davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-05-02
Government Here Result
OF PIonIess Growth

OF PIdnIesS Growth
The present organization Of
the District government is the
product of almost so years of
piecemeal. painless growth. It
has its origin in an act Of 1874
which terminated self-govern-
ment in the District. That
act established an appointive.
three-member commission to
conduct the affairs of the Dis
trict until a new permanent
plan of local government could
be developed. Four years later,
no plan having been formu-
lated, this interim, emergency
orange m ment was modified
slightly and made permanent.
Since then the population and
the functions of the District
have multiplied and the struc-
ture of the District govern
ment has grown continually
more complex: yet little has
been done to effect a significant
Improvement in the organization
and bring it into line with pres
ent-day requirements.
The failure to modernize the
District government has not
been for want of careful surveys
and well-developed plans. In
no community has the local gov
ernment been subject to fuller
or more frequent analysis.
Within the last Is years there
have been no less than six
comprehensive studies of the
organization of the District
government.
While the recommendations
growing out Of these studies
have differed in detail, all have
agreed on the necessity of in
tegrating the many activities
performed by the District gov
ernment.
The present organization of
of the District government is
seriously deficient in a number
of respects. The first and most
obvious defect is the extraordi-
nary number Of agencies among
which the business of the Dis
trict is scattered. There are no
less than 80 separate agencies in
the government Of the District
Of Columbia-one-third more
than all the departments and
agencies now in the executive
branch Of the Federal Govern
ment. Some of the agencies have
been created by law and others
by action Of the Commissioners.
Generally these established by
the Commissioners have been
recognized later in appropria-
ton acts. Many of the activities
and functions have been ex-
panded or modified by subse-
quent congressional action. AS
a result, through the years. the
legal status of many agencies
has become extremely compli-
Gated and obscure.
Many District agencies are
almost completely autonomous
and uncontrolled. Among those
agencies are about so boards
or commissions, a considerable
number of which are not even
subject to budgetary control by
the Board of Commissioners or
the Congress; they have their
own funds and operate with
permanently appropriated re-
ceipts. While the Board of Com
missioners is nominally the
executive head of the District
government, its authority over
agencies ranges from complete
control to virtually no control.
Plan Permits ReoIignment
Of Administrative Structure
rb;, y,lou noocfif,,kas an ;v,o
Evening star., 1952-05-02
Some Agencies Retain
Their Present Status

The plan does not affect GER
tain agencies which perform
District functions and certain
functions performed for the
District by Federal agencies.
Included among such agencies
which retain their present status
are the following:
Apprenticeship Council.
Armory Board.
Board of Education (and pub
lie schools.
Board of Library Trustees
tand public libraries).
Board of Recreation (and
Recreation Department..
Board of zoning Adjustment.
District Engineer, Offices of
the.
District of Columbia National
Guard.
Juvenile Court.
Mental Health, Commission
on.
Municipal Court for the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Municipal Court Of Appeals.
National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
National Capital Parks, Of
flee of.
National Geological Park.
Office of Register of Wills and
Clerk of the Probate Court.
Public Utilities Commission.
Recorder of Deeds. Office of.
Redevelopment Land Agency,
District of Columbia.
Supervisor Of Penny Milk, Of
flee of the.
Temporary Home for Sol
dlers and Sailors.
Zoning Advisory Council.
Zoning Commission.
SECTION 2.
Section 2 of the order abol-
iShes all of the offices and
agencies listed in Section /, in
cludmg the Offices of the heads
of such agencies. The date in
each case is determined by the
Commissioners, but in no event
is to be later than June 80, 1853.
In addition the Office of Peoples
Counsel and its functions are
abolished.
BY abolishing all of the agen-
cies integrated, reorganization
is facilitated and the subsequent
work of the codifiers is simpli-
fed. However, it is important
to understand that it is not pro-
posed to discontinue any activi-
ty but rather to reorganize such
activities to secure better man
agement and to improve service.
AboliShing such Offices will not
abolish any rights, privileges,
powers, duties. immunities, liza
bilities, obligations, or other at
tributes of these Offices except
as they relate to matters Of ap-
Evening star., 1952-05-02

However, in each case 1t will
still be necessary to satisfy the
Civil Service Commission. both
that the responsibilities and
duties merit the classification
and that the individual to fill
the position is qualified and
competent to do so. The Reor-
ganization Plan in no way af-
fects the pay of the Commis-
SiOnerS themselves.
Evening star., 1952-05-02

as compared with those that
would be otherwise necessary.
Any itemization of these reduce
tions. in advance Of actual
experience under this plan, is
not practicable.
Evening star., 1952-05-02

quate top-level assistance in
carrying on the operations of
the District government. The
success of the reorganization
plan will, to a considerable ex-
tent. depend upon the ability
to fill key positions with the
best qualified persons. In order
to do SO, it is necessary to make
provisions for more adequate
salaries for such officers. The
plan provides that not to exceed
Is officers may be compensated
without regard to the numerical
limitations on positions set
forth in section sos of the
Classification Act of 1949, as
amended. This provision will
enable the chairman of the
Civil Service Commission, or
the President, as the case may
be. to approve rates of pay for
those officers in excess of the
rates established in the CLASH
flcation Act of 1949 for grade
GS-15 whenever standards of
the classification laws so permit.
Evening star., 1952-05-02

make the most of this splendid
opportunity better to serve
them.
Evening star., 1952-05-02
Foct-Finding Functions
Remain Independent

1t is also important that the
intentions of the Board of Com
missioners be understood with
respect to the many Boards and
, Commissions to be integrated,
which presently are semi-auton-
omous in nature. Principal
among these are the Board of
Parole, the Anatomical Board
and the Examining and License
Boards for the various profess
sions and occupations. The
Commissioners intend to exer-
else administrative and fiscal
authority over such agencies
and to consolidate and stream
line their various housekeeping
functions: but generally there
is no intention to take from
them their fact finding func-
tions and their independence of
action. Generally, the Commits
sioners plan to delegate to such
agencies the operating powers
they now exercise; and, as in
the past, their determination
generally are to be final in
nature and without appeal to
the Board of Commissioners.
The plan abolishes the func-
tions and position of the Peoples
Counsel. This function is in
fact responsibility of the Pub
lie Utilities Commission. As
signing the function to Sepa-
rate offices takes from that
Commission part of its function
of protecting the public and
tends to reduce the Commission
to the role of a utility court.
The functions of the Peoples
Counsel should be exercised by
the Commission through it's own
counselS.
Evening star., 1952-05-02
SECTION 4.

Since number of Offices and
agencies are abolished, it is es-
sential that the Commissioners
have the necessary authority. to
establish new Offices and agen-
cies, to be filled by appointment
by the Board of Commissioners.
Such authority is granted under
Section 4, which in addition in
cludes provision for Is super
grades"
In order to attract competent
personnel it is vital that certain
of our top level positions carry
the salary and prestige of COM
parable positions in municipal
governments of comparable size.
A number of existing agencies
will be consolidated and abol-
!shed, resulting in a compare
lively small number of depart
mentS. The success of the Re-
organization Plan will to a con-
siderable extent depend upon
the ability to fill these key po-
sitions with the best qualified
personnel. In order to do SO it
is necessary to provide more
adequate salaries for such posi-
tionS. Thus, the order provides
for these Is positions. The COM
pensation of these officials will
be fixed under the Classification
Act of 1949 as amended, but
without regard to the numerical
limitations or positions set forth
in Section sos of that act.
This provision will enable the
chairman of the Civil Service
Commission or the President, as
the case may be, to fix rates Of
pay for these Offices in excess
of the rates established for
grade Is of the General Sched4
ule established by the Classifica-
| ton Act, whenever standards Of
the classification laws SO permit.
Evening star., 1952-05-02
Trumun Text


The tert of President Tru-
mans message sending the Dis
trict government reorganization
plan to Congress tolloUs:
To the Congress of the United
States:
I transmit herewith reorgan-
ization plan No. of 1852. pre-
pared in accordance with the
provisions of the Reorganization
Act of 1949. This plan will
enable the Board of Commits
sioners of the District of Colum-
bia to bring about a basic SIM
plif1cation and improvement of
the government of the District
of Columbia.
While the plan will reorganize
the District government, it does
not and cannot under the au-
thority conferred by the Re
organization Act provide for
home rule. AS is we'll known.
strongly believe that the citi-
zens Of the District of Columbia
are entitled to self-government.
have repeatedly recommended,
and I again recommend, enact
ment of legislation to provide
home rule for the District of
Columbia. Local self-govern-
ment is both the right and the
responsibility of free men. The
denial of self-government does
not befit the National Capital
of the worlds largest and most
powerful democracy. Not only
is the lack of self-government
an injustice to the people Of
the District of Columbia but it
imposes a needless burden on
the Congress and it tends to
controvert the principles for
which this country stands before
the world.
Vigorous efforts have been
made in the last four sessions of
VIC NOAAS4CoO w ONtdAA 4CS I0Ad~
ton providing home rule and q
modern and effective govern
mental organization for the
District of Columbia. It has
been my hope that these two
much-needed reforms could be
accomplished in one measure.
But each time the combination
of the two has been used to help
defeat the legislation. AS a re-
suit, the Senate last year sepa-
rated the issues and passed a
bill dealing only with home rule.
While, I consider both home
rule and reorganization essen
tial for the District, the struc-
ture of the District government
has become so complicated,
confused and obsolete that a
thorough reorganization cannot
further be delayed. have con-
cluded that the Reorganization
Act of 1949 affords the most ap-
propriate procedure for accom-
plishing the needed organiza-
tional improvements.
Evening star., 1952-05-02
SECTION 8.

Section 3 gives the Commits
sioners the authority to author
ize performance of any of it's
functions by other employees or
agencies of the District Govern
ment. This provision carries the
broad powers to delegate au-
thority, with or without the
rights of re-delegation as the
Commissioners may elect, and
to withdraw. or modify such
delegation at any time.
Such delegation of authority
is necessary for effective oper-
ations. However, limitations are
provided to prevent over-dele-
cation of authority, the appoint
ment either of an executive or
city manager between the Board
of Commissioners and the oper-
ating agencies. or the organiza-
ton of a bureau" under an
individual Commissioner. Thus,
policy-making functions are to
be retained in the Board of
Commissioners. as well as budget
control, contract authorizations
in excess of $4,000, the ap-
pointment or removal of the
heads of agencies reporting di-
rectly to the Board of Com
missioners. and any functions
vested in the Board of Commits
sioners by statute to make or
adopt regulations. This last lin
itation. however, does not apply
to regulations concerned with
internal or administrative mat
ters within agencies, nor to pro-
cedures before any agency.
The Illinois times. (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-19??, 1952-12-20

to the hospital Dec. !.
Body was taken to Campbell
Funeral Home and viii be sent TO
Huntiagton Tenn, where funeral
arrangements will be made Her
mother and several sisters and
brothers survive.
The Illinois times. (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-19??, 1952-12-20

= : - :. : ~ 20 g e s & 49, *
The Illinois times. (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-19??, 1952-12-20
MISS FRANCES PARKER
DIES TUESDAY

Miss Frances Parker, %, a
Birch Village, Champaign, died at
Ito pm. Tuesday in Burnham
City Hospital. She was admitted
Evening star., 1952-11-08
Hiss Charges Judge
Abused Discretion in
Denying New Trial
BY ihe Assoeioted Press

NEW YORK, Nov. 8.-Alger
Hiss says the Federal Judge who
denied him a new trial earlier this
year did so without fair hearing"
Counsel for the former State
Department official yesterday ap-
pealed a court order by Judge
Henry w. Goddard refusing an
fother hearing based on what the
defense called new evidence.
Hiss, Al, was convicted on Janu-
ary 25, 1850, on two counts of per-
jury in denying before a Federal
Grand Jury that he gave secret
Government papers to Whitaker
chambers, former Communist spy
ring courier. A first trial resulted
in hung jury.
Charges Typewriter Forgery.
Chester T. Lane, attorney for
Hiss, had argued before Judge
Goddard last January that Hiss
had been framed by Chambers
through forgery by typewriter"
Hiss attorneys applied in Wash
ington on Thursday for his parole
from the Lewisburg, Pa, Federal
Penitentiary. Hiss is serving a
f1ve-year sentence.
The appeal for setting aside the
new trial denial said Judge God
dard accepted the Governments
unsubstantiated gossip and rumors
as sufficient to controvert sworn
statements of defense witnesses
who were presented as ready and
able to support their affidavits in
open court" .e
Sees PredeterminatiOn.
The appeal added that the judge
knew in advance" that he was
going to deny the motion, and con-
tinued:
"We cannot make any lesser
charge. We believe that the trial
courts handling of the motion for
a new triaD displayed such pre-
determination without fair hear
ing as to amount to an abuse of
its discretion and thus to consti-
tute an error requiring reversal
by the court"
Judge Goddard, the appeal con-
tended, resolved issues of fact
depending on the credibility of
witnesses uniformly in favor of
the Government without hearing
the witnesses or permitting their
credibility to be tested by direct
and cross oSS-examination."
Evening star., 1952-11-08
Hollywood Diary
CIoudette's Austrian
Film Is Abandoned
BY Sheiloh Grohom-

idea for a film-with dialogue,
regular screen. one dimension,
black and white, more than two
people, and on a sound stage in
Hollywood.
X X \ X
Agent Paul Small mixed Paul
Gregory's request for a Merle
Oberon reading tour. Actresses
should act, not read" said Small.
John Huston, living in the
London lab with Moulin Rouge" ="
will fly it in himself for the Holly
wood premiere. Last year, partner
Sam Spiegel flew in with THE
African Queen" and made the
academy deadline by an eyelash.
Result: Humphrey Bogart won an
Oscar.
That marvellous mama-and, of
course, we mean Sophie Tucker
promised the Variety Club of Eng
land (for underprivileged kids)
500 week for the rest of her
life. Last week, a starting check
to cover two months-waS CRATE
fully received.
(Released by NANA)
Evening star., 1952-11-08
The Passing Show
ShoW's Don juan DuzzIes
Capacity Audience Here
By Joy Cormody

dazzed and delighted capacity audience went to He'll with
Bernard Shaw Constitution Hall last night
The the appearanced here
Drama Quartette in Don He'll performance that
Charles Vincent Price
Evening star., 1952-11-08

Patti Page is as cheerful a sight
and sound as any reasonable en-
tertainment seeker could ask. She
may not be a panacea for a ma
tion's troubles, but she is pleas
ant palliative.
Miss Page is reiterating these
nice truths about herself again
at the Capitol theater where she
opened yesterday. She has a new
repertory of songs. varied in mood
and rhythm, and dramatic new
wardrobe. The single thing she
lacks to make her appearance
gala is a picture on the screen
worthy of the grace she brings to
her part of the program.
AS Miss Pages companion piece,
the Capitol is Offering a film from
Universal called "Son of Ali
Baba." It stars Tony Curtis and
Piper Laurie and adds a scad of
other studio juveniles who should
be thoroughly ashamed to be
caught in such a predicament as
"Son of Ali Baba."
If a spark of it's ancient spirit
remained alive, old Bagdad would
declare war on Hollywood for the
implications of the empty, ineptly
acted picture at the Capitol. The
studios defense in such a case
no doubt would be that it had all
those old oriental sets and cos
tunes left over from the late
Maria MonteZ's picture.
Gerald Drayson Adams-a name
you probably should make note
offs author of "Son of Ali
Baba." The monstrous little fable
he has concocted concerns the
fight made by the chip off old
Ali against an evil caliph who
wants to be commissar of Bagdad.
He. the caliph, would like to own
all the land. gold, and likely
harem stock for himself. Curtis
thinks this is going too far, espe-
cially when it includes Miss
Laurie in the harem chattels.
Bagdad life played in a New
York accent by group which
has Is different mispronuncia-
tions of 'caliph" is something no
one need bother about. Unless,
OF course, he is helpless before
the gracelessness of the films
young stars.
Miss Page redeems the program
as much as she can with a COL
lection of her latest popular rec
ordS, including II Went to Your
Wedding" and in so doing Gre
ates an appetite for few encore
echoes of her older favorites.
Her comedy support is provided
by Frank Fontaine on a bill
which also includes the dancing
of Ralph and Mary Carnevale
and the vocalizing of Dick Brown.
Evening star., 1952-11-08
Letter From Kennan
10 Russians Defends
u. 5. Troop Conduct
By the Associated Pres,

NEW YORK. Nov. 8.-An open
letter by former Ambassador
George F. Kennan will be broad
cast to the Russian people by the
Voice Of America to defend Ameri-
can troops against Soviet slander
The exact time of the broadcast
was not Immediately known, but
lit is expected the letter will be
carried by the Voice at intervals
today.
Mr.. Kennan's Letter is an answer
to an anonymous, Letter received at
the American Embassy in Moscow
last August. The Russian letter
accused Wesern troops of an "ex-
tremely low level of discipline
and cast aspersions on their
morals end bravery.
The Russian letter, signed $50
Wet people" asked for a reply "in
tie pages Of the Soviet press"
Submitted to Russian Paper.
Both the Russian letter, which
probably passed through Soviet
censorship, and Mr.. Remnants re-
lply were submitted to the Russian
newspaper Trud, the Voice of
America said.
However, the Voice said Trud
did not publish them; and it was
decided the broadcast would be
the best way to reach the Rus
sian people.
Among other things, the Rus-
sian letter said Americans and
other non-Soviet troops of the
West are capable of playing the
dandy, getting drunk, of engaging
in debauchery" but are incapable
of fighting-a fact which was
proved In the last war with Ger
man facism and is being proved
in the war now going on in Korea
and Indo-C China.
Mr.. Remnants reply says the
Korean action resulted from North
Korean aggression and that the
Western military goal There al
ready has been achieved"
World War III Recalled.
The former Ambassador con-
tinued that a series of operations
carried out by American forces in
World War II against heavy odds
and with severe losses are wholly
unknown to you.
You must realize that such
deficiencies in knowledge and un-
derstanding place serious limita-
tions on the ability of the people
to make positive contribution
to the discussion of international
subjects. The responsibility for
such ignorance must rest with
those to whom you are accustomed
to look for enlightenment and in
struction about world events"
Mr.. Kennan was American Am
basSador in Moscow when the let
ter was received. Since then the
Russians have declared him not
acceptable, and he now is on his
way back to this country.
AAFTICENFCAJrc
Evening star., 1952-11-08
Where and When
Current Theoter Attractions
And Time of Showing
Stage.

StdBc.
Arena-"Tonight at $780,; 2::30
and $50 pm.
Catholic University-"The Al
chemist; $3.50 pm.
NatiOnal-"Top Banana; 2:30
and $50 pm.
Sam S. Shubert-"A Tree Grows
in Brooklyn: 2::30 and $3.50 pm.
Screen.
acknowledgements Rifle;
1:1O. 3:15. 500. 7::3O and 9:40 pm.
Capitol-"Son of Ali Baba";;
1890 am. 1:05. 3:45. $40. 9 and
HAS pm. Stage: 1910. ESQ,
5:25. 8:O5 and 1880 pm.
Cclumbia-''The Shows of Kill
manjaro";; 10:45 am. 1850, 2:55,
sos, 7:10, $40 and 11::25 pm.
DupOnt-"The Lady Vanishes"
/, 2:45, 4:30, 6:15, 8, $50 and
11:35 pm.
Keith's-"The Lusty Men;
Ills am. 1:20, $3.50, 5:35, 7:45,
9::55 and IL pm.
Little George Washington
Slept Here; 1:20, sos. ASS, 6:45,
S:35 and 1925 pm.
Metropolitan-"Strange Fasci-
nation; 11:40 am. 1:25. 3:15,
sos, $50, $40 and 1890 pm.
OntariO-"Just for YOU; /, 3, S,
Z, 9:05 and 11:10 pm.
Palace-"Way of a Gaucho";;
1880 am. 1:35, $40. $40, 7:45,
$50 and 11:55 pm.
Pix-"Ecstasy"; 1:10. 1855. GAS
9:25 pm. and 1905 am.
Playhouse-"The Thief; ILLS
am, l, 2:45. 4:30. $40, $40. 10
and 11:45 pm.
Plano, Henry's Full House;
II am, LOS, $40, 5:25, TAO. 9:55
pm. and 1910 am.
Trans-Lux-"Eight Iron Mem;
11:25 am. ITO. 3. 4:45, 6:35,
800. 1910 and 1850 pm.
Warner -"S Springfield Rifle;
11:40 am. 1:40. $40. $40. 7:45,
9:45 and 11:40 pm.
Evening star., 1952-11-08
Patti
And Ali
Miss Page Winner
By Wide Margin
At Capitol

"SoN OF ALI BABA," q Universal pic
ture. produced by Leonard Goldstein,
directed by Kurt Neumann, story and
screenplay by Gerald Drayson Adams. At
the Capitol.