Evening star., 1962-03-30
Different Plans
Advanced in
House, Senate

AOA OSlAIOOI ldl SONCI IIllIlGIlG.
The Governor would be ap-
pointed by the President and
the nine-member council elected
by the people, as urged by for
mer President Eisenhower.
In the Senate, District Com
mittee members were preparing
for a full-Scale hearing next
Wednesday and Thursday.
They are expected to favor
President Kennedy's bill calling
for a popularity elected Mayor
and city council.
A compromise to eliminate
lengthy hearings and to get the
Senate and House together was
proposed by Representative
O'KonSki, Republican of Wis
conSin. He said he would in
troduce a bill to set up a Joint
Senate-HouSe committee to-
settle on one form of an elected
municipal government before
proposals reached a floor vote.
G. o. P. Backing Urged
The bloc of 20 home-rule
supporters in the House is seek
ing to gain Republican support.
Leaders ReuSS of Wisconsin and
Udall of Arizona, both Demo-
Gratis. and Schwengel of Iowa
and Widnall of New Jersey,
both Republicans, deem minor
ity backing essential because
the White House wants the
Kennedy bill cleared at least
IN the Senate this session.
This informal steering COM
mittee of four circulated to
their group a skeleton outline
of a bill they want to put in
draft form by next Friday.
1t would vest legislative
powers in nine councilmen,
each paid $4,000 annually, and
the governor, to be paid $2O,-
900.
The District Commissioners
would turn over the govern
ment to the governor and
council, except that the Ma
tlonal Capital Planning Com
} mission could veto zoning acts.
Veto Is Provided
The President could override
acts OF the council if he found
a Federal interest involved or
II the council action had con-
tradicted the governors dis
approval of an original act of
the council. This was proposed
by Mr.. Eisenhower. The Ken
nedy bill would give the Presi-
dent absolute veto power.
Prospective coSponsors of a
home-rule bill with the four
member steering committee are
Republicans Conte of Massa-
chuSettS, Dominick of Colorado,
Fulton of Pennsylvania, Lind
say OF New York, MacGregor
OF Minnesota, M thias of
M aryland, Schweiker and
Scranton, both of Pennsylvania,
Tollefson of Washington and
WeiS of New York.
Democratic colleagues are
Burke of Kentucky, Cohelan of
California, Gonzalez of Texas,
Mrs. Green of Oregon, Mrs.
Hansen of Washington and
Moulter of New York.
The House draft would set
voting age at 81 and residence
requirements at one year. Pres
ident Kennedy wants 6 months
residency and 18-year-old vot-
ing.
The four House members
Reuss, Schwengel, Udall and
Widnall-left a Federal pay
ment formula out of the bill.
A Kennedy formula balancing
Federal property ownership
against tax rates would give
the city about $40 million an
nually.
This is considered highly
desirable by many, but it could
be a focus for opposition" &C
cording to a memo circulated
by the bipartisan House mem
berS. 1T probably should be
handled in separate legislation"
Recalls 187Os
Mr.. O'KonSki said it was not
in the national interest to de-
vote time in each session of
Congress to long hearings on
the merits of home rule for
the District.
He also said that it would be
wrong to return to a mayor
type of government which was
such a failure in the 1905"
The joint committee, accord
ing to Mr.. O'KonSki, would con-
Germ itself with inquiry Into
a proper form of local self
government for the District.
Such a committee, he said,
rather than studying the terms
of specific piece of home rule
legislation, would invite polit-
ical scientists from throughout
the country to testify on wheth-
er or not the national interest
could be adequately protected
under any form of local self
government
Mr. O'Konski said the District
is an unique place, found
ed solely for the purpose of
being the home of the national
Government. The residents here
now have a right to vote for a
President and Vice President
der the Twenty third
Amendment to the Constitu-
ton. Like other Americans.
they should be able to elect the
officials that make the laws
that regulate their lives in some
form of local self-government,"