Evening star., 1952-05-21
Reorganization
Plan Unopposed
Al Hill Hearinq
Step Forward Seen
In D. c. Setup Due
To Take Effect July !
By Horriet Griffiths

0y 0oTrlet 0TlfflrnS
The coast seemed clear so far
today for the pending District
government reorganization plan,
to go in effect July l.
The plan came through hear
ing completed yesterday by the
Senate Committee on Govern
ment Operations, with no out
right opposition. President Tru-
man submitted the plan to Con-
gress on May l.
Several features of the plan,
which gives the Commissioners
broad authority to streamline the
municipal setup, drew criticism.
But witnesses generally indicated
they feel that at least it would
be a step in the right direction.
1t automatically will take ef-
feet on July /, unless vetoed by
the House or Senate.
No Opposition Indicated.
Chairman Mcclellan of the
Senate committee said that, so
far, he has not heard of any plans
for a resolution of disapproval.
The House Expenditures Com
mittee does not contemplate hold
ing hearings unless a diSapproval
resolution is introduced, a Spokes-
man said.
Senator Mcclellan said he has
no desire to kill the plan. But
he reiterated his concern about
the delegation of broad power to
the Commissioners, as contem-
plated under the measure.
ut is simply a delegation of
power" the Senator said. What
the Commissioners have said they
would do in many respects seems
all right" He indicated, how
ever, that he would prefer a real
plan" of reorganization.
Greater Efficiency Seen.
Another member of the COM
mittee, Senator Dworshak, Re-
publican, of Idaho, said he is in
clined to think the plan offers
possibilities of greater efficiency
and economy in the District gov
ernment.
If abuses should develop, he
said, 1t would be up to Congress
to take appropriate action.
Senator Dworshak said he, too,
is not entirely satisfied that the
delegation of power to the Com
nisSioners might not be too great.
Only the future will determine
that. he said.
He said he has noted a so per
cent increase in total spending
by the District in the last four
years. He questioned the justi-
fication for this raise.
Senator Hoey, Democrat. of
North Carolina, who also attend
ed the hearing as a committee
member, said he will support the
plan. ...
Senator Mcclellan said the
committee will make a finding
later.
Legal Opinion Sought.
An opinion is being sought from
the Attorney General on two
points. One is whether or not
the plan would permit or prohibit
the Commissioners appointing of
a chief administrative officer to
assist them. The other concerns
the authority to delegate func-
tons, and how far it goes.
Especially critical of the plan
yesterday was DR.. George B. Gal
loway, senior specialist in Amer
ican Government on the staff of
the Legislative Reference Service
in the Library of Congress. He
said the pending plan is inferior
to Budget Bureau proposal re-
jected by President Truman.
He called the pending plan, con
its face, merely a blank check.
ouu AAO 0110 ~ A4dy well VIC dP-
proved on the strength of i'm
provements it would afford.
Plan Eclipsed He Says.
He said the commission form
Of city government has beer
eclipSed in the last Is years by "the
more successful manager PLAN
He asserted that "the only off,
cial opposition to adoption of the
manager form of government fol
Washington. D. c., has come from
the Board of Commissioners
which would be abolished if the
manager plan were adopted"
DR.. Galloway denied that tn,
people of Washington overwhelm.
ir1gly opposed city manager
He said the council-managel
form Of government had been in.
dorsed repeatedly by local civi,
groups.
Submission of the pending plan
he charged. twas, in fact, a vic
tory for those who have a vestet
interest in the existing outworl
and obsolete commission form O
government.