Evening star., 1948-01-20

Of Congress.
There is no doubt in the mi
achieved if the elected city admin
ably we'll and if Congress were con-
tent to supervise instead Of running
the municipal details.
Members of the House alone, ac-
cording to study of recorded meet
ings, devoted no less than 5000 man
hours during the first session of this
Congress to consideration OF Dis
trict legislation. The total time
count would be boosted considerably
if checks had been made of the
hours spent by members of the Sem
ate in committee hearings, executive
hearings and floor action.
Added to all this would be the
many hours individual members of
the House and Senate gave to per-
sonal conferences and private study
of municipal problems.
Shy Away From Job.
Given a free choice, obviously,
most members of Congress shy away
from the District committees. Even
big accomplishments are no help to
them in their own States.
Freshmen members have been the
usual victims" assigned to fill va
cancies on the District committees,
Fortunately for the District, most
of these, especially in recent years,
have, been men With municipal or
State government experience or
other high qualities who are ready
to meet their District responsible
ties. Also, some veteran members,
intrigued with the anomalous Dis
trict situation. have been willing to
stay on with the work.
Creation of a single joint COM
mittee of Congress is proposed in
the plan to oversee all District af-
fairs. 1t would be the funnel
through which all legislative propo-
sails of the District council would
pass. To it, also, would be referred
any District legislation proposed by
members of Congress. .-%
watchdog" for District
The Joint committee would re-
view the District budget, framed by
the council, though it would have
no power to make changes-beyond
the effect of its advice as forwarded
to the council. And the joint COM
mittee wcula serve as a watchdog
on all District affairs and acts
through investigational power.
This Joint committee, with greater
powers than now held by any OF
the several District units in Con-
gress. would consist of Is members.
They would replace the So members
now assigned to House and Senate
District Committees and the Dis
trict subcommittee of the Appro-
priation Committees Of the two
houses.
Some students of the city admin.
istration say a Joint District Com
mittee would offer great advantages
over the present SYSTEM. even
though other portions Of the plan
failed of enactment; for it would
center both policy and appropria-
ton questions in one group.
In the past, members OF legisla-
tive committees OF Congress have
protested that appropriation units
have failed to cooperate In financ-
ing legislated city policies. And
fund groups have protested the
legislative units authorized expense
programs that upset budget plans.
Appropriations Represented.
One dificulty the plan faces Is the
jealousy with which appropriation
groups guard their own preroga-
tives. Sponsors point out the APP
preparation Committees still would
retain Jurisdiction over Federal pay
ments to the District.
The Senate would elect six OF its
members to the joint committee.
One of these would have to be a
member of the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee. The House would
elect the other nine members, with
two of them coming from its Ap-
propriations Committee.
The watchdog committee would
have teeth. 1t would have full and
continuing grant of investigatory
powers. 1t could demand at any
time that It's members or agents be
permitted to go over District books,
records or properties. 1t would have
authority to subpoena persons or
records in any investigation. This
would be in addition to the general
authority to review of the acts of
the municipal council, to step in
and call for veto Of any Of the
councils legislative proposals and to
rescind ordinances promulgated by
the council.
The joint committee would have
staff headed by an executive Off
Ger to be paid at the basic rate OF
$1,000 a year. He would be ap-
pointed by majority vote of the
committee without regard to po-
litical aff1liation and solely on the
basis of fitness" He could not en-
gage in work other than committee
business and no other duties could
be assigned to him.
Would Check Operations.
The committee would keep
continual check on the operations
OF the city government. Representa-