Evening star., 1953-05-21
City Heads Face
New Quiz on
Reorganization
Dubious Lawmakers
Question Legality
And Economy Claims

Up to their ears in reorgani.
zation again, the District Com
today were to reap.
pear before House Appropria-
tions subcommittee to satisfy
congressional doubts as to the
legality of the program and
whether it is economical.
They go to Capitol Hill with
the protests of many Of their
displeased department chiefs
still echoing about their heads.
These dissenting views came
out at a special hearing in the
District Building yesterday.
The city heads are faced
chiefly with the job Of explain
ing:
/. Whether, under reorgani-
cation. present departmental
functions are being legally
transferred along with the trans
fer of departmental funds and
personnel.
2. When, if ever, the Govern
ment reshuffling will begin to
save money.
3. And whether fundamental
reorganizing will be accomplished
by June 80, as specified by Pres
ident Truman's Reorganization
Plan No. S, which went into ef-
feet last July !.
Issues Of subcommittee.
The House District Appropria-
tions Subcommittee, headed by
Representative Wilson. Repub-
llcan, of Indiana. now studying
the District budget for fiscal
1854, has raised all these ques-
tions. Sitting on today's hear
ings. as he did yesterday, will be
Chairman Taber of the full Ap-
preparations Committee of the
House. Mr.. Taber's interest in
the proceedings, he said yester-'
day. is to see that the budget
estimates are revised downward.
not up.
Representative Wilson has
been dubious about District re-
organization since early this
month when budget hearings be-
gan. In fact, the transcript of
the May S session, released to-
day, revealed the subcommittee
chairman considered something
like a full-fledged investigation
of the program.
II think that perhaps we will
have to assign a special investi-
gator to do a little investigating
for u.s." Chairman Wilson de-
clared.
TeStifieS After PilkertOn.
He made this remark at the
close of testimony by A. r. Pill
kerton, District auditor for many
years, who was given the lesser
job of District accounting officer
early in the reorganization
process.
Mr.. Pilkerton had testified
that he failed to see where any
economies had been effected and
where the changes accomplished
anything in the auditing opera
ton. The former auditor also
had this to say to the subcom-
mittee in connection with the re.
organizers:
There Is a big difference be-
tween actual experience in this
business and reading a text book.
I have read all the text books
too. I do not think you can sit
down and read text book and
devise a system which is better
than one developed by practical
experience"
Third Day Of Exploration.
This will be the third consec-
utive day the appropriations SUBJ
committee has delved into the
District budget, with particular
emphasis on the status and cost
Of reorganization. Joining the
Commissioners in today's ses-
sion were Schuyler Lowe, direc-
tor of general administration,
who has charge of the revamping
process; Budget Officer Walter
L. Fowler and Corporation Coun-
sci Vernon E. West.
Mr.. Lowe sat through yester-
days all-day session in the ex-
ecutive Office as disgruntled de-
partment heads rose up to score
the latest reorganization proposal
establishing a consolidated
licenSe-inspection Office to as
sumo the function of more than
a dozen scattered agencies.