The Washington herald., 1915-12-12

Il
not only viii the saiaries paid To em-
pl9yees OF the Vnited States scen be-
edme ehtirely inadequatesto the scale
Of living for which they were intended,
but the capital Of the American Re-
public must ere long present such
contrast between LUXURIOUS idleness and
poverty.stricken workers as can be ex-
ceeded In no capital OF professediy
aristocrstie countries"
The prophecy 10 fulfilled. Government
clerks can hsvdly make both ends meet
aires" while within sight of the two
million dollar marble memorial to mar
tyred Lincoln the children Of the race
from which he struck the shackles breed
Ike maggots and die like files.
Federal Contributtons to District
Land valaes.
What does the Federal Government
contribute to the creation of land values
In Washington?
Land values are dependent on the So
cisl and economic level Of community:
on the earning and spending powers of
its members. One-fourth of the income
of the average American family, 1t has
been computed. goes for rent. or for
Interest on the capital cost of home.
Richard h. Hurd, president of the Law
yers' Mortgage Insurance Company, of
New York. In his Principles of City
Land Values sets down that shopkeep-
ers pay out from % per cent to 10 per
cent Of their gross receipts for rent.
Such charges are thus added by the re-
taller to the wholesale cost of goods, and
pass on increasingly to the consumers.
Since store rents are in Washington more
than four-fifths ground rents, IL Is con-
servative to claim that out of an average
retail addition of 30 per cent to the
wholesale cost of goods g per cent Is
added to pay ground rent. The Washing
ton Star and other advocates of the
half and half PLAN claim very cor
rectiy that the Government clerk with
a family can save nothing on his salary.
Yet ground rent, the mere privilege of
living In Washington. absorbs half his
income. not alone from its factor in house
rent or house owning. but in the in
creased cost of food. of clothing. of ev-
erything which he has to buy. Ground
rent takes heavy toll on one hand and
the tax-raiscd cost of everything pur-
chased takes il on the other. Land val
ues are higher In the District OF Colum-
bia than in any comparable American
city. consequently house rents. store
rents and the resultant cost of living are
higher.
cause Of land values in the District.
the expenditures Of the Federal Gov
ernment
The Governments Pay Roll In
wn.htnRton.
According to the Official Register there
were in the Federal Executive Depart
ments in the District of Columbia. ex-
elusive Of the Army and Navy. July I.
1919, 5c.3l2 persons receiving
annually in salaries ........... So 80 s3S
Salaries and pay-rolls of Con-
gress average. 100000
There are "a active and I12
retired army officers in
Washington drawing ......... Is..e0
There are 2S active and I5g
retired navy officers draw
ing .......................... I.7@.oeo
Disbursements at the Soldiers
Home ........................ sSs.oes
Disbursements at Govern
ment Hospital for the In
sane .......................... sao.Go
There were June 81. 1914. S,sO7
pensioners in the District,
drawing Observation-Disclosures. l.Sao.7S5
General and miscellaneous ex-
penditures, including Su-
preme Court and other
courts, Pan-American Union.
and various commissions
and bodies. estimated. I.G0,gI
Departmental expenditures.
rents, building. etc: esti-
mated verage.............. 10000