Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-28
House Doubts
Value Of D. C..
Reorganization
Committee Voices
Skepticism on Actual
Savings to Result

By Harold B. Rogers
House Appropriations Commit
tee members have doubts about
the District Governments abil-
ity to save money through reor-
ganization.
This was indicated at recent
subcommittee hearings on ap-
preparations for the city's new
Department of Administration.
The transcript was made public
today.
Chairman Taber of the House
Appropriations Committee, Sub
committee Chairman Wilson, Re-
publican, of Indiana, and some
others expressed fear that re-
alignment of the Districts many
agencies might fail to bring the
economies predicted.
District Commissioners and
their aides contended however,
that when the new system is
established it will result not only
in substantial economies, but
more efficiency and better ad-
ministration.
Budget Action Near.
Meanwhile, the Districts bud
get for the fiscal year beginning
July / has been written into an
annual appropriations bill by the
subcommittee. It will come be-
fore the House Appropriations
Committee for action tomorrow
and is slated for House debate
and passage on Tuesday.
Most reliable indications are
that the $149 million budget re-
quests will be cut by the Appro-
priations Committee. but no de-
tails were available. When the
bill was marked up" on Tuesday,
Subcommittee Chairman Will
son said all members had been
sworn to secrecy.
Much interest centers on the
fate of the revised $2,884,347
item for the city's new Depart
ment of Administration, which
the District Commissioners had
changed on orders of the sub
committee.
The departments new esti-
mate was finally fixed at the $2.8
million figure by transferring to
it $4,000 formerly listed for it
but charged to other city agen-
cles. The controversy over this
issue between the subcommittee
and city officials was disclosed
during the recent closed sessions.
Facing Agency Protests.
Action tomorrow by the APP
preparations committee on the
controversial Administration De-
partment's budget comes as the
city heads are faced with several
vigorous protests from other city
agencies. which object to being
streamlined by reorganization.
During the subcommittee hear
ing, Representative Wilson sum-
married. the feeling of his unit
while it was rearranging the
Administration Departments
budget.
What I think the committee
has some fear Of" said Mr.. Will
son. lis that you are going to set
up a large central organization
which will be extravagant and
expensive and that you are not
going to be able to show any
savings or anything in the way
of economy, and that it will be
something which we cannot get
rid Of"
Commissioner Samuel Spencer
was asked by Mr.. Wilson what
would be the results of reorgan-
1zation when the city heads come
back next year with another an
nual budget for 1855.
I'VE hope that there will be
two effects, Mr.. Chairman" re-
piled Commissioner Spencer.
Zone is that we hope there will
be some savings. We also hope
and this is even more important,
that we would end up with a
much more effective District gov
eminent than we have had in the
past"
NOrrell Dubious.
Representative Norrell. Demo-
crat, of Arkansas, quipped: If
you do not do better than some
of the Federal agencies have
done, you will not be entitled to
any compliments next year.
have not seen a reorganization
in the Federal Government that
meant a saving in dollars and
cents and am going to look
forward with a great deal of
price when I see your estimates
next year."
Representative Hunter, Repub-
lican, Of California, declared:
Every reorganization has meant
more personnel and more
money!
During the hearing on May 81
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss de-
Tended the city's reorganization
plan against many questions
fired by committee members.
He likened the new District
program to the Army system of
handling personnel and admin
istrative functions. In the city
government, he predicted. "for
the first time we are getting a
consolidated and co-ordinated
administrative and personnel
Office in the top level Of the Dis
trict that can function and
maintain proper control over all
matters of this nature"
The subcommittee heard from
Commissioner Spencer about the
protests being made by old-time
city agencies who object to be-
ing changed.
when you are reorganiZing
an organization such as the Dis
trict government" he said, "a