Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-07
MANY CITIZENS
WOULD TESTIFY
Joint Committee Will Confine
Hearings to Fiscal
Problem.
LANCASTER TO CONTINUE
STATEMENT TOMORROW
Week May Be Required, But Sena-
tor Chiffon Hopes Arguments Will
Be Closed Within Three Days.

The joint select committee of Con-
gress on fiscal relations between the
United States and the District of Co
lumbia tomorrow will enter upon what
is expected to be the last week of pub
lie hearings on the questions before 1t
for solution and report to Congress.
Senator Chiffon. chairman of the COM
mittee. said last night that he hoped
two or three more days would see the
arguments all presented and hearings
concluded.
From the list of those who still wish
to be heard, however. it appears that
the entire week may be required to
complete the public hearings. When
the committee gets together at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning c. c. Lam
caster will continue his statement to
the committee. He had not finished
when the committee took recess at
l o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Many Would Be Heard.
Among citizens who have signified a
desire to be heard are George E. Ham
ilton, William NICK. Clayton. L. D.
Shoemaker and Joseph l. Weller. As
SCISSOR Richards and e. W. Oyster of
the assessors office also wish to reply
to criticisms made of them by Herbert
]. Browne.
Tomorrow marks the opening OF the
third week of public hearings. list
of half a doses jsepators and represen-
tatives who desired to give their views
to the committee on the subject or the
District was handed to the committee
early in the hearings by Senator
CO "a nf
of Congress has appeared.
Representative Page of North Caro-
lima, who has been chairman of the
subcommittee of the House In charge
bill, was in Washington one day last
week The committee was not sitting.
however, that day, and Mr.. Page was
not heard.
Later Hearing for Congressman.
Members of the investigating COM
mittee expressed the opinion that II
these members of Congress did not put
in an appearance before the close of
the public hearings an opportunity
would be given them to be heard after
Congress assemblies here in December.
The committee, under the law, Is not
compelled to submit its report on what
should be done in regard to District
appropriations until January I.
Representatives of the joint citizens
committee-Henry B. F. Macfarland,
ington-desire to be heard again by the
committee in rebuttal of some argu-
ments made by opponents Of the half
and-half plan, and also to present some
newly gathered data for which the in
vestigating committee asked. Herbert
J. Browne, an opponent of the half
and-half plan. has expressed desire
to submit further remarks.
&1IA
gram from Scott Mayes. an accountant
who helped a subcommittee of the
House District committee frame a re-
port asserting that the District owes
$1,000, 900 interest on the District 3.65
bonds, saying that he will be unable
to appear before the committee owing
to business in Kentucky. The report OF
ington of the joint citizens committee,
who told the committee there was no
foundation for the claim that the Dis
trict owed $1,000,000 to the federal gov
ernment.
Evidence to Be Confined.
The law creating the Joint select
committee specifies that the committee
shall investigate and report on one
question alone: What proportion of the
expenses of the District shall be borne
by the United States and what propor-
tion shall be borne by the District
taxpayers? The committee, however
in an effort to have all the information
possible on the District and its affairs
has permitted the discussion of a wide
range of questions. including self-gov-
ernment for the District, the single
tax system. assessments and taxation
in the District
It has given every one who appeared
full opportunity to say all he had
to say. However. the committee is anx-
ious that for the rest of the hearing
and that they shall keep to tho ques-
tion directly at issue before It,