Evening star., 1953-05-26
Lowe Submits
Alternate Plan
On Health Setup
But Reoreonizer
Rejects Proposals
On Traffic Control

the controversial areas Of health
inspection and traffic control. the
Citizens Advisory Council was
told yesterday.
Schuyler Lowe. director Of
general administration. placed
before the council for its infor-
nation the alternative proposal
which would permit the Health
Department to retain control Of
its inspection duties.
He dismissed other plans which
might have prevented the liqui-
dation Of the Department Of
Vehicles and Traffic. ..4
The Washington Automotive
Trade Association declared in a
letter to the Commissioners yes
terday that it would be "a very
serious mistake" to abolish, split
up or to transfer any of the pres
ent functions Of the traffic de-
partment."
"It would be harmful to our
trade as well as to its customers,
the motoring public" the letter
said.
Agency Heads Appear.
Both DR.. Daniel L. Seckinger.
director of public health. and
George E. Keneipp, director Of
vehicles and traffic, appeared be-
fore the council to continue their
opposition to reorganization pro-
poSals cutting down their func.
tionS.
Mr.. Lowe stressed that the al.
tentative health inspection plan
was not a fully satisfactory sub
stitute" for the plan which would
have transferred those functions
to a new department Of licenses
and inspections. s+,
Properly administered, how
ever, he said it would offer a
big Improvement" over the pres
ent set up.
Under the rejected plan, the
Bureau of Public eHalth Engi-
neering, the Bureau of Food In
spection and most of the Depart
ment Of Weights, Measures and
Markets would be consolidated
into a single bureau under the
Health Department.
Sees Possible Savings.
1.-THE improvements, in our
Judgment, would not be as sig
niflcant as could be obtained
through consolidating these
agencies into the new depart
ment. but a savings Of from IS
to 25 per cent of the present
personnel could result even
through this alternate proposal
if proper administrative leader
ship were applied in the direc-
tion of consolidating these activ-
tiles within the Health Depart
ment," he said.
Mr.. Lowe described the pros
and cons Of the alternative, de-
spite the fact that the reorganiz-
ers do not recommend 1t as a
fully satisfactory substitute, so
that the councils consideration
could be both complete and OBJ
jective."
The District Official disclosed
that several other possible plans
were considered in the base Of
the traffic department.
Combines Functions
The recommendation now
calls for combining the traffic
engineering activities of the de-
partment with similar ones Of
the Highway Department in q
new Department of Highways
and Traffic. Motor vehicle and
operator licensing and inspection
activities would go to the new
licenses and inspections depart
ment. n
Mr.. Lowe said that before de-
Gliding on this recommendation,
however, I'VE had considered
placing the motor vehicle ad-
ministration functions as well
into the proposed new Depart
ment of Highways and Traffic.
I'VE also thought seriously at
one point of proposing that the
motor vehicle administration
functions, including responsible
ity for driver safety and educa-
ton, be lodged in a separate de-
partment, probably to be desig-
mated as the Motor Vehicle Ad-
ministration Department." he
told the council.
Feared Economy Loss.
Mr.. Lowe went on to say that
1--WE finally decided against these
latter two possibilities for assign
ment of the motor vehicle ad-
ministration and driver safety
and education functions because
they would diminish by about
IS per cent the savings which We
estimate will result from the es-
tablishment of a Department OF
Licenses and Inspections"
1--WE could not conscientiouSly
recommend leaving the traffio
engineering functions in a De-
partment of Vehicles and Traf.
f1c," he said.
Abolishing the present traffi0
department, he said, would save
as much as 100000 a year
through elimination Of duplica.
ton and overlaps.
Keneipp to Return.
Mr.. Keneipp was invited to
return Wednesday, and in the
meantime prepare a memoran-
dunn for the guidance Of the
council.
Several other department
heads whose bureaus will be in
tegrated into the inspection and
licensing department under the
reorganization plan did not have
a chance to be heard and were
asked to return Wednesday.