Evening star., 1952-02-17
Move Planned
To Force Action
On Home Rule
Petition Will Seek
To Move Measure
To House for Vote

The Washington home rule
issue soon will move q couple Of
steps closer to a showdown in the
House District Committee or in
the House.
BY the end Of this week. propo-
nents Of the Senate-passed bill
for a limited form Of elected "self
government" here, will be In q
position to begin a petition to dis
charge the House District Com.
mittee from further consideration.
This would be the first formal
move to force the issue to the
House for debate and action.
Meanwhile, however, a House
District committee survey Of the
situation may be completed by
william N. Mcleod, committee
clerk, acting at the request OF
the Harris Judiciary subcommit.
tee.
This study involves a compara-
tive analysis of provisions Of the
Senate passed bill, reports on elec-
ton laws in various States and
a detailing Of how other nations
treat suffrage issues in their ma
tional capitals.
Opposed by Trade Board.
The Washington Board Of
Trade, the biggest District private
organization opposing local home
rule" announced last night it had
sent questionnaires to all its more
than 5000. members on the issues
as posed by Senate passage Of
the Neely-Case compromise bill.
Two previous membership sur
veys by the trade body on similar
home rule issues resulted In over
whelming opposition.
E. D. Merrill, acting Board Of
Trade president. said members
had been urged to get their re-
turns to the board not later than
February 26.
Boards Arguments Listed.
The Board Of Trade consistently
has argued that local "home rule"
government would solve nothing
without a concurrent grant Of
voting District representation in
its law-making body, Congress.
In fact, agents Of the trade body
have contended that the provision
Of an elected city government
here. without representation in
Congress. would incite an "intol.
cradle conflict" between the Dis
trict and the Federal Govern
Iment.
The trade body is asking its
members to give answers to 10
brackets of questions, aside from
stating the members specific type
OF business or profession. Attached
was a Board of Trade analysis Of
major provisions Of the Senate.
passed bill.
The questions:
l. Having just read the major
provisions Of the bill, do you favor
its adoption?
Federal Payment Cited.
2. If you answer "yes" in No. 1,
would you oppose the bill If it re-
suited in lower Federal pay
ment? AS passed by the Senate,
a provision was dropped that
would have pledged Congress to
make a Federal payment amount-
ing to 20 per cent of the Districts
previous years tax revenues, or
about double the present lump
sum Federal grant.
3. Do you think persons now
voting in other States and ter
ritories should be allowed to vote
in the District for members of the
District Council or on District
proposals for incurring debt?
4. Do you favor the appointment
|of q mayor by the President?
Such a provision was adopted by
the Senate as a substitute for a
former council-manager plan.
with 2 Of II councilmen to be
named by the President.
S. Under the present system the
Board Of Education Is appointed:
the Case bill proposes it be elected.
DO you favor the election of the
Board of Education?
Queried on Suffrage
6. Do you think local suffrage
without voting representation in
Congress is desirable?
Z. Do you believe this bill pro-
vides real home rule" for the
District?
8. Do you live in the District,
or Maryland or Virginia?
8. # you live in the District.
for how long?
10. II you live in Maryland or
Virginia, are you in business or
employed in the District? Do you
own property in the District?
In its analysis of the Senate
passed bill, the Board Of Trade
said the provision permitting Dis
trict bond issues up to per cent
of the value of taxable real estate
could mean a city Indebtedness Of
about $l00 million.
The trade body brochure also
noted that under the bill, as
passed by the Senate, Congress
could continue to enact legislation
on any and all District subjects
and could repeal any District law
now in force or any measure that
might be passed by the proposed
city council.
pitals with a large teaching pro-
gram, such as Georgetown. should