Evening star., 1948-02-03
Fowler AssaiIs
Home Rule Plan
AS 'Nockery'
Measure in General
Praised by Budget
Bureau Spokesman
CIVIC LEADERS praise Truman
support of D. C. vote. Page B.l
By Don S. Worren

By Don S. Warren
District officials today resumed
their attack on the home rule
sections of the District charter
bill before a joint House-Senate
committee, but the plan, in gen.
eral, won a strong Endorsement
from spokesman of the Budget
Bureau.
Budget Oficer Walter L. Fowler.
taking the stand shortly before
noon, called the home rule provi-
sion a "mockery and a sop," and
asserted that the plan, If adopted,
might prove very expensive ,ex-
perience." -
Corporation Counsel Vernon E.
West testified in detail as to why
he thought the initiated legislative
proposals of the bill under which
Congress could veto, but would not
enact, legislation of the City Council
would be unconstitutional
Dual Voting Plan" Hit.
Mr.. West also struck at the dual
voting plan" under which persons
resident here for one year could vote
in District elections, and after three
years residence here could run for
the Council or Board of Education,
even though they maintained legal
domicile in one of the States. He
said this made possible the strange
situation" that the councilman
elected District Mayor might be one
domiciled in a State.
His attacks on the constitution
ality of the home rule plan brought
challenges from the joint commit
tee and DR.. George B. Galloway,
staff director of the House Home
Rule Subcommittee. put into the
record the opinions of six outstand.
ing constitutional lawyers uphold
ing constitutionality.
The question, DR.. Galloway said,
has been submitted to various legal
experts and six replies have been
received, only one of which ques-
toned the constitutionality. This
came from William Mitchell, former
United States Attorney General.
The constitutionality of, the plan,
he said, was upheld by john w.
Davis, Dr.. Arthur T. vanderbilt,
chief justice of the New Jersey Su-
preme Court; Prof. Edward Corwin
lof Princeton University; Walter r.
Dodd of Chicago, and DR.. Charles
A. Beard. the historian.
Constitutionality Argued.
Rep. Auchincloss, Republican, OF
New Jersey, co-chairman of the
committee, broke into the legal de-
bate to ask Mr. West if the legis-
lative plan would be constitutional
If 1t were changed to require affirm
ative approval by Congress OF the
councils acts, instead of merely
subjecting them to possible veto.
Absolutely Mr.. West replied.
Previously, Mr.. Auchincloss had
said he might propose such
~AAbS SN oo w lC4uAC
instead OF negative Congressional
action.
The Budget Bureau Endorsement
came from Donald C. Stone, assist
ant director in charge of admins
trative management With approval
of his superiors. he said the authors
of the charter bill had achieved o
sound and constructive plan in the
face Of an exceptionally complex set
of problems.
He submitted a series of proposed
minor changes. He praised many
features of the charter bill and said
that the organizational provisions
satisfy admirably" what he deemed
to be four basic requirements OF q
good local governmental setup.
Changes Proposed.
He listed these as
An elective local legislative body,
large enough to be representative in
character yet small enough for the
effective transaction of business.
Here, he Endorsed the plan to have