov
ernment from the Library Of Con-
|gress.
Mr.. Auchincloss described the re-
port as entirely q factual job"
turned out at the request by the
Legislative Reference Service Of the
Library Of Congress. It brought up
to date, In revised form, an analysis
of local government here made In
1899 by the Brookings Institution.
The study was prepared by ex.
perts Of the library, under super
vision Of DR.. Ernest S. Grifnth, di.
rector Of the Legislative Research
Service These experts did much
more than merely study old reports
and recent documentary data from
the District, Mr.. Auchincloss said.
They went into the District Build
ing, conferred at length with Of
ficials Of the city government. and
called some officials from the
municipality to the Library Of Con-
gress for questioning there.
Those research people did very
thorough job" Mr.. Auchincloss
said. "Tt is the only one Of It's
kind In lecent times, and will give
everybody an opportunity to see
how really complicated the District
government is"
The report, he promised, would
be "an. eye opener to lot Of
people"
Refusing to make the document
public at this time, Mr.. Auchincloss
said he wanted to have it prepared
In sufficient number Of copies for
all members Of his committee to
study. It will be considered by the
group In meeting this week as
soon as members of the House are
available after the Easter holiday.
One problem to be considered at
the subcommittee meeting this
week, the chairman said, will be
the choice of q counsel. Such q
legal adviser, he said, would be
helpful In deliberations Of the COM
mittee.
Bill Possible This Summer.
II the committee should decide 10
take action after study Of the re-
port and public hearings, q proposed
charter for the city could be written
sometime this summer. It would be
presented to Congress In the form Of
a bill sometime in the next session
beginning In January Of next year.
This procedure would be along gen.
eral lines predicted by Mr.. Auchin-
Gloss shortly after he was named
chairman of the subcommittee on
home rule.
On the Senate side of the Capitol,
the proposal for District self-govern-
ment has reached more specific
form In bill now before the Senate
District Committee. The measure,
originally sponsored by Senator Nc
Carran, Democrat, of Nevada, has
been favorably reported with amend-
ments by the home rule subcommit-
tee and is ready for consideration
by the full committee.
Some discussion has been going on
recently. 1t was learned, between
members of the companion home
rule subcommittee Of both Senate
and House on the subject. What this
will lead to was uncertain last night.
The House and Senate groups have
approached the subject In entirely
different ways.
The pending McCarran bill would
set up Federal city charter COM
mission of II persons who are named
in the measure. They would be
directed to prepare charter for
the city and submit it to Congress
for approval. If approved by Con-
gress, the charter would be laid be-
fore residents OF the city for q ref
erendum.