Evening star., 1922-07-08
FISCAL RELATIONS
BRIEF TO Be FILED
Congress Committee Gives
District Residents Privilege
to Express Views.

Citizens of the District have been
granted the right to file a brief set
ting forth their contentious in re-
gard to the fiscal relations between
the federal and District governments
and their claims to the $4,000. 900 sur
plus in the federal Treasury, but no
hearings are to be held for the pres
ent at least by the joint congress
sional investigating committee.
This permission was given in a let
ter from Senator Phipps of Colorado.
chairman Of the congressional COM
mittee, to Edward F. Colladay, chair
man OF the citizens joint committee
on fiscal relations. who announced its
receipt today.
Brief Being Prepared.
Mr.. Colladay, who is also vice Chair
man OF the executive committee Of
the citizens joint committee on Dis.
trict-federal fiscal relations, and who
has represented the Federation Of
Citizens Associations on the execu-
tive committee since 1915. and who
has during those years made a par-
ticuiar study of the fiscal affairs OF
the District. is preparing this brief.
lie has the counsel and cooperation
Of about ten OF the principal lawyers
IN the District and of the ables, ac-
countants cognfZant with the finances
OF the National Capital Mr.. Colladay
expects to file this brief early next
week.
Assurance that the citizens OF the
District will have their interests con-
a vt
thetic spirit and that the fiscal in.
quiry will not be long dragged ont
were given today by Representative
! Guy Z. Hardy of Colorado. a member
OF the joint congressional committee.
Pleased With Fairness.
Representative Hardy, who was se-
lected for this work on account OF
his business training and because his
life work as an editor and publisher
has taught him to view public oues-
tions from the standpoint of the peo-
pie. said today that he is much
pleased with the spirit of fairness
with which the committee is work.
ing.
Il am sure that no one will be al
lowed to put anything over on the
residents Of the District" he said,
'.and that the investigation will be
followed along the. most equitable
lines" Mr.. Hardy added that he feels
sure the task of auditing the Dis
trtcts account and Of passing judg-
ment upon how much the federal
Treasury owes the District will not
be as big a job as he anticipated.
Mr.. Colladay was in conference at
the Capitol yesterday with Chairman
Ball Of the Senate District commit
tee, who Is a member OF the joint
at the District building with the Dis
trict Commissioners relative to the
viewpoint Of the District taxpayers.
Legal Side Being Studied.
The joint committee is going thor
oughly into the legal side Of the con-
troversy over surplus revenues of the
District now In the Treasury. before
employing expert accountants to make
an audit for it. Senator Phipps Of
Colorado. chairman Of the joint COM
mittee. said today that it was the
purpose Of the committee to ascertain
the scope Of the job in hand before
taking any further steps, and to go
about the inquiry In a business-like
manner.
The committee has requested THE
representative Of the Department Of
Justice. H. J. Galloway, assigned to
the committee, to prepare a complete
statement in regard to the various
acts Of Congress relating to appro-
priattons for the District An Inter
probation Of these acts is necessary,
1t Is said, to deal intelligentIy with
the subject OF the surplus.
Senator Phipps said that it was the
purpose of the committee also to OBJ
tain from the legal representative of
the District. Corporation Counsel
Stephens, an Interpretation Of the
laws relating to the appropriations
for the District. II possible, he said,
the committee would have the repre-
sentatives Of the Department OF Jus
tice and the District sit down togeth-
or and arrive at an understanding In
regard to these matters.
Az soon as the joint committee hiss
the necessary information from the
two attorneys and has given 1t con-
sideration, the COMMITTEES proposes to
30 ahead with the inquiry as rapidly
as possible. It may be several days,
however. before another meeting Of
the committee is held.
PAYMASTER Is ROBBED.
vnDH Yet