Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-16

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racy by overdosing the Fed
eral interest"
This was in line with warn
'ings from Democratic Senators
Kennedy of Massachusetts, and
Morse Of Oregon.
Senator Kennedy said the
territorial proposal substitutes
presidential control for "execu-
tive officers elected by the poo
pie over whom they preside"
The bill is political hokum,"
according to Senator Morse,
who late yesterday reintro-
duced as q substitute a 1855
bill which would set up an
elected mayor-city council
school board form Of govern
ment.
Mr.. Hanson appeared before
a subcommittee headed by Sen
ator Hartke, Democrat of In
diana. The Senator has sched-
uled three days of hearings on
home rule measures, of which
today is the second. To date,
most testimony has been in
support of an administration
bill calling for the President
to appoint a governor and sec
rotary and for District resi-
dents to elect a l5-member
legislative assembly.
Hits Legislative Consent"
The Assembly, elected on a
non partisan ticket, would be
largely dependent upon the
Governor for political leader
ship, according to Mr.. Hanson.
The Governor, in turn. would
be more dependent on the
President than on the local
population, he maintained.
THE Assembly as proposed
lis little better than a legisla-
tive council of British crown
colonies giving natives chance
Ito consent to decisions of the
Governor General" the pro-
lfessor maintained. He insisted
self-government involved more
than legislative consent
He proposed amendments
that would:
l. Increase membership in
the assembly from Is to Is.
2. Provide for Mayor to be
elected by the assembly and
removable by the assembly.
3. Remove the so-called "dou-
BILE veto power" of the Presi-
dent under the territorial
measure.
Senator Morse has said the
bill gives the President this
double power because the chief
executive would appoint the
Governor and the Governor
would be able to veto acts of
the assembly judged to be of
Federal interest.
Urges Appointed Council
Mr.. Hanson's alternative
would be to protect the Federal
interest by means of an APP
pointed council selected for
that sole purpose. Council
membership would include rep
reSentatives from both Houses
of Congress, the President and
the Mayor Of the District.
The council could delay any
bill for 10 days. If it found
a Federal interest in any legis-
Ilation passed, it could by ma
ljority vote return that bill to
the Assembly recommending
changes to reconcile the meas
ure with the Federal interest.
Then a triple-weighted check
and balance system would come
into play. The Assembly could
override the council recommen-
dalton by a two-thirds vote.
After such Assembly action,
twu-thirds of the council could
permanently veto legislation.
Questions BilI's Working
Senator Hartke opened hear
Iings this morning with a series
of penetrating political ques-
tons about how the territorial
government would work in
practice.
He wanted to know how the
I District could be guaranteed its
present annual Federal pay
ment under a city controlled
by a governor and assembly.
Robert E. Mclaughlin, pres
ident Of the Board of Com
missioners, said the bill en-