Evening star., 1947-07-22
5AgenciesAsk
ToKeep Status
Home Rule
Library, ABC, Wage,
Parole and Mental
Health Units Testify
By Harold B. ROGERS

BY Harold b. Rogers
Spokesman for five agencies in
the city government today recon-
mended to a House subcommittee
that the present status of their
groups should be continued under
any new form of self-goverrment
for the municipality.
No advantage could be seen, they
testified, in consolidation Of their
functions into a streamlined or
simplif1ed organization.
This testimony was heard by the
HOUSE. District Subcommittee on
H6merule and Reorganization.
The witnesses were B. M. Nickel
way, trestee of the Public Library
speaking also for Albert w. Atwood,
board president: Thomas G. Walsh,
chairman of the Mental Health
Commission; Col. Campbell c.
johnson, chairman Of the Board of
Indeterminate Sentence and Parole;
Alan w. Payne, chairman of the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board,
and Miss Carrie L. Allgood. secre-
tary of the Minimum Wage and
Industrial Safety Board.
Statement for Library.
In statement presented by Mr..
McKelway for the Library Board
president, Mr.. Atwood insisted that
this board should be retained with
its present responsibilities and pow
ers. 1t should continue to establish
policies and review administrative
practices, he said.
Library boards in general are part
OF an American tradition, Mr.. At
wood pointed out, citing statistics
to show that of $40 cities reviewed,
only 13 municipal libraries were
without boards of any kind.
The Library Board" he stressed,
els especially important in Wash
ington where the residents are with
out suffrage and should be en-
couraged to participate, even though
indirectly, in municipal govern
ment."
Should the library. under a re-
organization of the city government,
be placed under an administrator
responsible directly to the head of
the municipal government, Mr.. At
wood said the trustees believe there
should be a citizen advisory board,
but only if there cannot be a board
with powers and responsibilities as
at present"
Continuity Is Cited.
Mr.. McKelway told the committee
that there had been IAN unusual
continuity, perhaps 1t is unique. of
library policy and administration
here under an unpaid citizens board
Of nine trustees" He pointed out
that the library was established by
an act of Congress 81 years ago.
For the first so years." Mr.. Nickel
way said, "the late Theodore W.
Noyes was president of the Board of
Trustees. He died last July, almost
so years to the very day when Con-
gress approved the Library Act. Mr.
Noyes' own efforts as a newspap per
editor and as citizen, led to the
founding of the Free Public Library
system in Washington"
Asked by DR.. George Galloway of
the committee staff If there should
be consolidation of the library and
education boards here, Mr.. Nc
Kelway replied it would be unwise.
He also told the committee that the
library employees should not be in
cluded in any general merit system
of civil service established for other
parts of the city government.
Mental Unit Part of Court.
Mr.. Walsh explained that the
Mental Health Commission is a unit
Of the District Court rather than
part of the executive branch of the
District government. Asked If ti1e
Federal Government should help pay
the cost since it was a part of the
court system, Mr.. Walsh replied in
the Affirmative.
Col. johnson told the committee
that the system authorized by new
law recently approved by the Presi-
dent was workable and very salts
factory" The new law provides for
q Parole Board Of three members.
In response to a committee sug-
gestion that perhaps woman might
be named on the board, the witness
said he had no objection to a woman,
providing she was qualified.
Miss Allgood presented a state
ment both for herself and for Mrs.
Albert Atwood, chairman of the
Minimum Wage Board. declaring
that this board has worked smooth
ly and has won the confidence of
the public" She said that if the
boards functions were to be placed
in a District Labor Department,
great care should be taken to safe
guard its authority over minimum
wages and industrial safety.
2 Licenses Revoked in Year.
For the ABC Board, Chairman
Payne recommended continuance of
this agency's present status. He
said he could see no advantage in
consolidating it with other units of
the city government because its
work was distinctly different from
any other, city function. He report
ed that only two licenses had been
revoked during the year, and that
the licenses of liquor stores selling
"off sale" now numbered 1888.
The Home Rule Subcommittee will
resume its month-long hearings at
Gam. tomorrow in Room AS of the
old House once Building.
MARYLAND Report Urges