Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-03
The New District Committee.

. Tn. House District committee is to be
reor.au zel FOR the new Congress WIN
several changes under the leadership OF
IN. same chairman The District hopes
II win produce more satisfactory results
auJin- TIE ensuing TWO years than II did
du.in2 The ,Set Congress. when the only
eSiSatiun of any importance for which
fl was re-Iousible vas the enactment !,
the loan Shafk az. the other items OF
Ia ~ nomen. having reached the statu-
tory stage ~ way Of the approp. iation
bill Chairman Johnson has the assist
ancc : new committee of several
n.enibef $40 nave served before. but
some If his former associates Of the Dis
tGft COMMITTEE are given other assign
m.nts pree uoins thei' designation on
this body while others are not now in
Congress The ajority OF the members
aFe new to this assignment. and the Dis
I 81 awaits with interest the attitude
which they assume toward local interests.
Much depends upon the composition and
disposition If the House District commit
To-. |; Fas the power Of initiative. and
While under the rules Of the House il is
often handicapped by lack Of time on
the floor. il can accompi sh much for the
Districts good and AT the same time
much for its injury il disposed
II is IL he hoped that the new members
. OF III" House District committee will rec
o.niza that this is an important assign
mont. Congress is charged with exclusive
Jurisdiction over the National Capital,
and tae two houses look tn the District
committees 10 prepare legislation 10 rec
omrnend bills on their own initiative to
examine discriminatively the suggestions
of the District Commissioners. This is a
national duty. however. not a local one,
for Washington is p imarily the federal
city and only incidentally the home of
those who make il their permanent resi-
dence. Ii was created by the government
for its own purposes and is by formal
at of partnership agreement maintained
hy the government on basis of an equal
distribution of the cost. Neglect of the
District impairment of its municipal eff
fcienCy. the imposition of unjust burdens
upon the citizens, the failure to develop
its possibilities becomes reflection upon
Congress.
The District committees of Congress
should assume sympathetic and not a
hostile attitude toward the local COM
munity. There is no natural antagonism
between them. ON the contrary. consid
ering what the people of Washington
have done in the past toward maintaining
a worthy federal city, the committees
should welcome the cooperation of the
local residents rather than begrudge the
equitably justified contributions of the
national government toward District up
keep.
Numerous measures of Importance will
call for consideration by the House and
Senate committees during this Congress.
although the passage in the last hours of
the last Congress of the public utilities
and excise measures, as parts of the APP
preparation act. materially cleared the
calendar Of urgent propositions. A new
board Of Commissioners will probably
soon be in Office. and IL is TO be hoped
that these officials will find in the House
District committee a spirit Of hearty
cooperation To the end of bringing the
District closer 10 the ideal of a federal
city