Evening star., 1949-07-14
Trade Board Hits
Home Rule Bill
As Gamble
Counsel Tells Hearing
Representation Must
Be Included in Plan
By Don S. Worren

The Washington Board Of
Trade today struck body blows
at the Senate-passed plan for
an elected and reorganized city
government here, contending that
pending suffrage plans would be
"a pure gamble"
At hearings before HOUSE
District judiciary subcommittee. q
spokesman for the trade group In
sisted there could be mo real suf-
frage or home rule" here until the
District was given full representa-
ton in its law-making body
Congress.
AS the issues were posed by
Edward F. Colladay, general coun-
sci and past president of the
Board of Trade, the local suf-
frage plan. If adopted by Con-
gress, should be made contingent
on grant of national represen-
tation.
Clashing Views Are Offered.
This would tie the local suffrage
issue to approval by Congress of 4
proposed amendment to the Con-
stitution for national representa-
ton and to ratification by three
fourths of the States. Such final
action would have to be registered
within seven years.
Sharply clashing views on the
suffrage issue came from spokes-
men for a half dozen Washing
ton groups who have been back
ing the drive for an elected city
government.
These included Culver B. Cham
berlain. president of the Central
Suffrage Conference: Mrs. Milton
Dunn. District of Columbia
League of Women Voters; Harry
s. Wender, chairman of the Dis
trict Recreation Board and
spokesman for the Southwest Cit
liens Association; Gerhard Van
Arkel, Americans for Democratic
Action; Mrs. Gertrude Evans,
Progressive Party of Washington,
and Mrs. Louis M. Zesking, WASH
ington Section. National Council
of Jewish Women.
Wender Refers to Segregation.
Mr.. Wender. in his appearance
on the stand, referred to the
racial segregation issues which
have arisen over use Of Washing
ton swimming pools and told the
subcommittee he had received
threatening" letters from some
members of Congress trying to
exert pressure on him to decide
their way on whether segregation
should be allowed In the pools
here.
He said he and the other mem
bers of the Recreation Board were
not concerned over these pres
sures because they were not "ob-
ligated to any one" for their posi-
tions, since board members are
not paid.
The subject was brought up by
Mr.. Wender to emphasize that
under the proposed reorganization
of the city government in the
home rule plan, the powers OF the
Recreation Board would be trans
ferred to a director OF recreation
to be appointed by the city man
ager.
Urges Independent Board.
He pleaded with the subcon-
mittee to amend the bill to keep
the board independent. He said
this was in keeping with prac-
tices in American cities gener-
ally.
But, if necessary. Mr.. Wender
added, he would be willing to make
'the sacrifice" of an independent
Recreation Board to enable the
city to have home rule. Even II
the board were transformed into
an advisory agency. he said, the
home rule plan still would be an
Improvement over the present ap-
pointed government system.
DR.. Hobart M. Corning, super
intendent of schools, objected TO
many features of the Senate
passed home rule bill as applied
to the operation of the schools
system. He made no statement.
however, as to the merits OF the
home rule bill in general.
There was no sign of when the
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