Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-09
Four Measures Favored by the
House Committee Aimed at
HaIf-and-Hah Plan.
CHAIRMAN JOHNSON
is THE ARTHUR OF ALL
Drafted So That They Can Be Made
Amendments to Appropria-
ton Bill.

In anticipation of the attack on the
half -and-half plan. which has beer
scheduled during the debate on the
District appropriation bill, the Dis
trict committee of the House today Or
dered favorable reports on four resolu-
tions of the five which have been
drafted in such form that they can be
offered as amendments to the appropri-
alton bill
The measures ordered out from the
committee today are simply new forms of
the old attempt to vitiate the ha1f-and-
half principle of appropriation both by
repeal and by heaping on the tax burdens
in the District of Columbia so that the
District shall force increased revenues to
so great an extent that it cna pay both
its own share of the expenses and the
share Of the United States.
Bills Ordered Reported.
The bills ordered reported today
were:
1. That all moneys appropriated for
the expenses of the government of the
District of Columbia shall be paid out
of the revenues of said District to the
extent that they are available, and the
balance shall be paid out of the money
In the Treasury of the United States
not otherwise appropriated. but the
of the United States shall in no event
be as much as one-half of said ex-
penses.'
? That hereafter all real estate in
the District of Columbia which is sub
Ject to taxation shall be annually listed
by the assessor for taxable purposes
instead OF triennially. as heretofore,
and all laws are hereby repealed to the
extent that they are in conflict here
with
Provides Amendment.
8. To amend the act of 1903 by strik-
Ing out the words. not less than two
thirds Of the effect of which would be
to force assessment on real estate at
full value.
T. To amend the same act further by
change of wording which legalizes
and forces the assessment and taxation
OF all personal property, tangible and
intangible. moneys. cash, credits. etc.
All these were bills prepared and in
Johnson, who had conferred during the
lay with Representative Prouty, whose
weapon Of attack on the half-and- half
plan was described in The Star of yes
terday. The Prouty bill was not ordered
favorably reported today but the ground
covered is found in the Johnson bills
Representative Winslow of Massa-
ehusetfs, who voted against the bills with
representative Wallin of New York, said
Ire had been endeavoring to find through
'ut the country the great outcry against
the half-and-haf plan which has been
20 wildly described in congressional
Speeches at previous debates on District
matters:
When I was at home recently" said
MIR Winslow, II asked several men
boat this half-and-half plan, and three
If them were fellows who worked for
ally wages. They had never heard of
4, and when 1 explained it to them
Fithout coloring it they did not seem
= mind the fact that they were bearing
portion of this national expense"
Says People Are Ignorant.
The truth is. gentlemen" said Rep
sentative Prouty. that the country
in ignorance Of the true state of af-
airs. People don't know generally
hat the government pays for half the
districts expenses"
The subject matter in the bills is
veil known to Washington, well
lnown to Congress. and the committee
discussion today was reduced to the
i,inimum. The question is one of ex-
oediency and tactics on the floor The
District bill is the pending business
laving started late yesterday, and will
continue tomorrow. Today is calendar
Wednesday, and the Barnhart printing
Dill Is the order of business.