Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-02-13
|Donohue WifhhoIds
Decision on Direct
Abe Board Duties


nominee to a place on the Board
of Commissioners, today was with
holding a decision as to whether,
when confirmed, he will assume
direct supervision" over the Al
coholic Beverage Control Board.
But while leaving this specific
question to be answered later. he
indicated he thought he would be
expected to assume his full re-
sponsibilities as a Commissioner.
just as any other member of the
board.
The question of whether he.
like Commissioner Guy Mason,
whom he was named to succeed.
should supervise the work of the
ABC Board was raised last Sat-
urday by Senator Welker, Repub-
lican, of Idaho, because Mr.. Dom
ohue, for many years, had acted
as counsel for liquor interests
here.
Act as Board.
Discussion yesterday stressed the
point that the Board of Commits
sioners, under the law, must act as
board on all matters. No one
commissioner has the final say on
any problem coming before the
board.
For convenience, however. and
because of the multiplicity of the
problems of the city government.
the Commissioners have divided up
among themselves direct Supervi-
sion over the various departments.
For instance, Commissioner John
Russell Young has the assignment
for Police and Fire Departments.
among others, and Commissioner
Mason has been the one who dealt
with health, welfare and other
agencies, including the ABC
Board. Engineer Commissioner
Gordon R. Young, logically, has
been the one who kept direct check
on the work of the engineer di-
visions.
Officials Report Directly.
Officials of the departments have
reported directly, or at least at
first. to the particular Commits
sioner supervising" their work.
But any board actions could be
taken only by majority action Of
the Board of Commissioners, Of
f1cialS said.
Senator Welker, one of the
freshmen Senators on the District
Committee, which will act on the
Donohue confirmation, said he
thought the public would demand
that some other Commissioner
take over ABC Board supervision.
Senator Welker, however, stressed
that he had formed no judgment
yet about Mr.. Donohue.
His confirmation has been pre-
dicted by committee members.
Mr.. Donohue said he does not
interpret the comments by Sena-
tor Welker as meaning that he
should not participate with the
Board Of Commissioners on any
question that comes before the
board.
He said his impression is that
Senator Welker believes only that
Mr.. Donohue should not have di-
rect supervision over the ABC
Board, since he had practiced be-
fore that board as lawyer for
liquor interests, ..- .-'.o-
To Act I'm Public Interest"
II did not take his published
comments as meaning that, if
confirmed. should not be at all
times member of the team-the
Board of Commissioners" Mr..
Donohue said.
Earlier, and again last night,
MIR. Donohue declared that action
he took as a Commissioner would
be guided by what is in the pub
lie interest"
Mr.. Donohue made a brief adj
dress yesterday to members of the
Touchdown Club. Afterward,
questioned by reporters on the
Welker proposal. he said he would
meet that issue head on when it
is presented officially"
He said that, if confirmed, he
wants to find a way for Wash
ington citizens to come to him to
"call the plays and I'll carry the
ball"
Didn't Solicit Nomination.
Mr. Donohue also noted that he
was in the happy situation" of
not having solicited his nominal
ton as Commissioner. He said
he was Every grateful" for the
nomination.
Chairman Nicely of the Senate
District Committee has not yet set
e date for hearing on the Dono-
hue nomination. He said he could
not agree to the request of Re-
publican members to delay the
hearings until February 81, when
Senator Welker will return from
speaking engagements in the West.
He said. however, he would
agree to hold the case open" I'M
It'll Senator Welker's return so he
could make any desired statement.