Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-19

disclosed the utter impossibiIity OF
| measuring in terms of exact percenta &c
hgures the relative capital obligations
of the District and of the United States
and of specifying conclusive reasons for
any precise percentage figures
Inc committee, therefore. unable tc
give to Congress exact proportionate
contribution figures backed by specifi,
reasons, as directed. reported that
| there is no reason for auy arbitrary
RUE or proportionate contribution 70,
the expenses Of the District of Cefum
bla by the residents thereof, and by
the people of the United States who
reside outside of the District of Co
| lumbia."
The committee finds that the organic
act of 1873 was conceived s an econom.
1c necessity and was justified by the
ex1gencies Of the time and the condi-
, uons OF that day" but that the condi-
tons of today and of the few years last
OF 1919 that this arbitrary rule--a rule
OF then seeming necessity-need no
longer be applied to District appropria-
, tions."
National Contribution Still Needed.
What are the changes in condition.
which cause the committee to think tina.
an arbitrary half-and- half rule may no.
be necessary today
The committee indicates. these chanpes
The District had in 1878 less than ha II
Its present population. and was then
weighed down by heavy burden Of
debt, which has now been largely paid
The District no longer needs. the COM
mittee thinks. to be compelled by la "
to bear its proper share of the burden
On the other hand. the national govern
ment. the committee indicates. has since
1873 recognized the splendid utility and
beauty of the city planned on national
base" it has erected many buildings
'of the very highest standard of arch,.
lecture" it has acquired more and more
land every year. holding it for strictly
governmental purposes. and withdraw.
ing 1t from participation in assessment
and taxation: it's Increasing needs
in this. it's central home, demand and
will continue to demand. more land. more
buildings, more reservations" In other
words. the capital land holdings of the
nation and its reasonable pride in the
| beautiful city which 1t has deyeloped
have SO increased since 1873 that the
compulsion of an arbitrary law is not
| necessary to cause the nation, through
: Congress, to bear half Cor even more
| than half) the burden of capital upbuild.
| ing.
The committee does not find that the
! capital no longer needs the national
/ half contribution On the contrary the
committee clearly indicates that the ma.
| tional half contribution is needed more
| than ever. and should. If altered, be in.
| creased. The need Of more than a half
| contribution by the nation is affirmed
| only the need of law to compel at least
! this differentiation is denied
| In the last Congress. when the ioin,
| congressional committee was created
| there was a struggle over the question
| whether the half-and-half law should bt
| killed as unfair or remain in force pend
| ing the report of the joint committee
! 1t was decided that 1T should remair
alive and it is today unrepealed and in
| full force and effect among our statutes
| II the half-and-half law had been re-
peaIed at that time and the function @,
! the joint committee was to report a new
| definite proportionate contribution 70,
| adoption. very clearly the indefinite con
! trtbution system would. in the light OF
the committees report. necessarily con
tinue. For the committee sees no reason
for any arbitrary proportion and is un
able to suggest any new figures But
| this la " was not repealed. and the toin,
committees report, when analyzed, does
not recommend its unconditional repeal
and is dfsti-rtiy hostile to every one OF
CONTINUED on Tenth Page,l