Evening star., 1948-02-11
The Home-RuIe Hearings

The weight of the testimony favored the
bill. Much of 1t was directed merely to
the principle represented in the right to
vote. Those who spoke against the bill
were taking the principle for granted and
thinking more of the practical questions
involved in it's application in Washington
The debate was interesting and for the
most part constructive.
Out of it came some worthwhile sug-
gestions. From the municipal officials
alone, aside from their personal views,
came a long list of specific corrections of
oversight or error in craftsmanship. They
should be most helpful in themselves.
Testimony suggests these general ooser-
vations:
1. Constitutionality. Lawyers are going
, to disagree on the shading of this question
as long as their opinions are asked. The
committee sought and obtained distin-
guished legal opinion both ways. 1t would
be expertly advised, at least, If it stuck
to It's present recommendations, acknoWl-
edging the fact that controlling opinions
In the courts will be produced by inevitable
litigation. If later changes are necessary,
they can be made in the light OF such
decisions.
2. Fiscal Relations. Several witnesses
the well qualified DR.. Laurence F. Schmeck-
ebier among then-urged that IN measur-
ing the size of the Federal payment, the
prevailing local tax rate should apply to
such tax-exempt property as legations and
embassies, as well as to Federal real estate.
AS written, the bill fixes this rate at 87.5
per cent of the prevailing local rate. That
happens to be SITS, which was the local
rate before last years increase to 81. II
this is the principle chosen to fix the size
of the Federal payment, the full principle
mot Just 87.5 per cent of it-should be
followed.
"A Local Referendum. The bill pro-
vides for local referenda on such questions
as bond issues. Why should one not be
held on acceptance or rejection by the
community of the final form of the home
rule bill? The purpose of the referendum
would not be to find out whether the
people want to vote. Certainly they want
to vote. The purpose would be to find out
whether the people here want the home
rule that Congress- after studying this
bill, may be willing to offer. If the fiscal
relations formula was scrapped by amend
ment, for example, and Congress made no
commitment regarding the amount it will
pay for the services furnished the National
Government by the local community, home
rule could be a reckless adventure fore
doomed to failure. The people should be
given an opportunity to decide whether
they wanted it in those circumstances.
4. Voting Qualifications. Residents of
Washington who are able to vote in their
home State would be desirable members
of local electorate. The dual-voting pro-
vision of the Auchincloss bill is in that
respect sound. But residents of Washing
ton who claim State domicile for the pur-
pose of avoiding the local income tax have
no business voting here on how to spend
other peoples money; nor should they
qualify for local Office. If there were no
local income tax exemption for any one,
or If the tax was repealed, such cause for
disqualification would not exist.
S. Nonpartisan Elections. Elimination
of political partisanship by keeping the
names of political parties and the aftllla-
tions of candidates from ballots and cam
paign literature is wise, as provided in the
bill. But the bill obviously goes too far
in making it illegal to publish or state In
a public meeting" the party aff1liation OF
a candidate for the purpose OF influencing
an election. If known member OF the
Communist Party were running for local
office, the voters ought to know about 1t.
6. Municipal Government Reorganiza-
tion. This part of the bill has produced
the greatest number of specific objections.
It seems to The Star that an unnecessary
number of changes have been undertaken
at the outset Some of them present no
advantages,
The Public Utilities Commission should
be left as 1t is, retaining it's independence
as a quasi judicial agency.
The Board of Education could well
retain its present status without affecting
other phases of reorganization. If the
people here want an elected board, in the
light of experience with home rule, they
can vote for the change and with greater
attention to detail than the omnibus home
rule bill offers.
The library trustees presented aIper-
suasive case against making the library
a subdepartment under the Board of Edu-
cation. That has been tried elsewhere ano
1t has not been satisfactory. The ad-
vantages of separate public library system
have been demonstrated in many other
localities.
The functions of the Board of Tax
Appeals should not be left to the part
time attention of lawyers. paid so much
per meeting The present arrangement
is more in keeping with the Importance Of
this board Any change, at least. coulc
well be postponed.
There are other examples of questionable
change& When these hearings first begar
" :.