Evening star., 1947-02-28
Buck Forecasts
Units Approval.
Of Home Rule
McCorron Charges
D. c. Heods Try to
Sabotage Charter

~ siSo0S "
Sabotage Charter
Chairman Buck of the Senate Dis
trict Committee believes legislation
to give Washington residents some
form of self government will be ap-
proved soon by his units subcom-
mittee on Home Rule and Reorgani-
cation Of the District.
The Delaware legislator made
this prediction after presiding at a
long and spirited hearing yes
terday of the subcommittee on the
McCarran bill. The measure was
stoutly defended by its author,
Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada, who resented an attack
made on 1t by the District Commis-
sioners.
Senator McCarran charged the
Commissioners had deliberately
tried to Sabotage" the move for
Study Due Next Week.
The home rule subcommittee will
be called into session early next
week, Senator Buck said, to consider
the official transcript of the hearing
and to study the question further.
He said he hopes" the group will
approve a bill, probably revising
the McCarran bill in some particu-
lars.
Whether the subcommittee can
act on the measure in time to pre-
sent it to the full Senate District
Committee at its regular meeting
Tuesday afternoon was uncertain.
If the bill reaches the Senate even
in revised form, however, there were
indications today it would face
stif fight from opponents on the
floor.
The bill would set up a Federal
city charter commission to expire
in two years. Within one year
however, 1t would be required to
send to Congress charter for the
city OF Washington to provide for a
city council and city manager form
OF government The charter would
be sent back to Congress for ap-
proval, and submitted to the resi-
dents OF Washington for a referen-
dunn.
Named for Commission.
The seven persons named in the
bill to be members Of the commits
sion are Renah F. Camalier, at
torney, former counsel to the Sen
ate District Committee; Wilbur S.
Finch, president of the Central Suf-
frage Conference; Woolsey w. Hall,
president of the Federation of Civic
Associations: Jesse B. Manbeck,
president of Columbia Topographic
cal Union (AFL: Joseph c. Nc
Garraghy, president of the Wash
tngton Board of Trade, and Mrs.
Louis Gutenberg and Mrs. Charles
Weston, prominent civic leaders.
Senator Holland, Democrat, of
Florida, expressed. the opinion that
any self-government here should
be on a "nonpartisan," " basis, prob
ably partly elective, partly appoin-
tive.
Several witnesses objected to the
stipulation that the charter COM
mission would be required to recon-
mend a city councn-city manager
form of government.
McCarran Agrees to Elimination.
Asked If he would be willing to
have this feature stricken from his
bill, In order to give the commission
more leeway in its findings, Senator
McCarran- said he would have no
objection.
The Commissioners letter, how
ever, read by Corporation Counsel
Vernon E. West, provoked Senator
McCarran to retort with the charge
=" sabotage" The Commissioners
made two objections. The first was
against the bills instruction as to
what 1t could recommend for the
city. The second was that the group
Of seven people "is by no means
large enough or representative
enough to represent the cross sec
ton of informed public opinion
which Congress would presumably
desire"
IT don't mean to be harsh" re-
torted Senator McCarran. 81 will
be emphatic. That letter is about
as deliberate attempt to sabotage
this movement as I have ever seen
in my life. Because If you give that
representation, you might just as
well throw up your hands. The
whole thing is for the purpose of
delaying this matter, sabotaging it,
putting 1t out of existence. 1t is
unfair in every respect"
Senator Buck said he thought the
Commissioners letter was "courte-
Gus way of saying they don't Hike the
bill"
Sees Strong Suffrage Demand.
Senator McCarran told the COM
mittee there was a strong demand
In this city for suffrage and people
deserved the vote. He considered
local suffrage the first step, which
could be accomplished without a
constitutional amendment. A bill
for District national representation,
which was pigeonholed Wednesday
by the Senate Judiciary Committee,
was characterized by Senator Nc
Carran as something which should
follow local suffrage, If the people
want it.
Jesse G. Suter. chairman of the
National Representation Committee
of the Board Of Trade, said 'tto get
local suffrage first would be working
backwards"
1--WE want to become American
citizens first" he declared. "Any
change in government here would
not be worth while for relief of the
people nor Of Congress unless we
are represented in the House and
Senate"
Mrs. Gutenberg testified for the