Evening star., 1947-02-07
Home Rule Bill
Seen Year Away
By AuchincIoss
Research Experts
Given Two Months
To Complete Report
By Harold B. ROGERS

House District leaders are deter
mined to do something IN this Con-
gress about home rule for Washing
ton-but it is going to be long
process.
This, at least, was the forecast
Of Chairman Auchincloss Of the
House District Subcommittee on
Home Rule and Reorganization, In
charge Of the problem. Study Of
the issue already has been launched,
but bill probably will not be ready
for introduction in the House until
early next year, he said.
Research experts at the Library
Of Congress have been asked to
make a thorough study of the whole
problem, and will be given about
two months to complete their work
Mr.. Auchincloss said. They will
examine a lengthy report issued in
1929 by the Brookings Institution
on the history and government Of
the District, with suggestions for
change"
Wants Report Up to Date.
MIR. Auchincloss, Republican, of
New Jersey said he had asked the
experts to bring this report up to
date" His committee, he said, wants
to take action and he outlined pre-
liminary procedure.
This is in line with the policy of
Nf hn
District Committee, in setting up
the first standing committee on
home rule ever established in Con-
gress.
When the report from the Library
Of Congress is, received, members of
the subcommittee will be given a
chance to familiarize themselves
with the entire subject, the chair
+ man said.
Hearings probably will begin in
June, MIR. Auchincloss said. During
the summer, assuming Congress ad-
iourns as expected, in July, research
experts to be appointed by the Dis
trict Committee viii begin working
on the draft of bill to include
ClldI GcT 1OI O1lC OlSOl lCU.
Further hearings then will be held
and the District Committee will be
asked to bring the measure to the
House floor as promptly as pos
sible," Mr.. Auchincloss said.
He said he had conferred infor-
mally with Chairman Ball Of the
Senate District Subcommittee on
Home Rule and Reorganization.
They will get together again short
II to go over the promlem.
No joint hearings should be held
on the bill, however, the House
member said, since he feels that
home rule, which includes the prob
lem Of taxation and local budget
should originate in the House.
Recalling that Congress for this |
year appropriated 100000 of Fed
eral money toward support of the
District and controls District taxes,
Mr.. Auchincloss said these were
matters of great concern to Con-
gress."
"Any charter Congress approves
should handle those two points"
he asserted.
Final Say in Congress.
In any new Government recon-
mended for the District, the city
should be required to recommend a
form of taxation and budget, he
added, but "the final say should be
in Congress as to whether money
is appropriated"
Asked to comment on the Nc
Carran bill now pending in the
Senate Subcommittee on Home
Rule, Mr.. Auchincloss said he felt
"our plan will be quickest" The
Senate measure, introduced by Sen
ator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada, would set up commission
of District residents to draw a
charter for a city council-city man
ager form of government. It would
have to go back to Congress for
approval and be submitted to the
people in referendum.
Senator Ball, whose subcommittee
has the McCarran bill on its docket,
said he was inclined to get the House
take the lead in consideration of
the home rule question.