Evening star., 1953-07-11
Home Rule Bill
TO Be Pushed
By Senate Unit
Committee Hopes
To Get Action in
Current Session
Current Session

current session
Senate District Committee
officials will consult with Senate
leaders on the prospects of get
ting Senate action before the
end of this session on the Wash
ington home rule bill.
The latest version of the meas
ure for an elected form of city
government was approved unani-
mously yesterday by the District
Committee.
The Senate is expected to pass
the bill, but proponents are not
expecting any action this year
by the House.
Before the Senate District
Committee approved the bill yes
terday, it accepted an amend
ment by Senator Morse, Inde-
pendent, Of Oregon, to provide
for the election of the mayor,
instead Of appointment by the
President.
How They Voted.
On this the vote was 5-to-3.
Joining with Senator Morse
for this change were Republican
Senators Beall of Maryland and
Payne of Maine and Democratic
Senators Nicely Of West Virginia
and Mansfield of Montana.
Voting "No" were Chairman
Case and Republican Senator
Barrett of Wyoming and Demo-
cratic Senator Gore of Ten
neSSee.
The action was taken although
some members suggested that
this change might handicap the
chances Of enactment of the
bill.
When the home rule bill is
called up for action by the SEN
ate, Senator Beall will urge an
amendment to provide that
members of the Board of Educa-
ton be appointed instead Of
elected.
He urged this change at yester-
days committee session but did
not press for a decision there
because the necessary amend
ment had not yet been drafted.
The staff was instructed to write
up the amendment and the
Maryland Senator will offer it
when the Senate considers the
bill.
Woul l Avoid Policies
His argument was that the
proposed election of members Of
the school board would throw
the school system into politics"
He contended also that expert
ence in Maryland and other
States, where school board men,
bers are appointed instead Of
elected, shows that counties get
a higher type OF school board
members than where they are
elected.
Senator Beall Is proposing that
the members of the school board
be appointed by the Mayor and
confirmed by the city council.
Senator Morse announced he
would support the Beall pro-
poSal.
The move brought a protest
from Senator Barrett, chairman
Of the Judiciary subcommittee in
charge of the bill, that I'VE are
getting away from home rule"
He voiced the fear that if this
change was adopted, then the
next move might be for the ap-
pointment instead of the election
of members of the city council.
Run-Off Election.
The committee adopted q Sc
ries of amendments recommend
ed earlier by the Barrett SUBJ
committee. One of the more inn
portant ones provides for a rum
off election for the Office holders
in cases where the top candi-
dates did not win as much as
one-sixth of the total votes cast
in their election.
Aside from the proposed elec-
ton of the council and the
school board, the bill provides for
the election of a voting Dis
trict delegate in the House.
The council would be author
lied to enact all forms of purely
District laws, including taxes and
annual budgets, and could adopt
bond issues for the District when
approved by a city-wide referen-
dunn. The bill would become law
when approved by Congress,
signed by the President and ap-
proved in a city-wide referen-
dunn.
Two earlier city suffrage bills
were passed by the Senate, in
1949 and in 1852, but both died
in the House District Committee.