Evening star., 1948-02-27
Home Rule Bill
|0pposed'in Poll
of Junior Board
Principle Favored,
Representation Urged
In Members Replies

Inc AucIunclOSS city Suurage bill
Is opposed by the Junior Board of
Commerce in membership poll
which, nevertheless, favors the prin-
ciple Of home rule and insists on
national representation for the
District.
The poll, made public by James
IS. Beattie, board president, drew
replies from 22.6 per cent of the 800
members questioned by mail.
In q letter to Representative
Auchincloss, Republican, of New
Jersey, author Of the measure, Mr..
Beattie summarized results of the
poll in these words:
I'VE are not in favor of H. r. 4903
as 1t stands, but we favor the prin-
ciple of home rule. However, we
insist on national representation:
further, we stand very much opposed
to any reduction in Federal pay
ment to city costs. Also, we believe
that the final bill should be subject
to referendum of the people"
In Accord With Directors.
The poll, with its replies to five
separate questions, was said by the
board president to show that the
opinion Of the membership SIS quite
similar to that of our board of di-
rectors." This position had been
outlined during hearings on the
bill by the joint Senate-House Sub
committee on Home Rule and Re-
organization Of the District.
The measure, now being revised
by the joint committee in some de-
tails, provides for an elected city
council, which would appoint city
manager; an elected board Of pub
lie education, and streamlining Of
the present city government into
IL departments.
In reply to the first question, do
you favor the adoption of the Au-
chincloss bill?" returns showed 800
per cent answering yes, So per cent
no, and 81 per cent undecided.
Question No. was: IF your an
swer to question No. l is no or
undecided are you in favor of the
principle of home rule?" To this,
45.6 per cent replied yes, 47.4 per
cent no; 5.3 per cent undecided, and
IT per cent were listed as giving
mo answer"
In view of the replies to these two
questions, Mr.. Beattie came to the
conclusion that majority of those
voting favored the principle Of
home rule.
The most definitely clear majority
was registered in favor of an official
referendum on legislation setting
up any new form of government be-
fore it is put into effect" The re-
plies on this showed 1876 per cent
favor the referendum, 1872 per cent
against it, and IL per cent unde-
cided. 40
4 Question said: "A new method
of Federal payment toward support
9 our local government is suggest
ID IN the Auchincloss bill 1t might
increase the Federal payment.
Would. you favor the bill, even if it
mean a lower Federal payment"
10 this % per cent replied yes, 70.3
DER cent no, and ST. per cent un-
decided. &
1 The final question was: Are
you In favor Of local home rule
if you cannot have representation
in Congress with it?" Replies
showed 352 per cent, yes; 60.6 per
cent, no; 8 per cent, undecided.
(The issue of national repre-
sentation for Washington was
beyond the jurisdiction of the
home rule subcommittee OF
the House and Senate District
committees. They were estab-
lished primarily and exclusively
to work on the problem of local
suffrage and reorganization OF
the Districts city governmentD
Tabulation Broken Down.
The tabulation shows a break
down, as to answers on all ques-
tions from persons living in the
District, in Maryland, and in Vir-
ginia.
The committee in charge Of the
poll consisted Of Jesse OFT, first
vice-president of the board, and
Paul Matthews, treasurer.
In a statement of the COMMITTEES
on tabulation of the poll, 1t was
pointed out that replies to the ques-
tionnaires, representing 22.6 per
cent of those polled, should be con-
sidered quite representative"
Reason for this was given as the
fact that the annual election OF
officers and directors usually re-
suits in a 33ls per cent return OF