Evening star., 1921-09-20
A Wise and Timely Act.

Budget Director Dawes has acted
wisely in drafting ex-senator Sherman
as his lieutenant and special adviser
in dealing with District estimates and
In adjusting them equitably as part
of the general budget. The service of
ex-senator Sherman as member of the
appropriations committee and as men,
Der and chairman of the District COM
mittee has given him both a broad
and an intimate acquaintance with
District needs. and with the extent,
collectively and in detail, to which Con-
has met or neglected these needs. This
long and faithful service as District
legislator has admirably fitted eX-
Senator Sherman to perform the pub
lic-spirited and uncompensated task in
promotion of the welfare of nation and
capital which he has undertaken.
Every one recognizes that the pecul-
lar relation of nation and capital COM
pels special thoughtfnlness in fair deal
ing with the capital community on the
part of the national government, in
which the people of that community
are not represented.
But in addition to this basic obliga-
ton of sympathetic consideration for
the unrepresented District. and of
pride in the nations city. there are two
other pertinent conditions Of today
which will doubtless attract the
thoughtful attention of the director OF
the budget and of ex-senator Sherman,
acting for him.
First. in measuring District needs
and comparing them in urgency with
those of departments of the national
government, the extraordinary ac-
cumulation of unmet municipal needs
OF the war time will certainly be taken
into account. If the obvious main
tenance and development demands of
the vital municipal functions and ac-
tivities of the capital had been ade-
quately met in the war time the mu-
nicipal expenditures of that period
wc:ild have been, greater by millions
than they actually We're. These munich
pal needs, neglected in the stress OF
war and in the patriotic application of
every resource to the winning of the
war, now that the war is over demand
special consideration and prompt salts
faction. Schools. water supply. streets.
sewers, grossly inadequate wage scales.
both absolutely and in comparison with
the national government wage scales,
are among the municipal items which
demand in justice the immediate eX-
penditure of large amounts of money,
under any system Of wise economy and
efficiency which can he applied.
The second peculiar condition to be
noted is that while these neglected
municipal needs of the war time were
accommodating the tax money to pay
the Districts share Of meeting these
National Capital needs was collected
under the law, and, failing to be i'm
mediately appropriated in accordance
with the law. has also accumulated.
and is now to the extent of nearly five
million dollars in the Treasury, await
ing appropriation as part OF the Dis
trict's share of National Capital ex-
penditures, in accordance with the
half-and-half law. which authorized tax
collection for this specific purpose only.
and under the provisions of which
every dollar of this tax money was
collected.
Thus through war neglect Of munich
pal needs millions Of these unmet
needs have accumulated. and the tax
money to meet the Districts share of
part of these unmet needs has, in ac-
cordance with the law and to The ex-
tent of millions. also accumulated.
The budget is to be based upon
equity, economy and efficiency. 1t can.
not be thus based, so far as affects the
District, unless it takes into account
these unique factors Of the National
Capitals problem.