Evening star., 1952-07-06
Reorganization
Called Victim
Of Sabotage
Donohue Says Posts
Needed in New Setup
Moy Be Filled Anyway


Moy Be Filled Anyway
Commissioned F. Joseph Dono-
hue last night charged someone
on Capitol Hill had sabotaged the
citys request for 100000 to speed
the reorganization of the Local
government.
The request was knocked out of
a supplemental appropriation bill
by the House. The Senate followed
suit.
Mr.. Donohue made the charge
during his regular weekly program
on Radio Station WWDC. He re-
viewed a number Of the urgent
needs OF the city, in addition to
the reorganization fund, that Con-
gress had refused to finance.
Civil defense, he said, would be
only a paper organization in the
District because of a slash from a
requested $3.50. 900 to 500, 900.
Problems Left UnsoIved.
School problems are still un-
solved, the sewer and water sys-
TENS need millions of dollars ur-
gently and numerous welfare in
stitutions will not be improved or
replaced. he added.
The reorganization plan went
into effect last Monday midnight.
Mr.. Donohue said it was an his
toric occasion but added:
I'VE were very much disturbed
when the supplemental bill re-
ported to the House by the House
Appropriations Committee allowed
not one dollar for reorganization.
Gen. Robinson engineer Com
missioner Bernard L. Robinson)
and I interceded with a number
OF members of the Senate. We
felt reasonably confident we had
made a good case.
Much to our disappointment,
we learned yesterday that the
Senate had followed the example
of the House"
Mr.. Donohue estimated that the
District would have a surplus of
some Sc million by the end of the
next IL months. He said he felt
the District should have been al
lowed this 100000 of its own
money to carry out the intention
of President Truman and the ap-
parent intention of Congress to
reorganize the city government.
BY Whom, For What?
Somewhere along the line, this
request for 100000 was sab
otaged," he declared. I'D like
to know by whom and for what
purpose" .5l
Mr.. Donohue said the 500, 900
would have been used to spear
head reorganization. The funda-
mental weakness Of the District
government was the lack of an
administrative Office, he pointed
out.
The first step would have been
appointment of an administrative
officer. personnel officer and a
business officer. he continued.
These are all new positions, >"
he said. unless we have the
authority to pay the salaries, r
don't know how we will. Also
I don't know how we will reor-
ganize without them"
I'VE are going to proceed, toI
be sure" Mr.. Donohue declared.
IF necessary, we will create the
positions, see that they are paid
and then take a chance on a de-
ficiency appropriation in January
even though I know how bitter
Congress has been about this
practice"
The cut in civil defense funds,
he said, was hard to understand.
He said the people are told every
day that Russia can attack and
may, yet funds for civil defense for
washington are cut to nothing.
Blow to Civil Defense.
"Civil defense here will be Grip
pled," he said. "It will allow only
retention Of small trained staff.
Unfortunately, being voteless in
the District, all we can do is COM
plain about it and our complaints
haven't been heard yet"
Mr.. Donohue listed other out
standing needs of the District as:
l. The lack of proper school
facilities to meet increased popu-
1ation and shifting population.
2. The public works program.
Sewers need an estimated $186
million and the water system an
other $40 million over a period of
years.
3. A new addition to the Glen
Dale Sanatorium to cope with the
tuberculosis problem.
4. Numerous new welfare insti-
tutions.
While our surplus at the end
of the next fiscal year will amount
to some Sc Million" he said, I'VE
certainly will not carry out our
municipal responsibilities as we
should"