Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-08-10
Senators Hear
Varied Views
On Home Rule
Taft, Donohue Back
Bill; Trade Bourd
Voices Opposition
By Don S. Worren

The latest version of a bill to
grant Washington a limited form
of local "home rule" government
today was praised and denounced
at an extra public hearing staged
by the Kefauver subcommittee Of
the Senate District Committee.
The compromise bill, sub
stitute for a predecessor measure
that was bottled up in the COM
mittee in April, calls for an elected
council and board of education,
Ia presidentially appointed mayor
as city executive and an elected,
non-voting delegate in the House.
'Today's hearing. which at
tracted an audience of about so
persons. was an anti-climax since
the substitute bill already has
been approved by the full District
Committee and soon will be sent
to the Senate for action. 1t may
have some changes from the draft
already co-sponsored by % men,
IberS of the Senate or it may not.
Taft Backs Bill.
First witness at today's hear
ing, which was granted as ges-
ture to opponents of the bill.
which has been widely changed
since Senator Kefauver intro
duced it. was Senator Taft, Re-
publican of Ohio, who is chair
man of the Senate Republican
Policy Committee.
| Speaking as an individual Sem
ator, he voiced solid backing for
the new bill, although he men,
toned reservation or two about
couple of its changed provisions.
But he put these personal pref
erences as to details down as
probably of minor Importance"
and came up with a ringing ap-
proval of the principle of local
self government.
/ He was greeted with a burst Of
applause when he voiced hope for
passage of the bill, as did District
Commissioner F. Joseph Donohue,
who also solidly supported the SUD-
stitute measure, although he, too,
suggested a change or two.
Equally solid opposition to the
local suffrage proposal was voiced
for the Washington Board Of
Trade. largest local business and
professional group. represented by
Edward F. Colladay, its council.
I Calls Plan Unworkable.
/ Mr.. Colladay called the pro-
posed city elected government
plan unavoidable" said it would
amount to reversion to a type Of
government that was tried and
abandoned in the 1871-74 period
and praised the present commits
sion government plan as the best
for the National CAPITAL.
! Mr.. Colladay said there could be
no real home rule tor Washington
without District representation in
Congress and the right to vote in
national elections, and said the
trade body would oppose any and
all local suffrage plans that did
not include constitutional
amendment for District repre-
Sentation.
| Thirty-one witneSses were
scheduled to testify at today's
hearing. Soon after the conclu-
sion of this testimony, the District
Committee was expected to file a
report with the Senate urging it's
passage of the bill
The Senate in 1949 approved an
earlier form of a District home
rule" bill, but it died in the House.
Senator Taft told the Kefauver
subcommittee he could see mo
reason at all why the people of
the District should not determine
their local affairs"
Senator Taft declared the gen.
eral principle of the bill was right
and said he could see in it no
conflict in any way" with the
(COntipuod IN Dooo on Co1 ~