Evening star., 1952-05-02

Text Of Commissioner Settlement Ex.
planning Reorganization Plan. Pose A-l2
tions Committee and the House
Committee on Expenditures and
Executive Agencies.
Chairman Mcclellan. Democrat,
OF Arkansas. who heads the SEN
ate body. said that a hearing will
be held in about two weeks. Chair
man Dawson, Democrat, of H.
linois, of the House group, said
he intends to schedule no hear
ings unless some objection to the
plan is registered.
II the plan. which gives the
District Commissioners sweeping
authority to reorganize the muni-
cipal government virtually as they
see fit. remains unopposed for so
days 1t becomes law. To block it.
either house must vote it down by
a majority of the full membership.
No Objection Heard.
But hours after the plan was
submitted to both House and SEN
ate. not a single objection had
been heard.
AS forwarded from the White
House. the plan represents "every-
thing we wanted. right down the
line," according to Engineer Com
Bernard L. Robinson.
What the President did was to
order abolition of nearly 100 exist
ing agencies so that the Commits
sioners can either set them up
or leave them aboliShed-as they
may choose in the interests Of
effective government.
That the city heads intend to
conduct their revamping operation
as previously announced was made
clear today by Commissioner F.
Joseph Donohue.
I'VE will carry out every prom
Use made to the best of our ability
and as expeditiously as possible"
Mr.. Donohue asserted.
16 Departments Planned.
On the basis of public hearings,
and criticisms regis
tered since the plan came out last
November, the new organization
will be streamlined into Is de-
partments. The latter will be
grouped into bureaus of public
safety. welfare and works. A
Commissioner will head each of
the three bureaus.
AS the President instructed.
however, the Commissioners as a
board shall not delegate to indi-
vidual Commissioners or others
any authority vested in the board
by Congress. This precludes
"compartmentalizing" of the city
administration.
The Commissioners have until
June 80, 1853, to effect the basic
reorganization. After that time
they may proceed with working
out the lesser details of reshuffling
agencies.
Home Rule Disappointment.
In some quarters there was dis
that the city govern
ment streamlining plan could not
be accompanied by city suffrage,
but 1t was agreed that the latter
requires legislation.
President Truman again urged
home rule legislation in his re-
organization message.
The Senate passed home rule
bill last January, but it has been
put on the shelf in the House Dis
trict Committee.
Senator Mcclellan said he prob
ably will go along with the Com
plan as submitted by
President Truman. He said he
understands the issues were pretty
well worked out" in conferences
between the Commissioners and
the Budget Bureau.
He said he has discussed the
plan with Budget Director Fred
Lawton, who plans to submit a
written statement explaining the
reorganization program.
Not Necessarily Critical.
Senator Hoey. Democrat, of
North Carolina, a member of the
Mcclellan group, said he wants
hearings but that this should not
be taken to mean that the COM
mittee is critical.
I'VE merely want to develop the
facts" he said.
The plan first advocated by the
Budget Bureau, in its contest with
the Commissioners. he recalled,
was highly controversial"
Senator Hoey and other mem
bers said there would be a value
in having hearing so that op-
ponents, if any, would have a clear
opportunity to speak up before the
plan became law.
Senator Mundt, Republican, of
South Dakota, said a definite
improvement must be made" in
city organization and that he Is
for the pending plan, If 1t will
promote efficiency.
There was no protest from the
House and Senate District Com
that the reorganization
plan was referred to Federal COM
instead of to their own
groups. Other reorganization plans
also have been assigned to the
Operations Commit
tees