Evening star., 1952-04-24
Civic Leaders Hail
Truman's S Decision
On City Government


A cross-section of Washington.
leading citizens responded with 6
warm glow to President Truman.
decision favoring the Commission.
ers' program for city government
reorganization.
Brig. Gen. Bernard L. Robin.
son. Engineer Commissioner, anc
author of the Commissioners
plan: II am thoroughly happy
At no time in the history of this
city has the voice of so many
diverse interests been expressed
with such unanimity. 1t makes
me feel humble and resolved to
give the best government possible
to the finest Capital of the finest
country in the world"
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue: If it had not been for such
widespread public reaction against
the Budget Bureau plan, we would
today have council-manager
form of government instead OF
three Commissioners"
Renah F. Camalier, attorney
who will succeed retiring John
Russell Young on June /, was one
Of the first reached by phone. If
the Commissioner form of rule
had been abolished as of July /,
as the Budget Bureau plan would
have had it had its plan sue
ceeded. Mr.. Camalier's commits
Sipnership of one month would
have been the shortest on rec
ord. He Said:.
II think the Presidents deci-
sion is a wonderful thing for the
people Of this city. and augurs
we'll for the future development
of the reorganization of local gov
ernment." Other reaction was as
follows:
Thomas ]. Groom, president of
the Washington Board of Trade:
1--WE are certainly pleased to learn
of the Presidents decision. All
citizens organizations of WASH
ington which participated in pre-
senting a united front in this
matter will, I am sure, deeply
appreciate this decision which is
in accordance with their views.
II can say without equivocation
that we in the Board of Trade are
highly gratif1ed over the certainty
that the Government of this great
city will continue to be directed by
the Board of Commissioners"
WOOlsey w. Hall, colored civic
leader and member of the Board
of Education: Its a grand thing.
I am so glad Mr.. Truman saw it
our way"
Martin A. Cook, spokesman for
organized veterans of Washington:
Its wonderful that the President
didn't like the council-manager
idea. He made the right decision.
have talked to a lot of people
and never heard so many COM
mentS against the manager plan"
Mrs. Alice Nj. Bartlett, first vice
president of the Federation of
Citizens Associations: II am very
grateful that Mr.. Truman was
willing to listen to our views. We
were positive certain that he
would"
John B. Duncan, president of
the Federation Of Civic Associa-
tions: 1--WE feel the President
made his decision by virtue of the
great interest shown. I am certain
that all our citizens are happy
to know he has approved our
stand"
Citizens Emergency Committee
on Reorganization, the group rep
resenting well over 200 civic and
business organizations that con-
centrated the public protest issued
this statement: 1--WE are gratified.
This committee and all the cit
izens and organizations it repre-
Sents appreciate the Presidents
careful study of the problem, and
his recognition of the almost
unanimous wishes of the citizens
Of Washington.
c. Melvin Sharpe, chairman of
the Committee of 100 on the Fed
eral City: THE committee feels 1t
was an admirable solution and will
be very helpful in the further de-
velopment of the city. We are par
ticularly grateful to President Tru-
man and his advisers for seeing
the benefit of the Commissioners
plan"
p. M. Deming, president, Junior
Chamber Of Commerce: 1--WE are
very pleased. We were hoping the
President would do this, if he was
going to send a reorganization
plan to Congress Immediately. I'll
Is what we preferred.