Evening star., 1949-02-13
Senate Unit Due
To Take Up Plan ]
For Home Rule
Legislative Procedure
For Proposed Council
Nav Be Discussed
By Don S. Worren

e@ SSst ~s w SssSss
Questions as to how the legis-
lative acts of the proposed Wash
ington city council would become
law are expected to come to the
surface this week as a congress
sional subcommittee once again
takes up home rule questions.
Work on plans for an elected
city government and on means of
greatly increasing its revenues is
to be pushed.
Joint fiscal subcommittees of the
House and Senate District CON-
mittees are to hold second public
hearing Wednesday. beginning at
9:30 am, on the Commissioners
proposals for a 2 per cent sales
tax as the key to the financial
solution.
First public hearings Of this
Congress on the homerule pro-
posal will open Thursday at the
same hour before the Kefauver
subcommittee of the Senate Dis
trict Committee.
Warning by AuchinclOss.
All members of the House Dis
trict Committee are invited. Top
Democrats on the House group
have not indicated they will at
tend. Some of them are fatty
opposed to the granting of suffrage
in the Nations Capital.
One of the strongest Capitol Hill
advocates of home rule here, Rep
resentative Auchincloss, Republi-
can, of New Jersey. author Of last
years comprehensive bill, voiced
a warning yesterday against going
too far" in granting so-called
autonomy to the city council.
He recalled that many pages of
the printed hearings of last year
were devoted to discussion of the
extent to which Congress could
delegate legislative powers to some
form of elected city government.
Highly recognized constitutional
lawyers were consulted on this
question, he said.
To Exceed Other Cities Powers.
The subject apparently is to be
considered again this year. The
Districts Democratic Central Com
mittee, which has drafted a re-
vised home rule bill at the request
of Chairman McGrath of the Sem
ate District Committee. is propos-
ing that the council be given leg
islative powers similar to those of
the Territories.
AS explained by A. L. Wheeler
chairman Of the Democratic Cen.
trail Committee. who has beer
named chief clerk Of the Senate
District Committee, these power!
would be greater than those ot
the usual American city operating
under the restraints of a State
legislature.
Specifically, it would be provided
that the legislation adopted by
the council, including spending
and taxing acts-all beyond the
scope of the ordinary ordinance
making powers that the Commits
sioners now have in some degree
would become law within so days
unless set aside or modified by ar
act Of Congress.
Plan Was Changed.
To some leaders in the home
rule drive only something ap-
preaching this would be home
rule" They believe it would be
held constitutional by the Supreme
Court. But, others say, there are
serious constitutional questions
At the least, they say. there are
doubts on its constitutionality that
might endanger enactment of the
measure.
Mr.. Auchincloss, noting press
reports on what is contained in the
draft by the Democratic Central
Committee. said he was very in
terested" to find that its approach
was the same originally followed
by the Auchincloss subcommittee
last year.
But after the Home Rule Sub
committee last year got opinions
from recognized constitutional
lawyers, including William D.
Mitchell, former Attorney General
it changed the plan so as to pro-
vide that legislative acts of the
council would not become law until
affirmatively approved by the
House and Senate and signed by
the President.
Conference Tuesday.
Some of the newer champions
of home rule. going over the same
areas of disagreement, think the
Auchincloss group gave too much
ground" in trying to get con-
gressional and bureaucratic agree
ment on the home rule bill. With
the home rule drive again under
way in Congress. they say, the
first call should be made for the
best possible deal on local auton-
omy, and then make compromises
only as necessity requires.
District Democratic leaders are
seeking wide. public backing for
their bill. Spokesman for various
District suffrage groups are invited
to participate in a conference
Tuesday afternoon at Democratic