Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-24
Trade Board Hits
Home Rule Bill;
Hearings Asked
Conflict of Interests
Between Capital and
Government Seen
By Don S. Warren

Lie w do1llAlSLO oOdIu VI 1TdQC,
largest business and professional
group. here today assailed the new
District home rule" plan, saying
it would cause 'intolerable con-
f1ict" with Congress.
The directors launched their at
tack at a meeting in the board
room of the American Security 81
Trust Co.. after listening to a
Senate District Committee aide
outline provisions of the new plan
for an elected city government.
The Board of Trade, frequently
attacked by home rule advocates
for refusing to support their pro-
posals. said "the proposed bill does
nothing to alter our conviction
that there can be no real self-goy-
ernment for the people of the
District of Columbia without vot-
ing representation in the Con-
greSS.'
Public Hearings Asked.
A call for a thorough investiga-
ton of the subject, coupled with
a request for public hearings, was
made by the Board of Trade. The
Senate Home Rule subcommittee
has decided against holding any
further hearings. It's members
have concluded the subject was
covered sufficiently in earlier hear
Iings.
Those hearings were on the
general suffrage questions and on
the Kefauver bill, now bottled up
in the District Committee. This
measure is similar to the one
passed by the Senate in 1919.
which died in the House District
Committee last year.
When the Kefauver bill was
Isnagged in the District Committee
by a 6-to-6 vote some weeks ago,
negotiations for a compromise
were begun by Gerhard P. Van
Arkel. committee counsel, and
Robert Albrook, administrative
aide to Senator Case. Republican.
of South Dakota, ranking minor.
Iity member of the committee.
The result was the draft of q
substitute bill that has won APP
proval of the Home Rule SUBJ
committee, which consists of Dis
trict Committee Chairman Nicely.
Senator Kefauver,- Democrat, Of
Tennessee, and Senator Case.
AFFLICTED Council Proposed.
The earlier bill was simplified
by dropping the provisions for re-
Organization Of the city govern
ment departments. Added was 4
provision for a non-voting DIS.
trict delegation in the House.
Instead of a city council con-
sisting of nine elected members
and two presidentially- appointed
members, the new measure pro-
vides for an all-elected council
of fifteen members, and there
would be a mayor appointed by
the President to serve as chief
administrative officer.
The Board of Trade said:
Careful study of the so-called
Nicely Case home rule
bill leads us to the conclusion that
its enactment would adversely
affect the relationships of the
Congress and the people OF
Washington.
Inevitably the principal results
of this proposed legislation would
be to create an intolerable con-
Iflict between the local community
and the Federal Government re-
Ispecting many matters essential
to the orderly operation Of the
National Capital.
1.-THE proposals in this draft
bear a striking resemblance to the
Mayor and Council form of gov
Iernment in Washington between
1902 and 1912 and the territorial
form of government between 1871
and 1874.
Found UnwOrkable.
These forms of government
were rescinded by the Congress
because they were unavoidable
and because they created an in
tolerable conflict of interests be-
tween the local community and
the Federal Government. We feel
enactment of the presently pro-
posed law would produce this
same conflict.
THE proposed bill does not of
(See HOME RULE, Page A-6)