Evening star., 1922-10-04
MISUNDERSTANDING
REAL D. c. BALANCE
Tax Surplus of $4,648,606
May Be Increased by
Audit.
REPORT NOT YET READY
Claims Also May Be Found Which
Would Bring Reduction in
Amount.
REPORT NOT YET READY

Accountants employed by the joint
congressional committee auditing the
financial transactions between the
federal and District governments
covering the last forty eight years
have not completed their audit and
will not reach any decision on this
matter before December. at least. The
joint committee has until the first
Monday IN February to make its
report.
That the accountants will find cor
rect the District Commissioners claim
that s4,64S,60669 remains in the fed
eral Treasury to the credit of the
District-being District tax money
unmatched, dollar for dollar, by fed
eral funds under the half-and-half
principle-has never been doubted.
The real question for the accountants
to determine has been if the United
States has any charges against the
District that may reduce this amount.
or if there are any further credits
due the District that would increase
it Those who are in charge of the
District taxpayers interests claim
that there are further credits which
will swell the amount that the fed
eral Treasury owes the District.
Question Is Real Balance.
So the real question now before the
auditors is: What is the present bal
ance as between the federal and Dis
trict governments when all accounts
to date? How much does the federal
Treasury owe the District today?
The District appropriation act for
the current fiscal year authorized the
joint committee to employ account
ants for this work, and this act de-
fines the scope of the audit as fol-
lows:
ITO inquire into all matters per-
tanning to the fiscal relations between
the District of Columbia and the
United States since July l. 1874, with
view of ascertaining and reporting
to Congress what sums have been ex-
pended by the United States and by
the District of Columbia, respectively,
whether for the purpose of maintain
ing. upbuilding> or beautifying the
said District or for the purpose of
conducting its government or its gov
ernmental activities and agencies, or
for the furnishing of conveniences,
comforts and necessities to the peo-
Interest 3 Per Cent.
"And in event any money may be,
or at any time has been by Congress
or otherwise found due, either legally
or morally, from the one to the
other on account of loans, advance
ments or improvements made, upon
which interest has not been paid by
either to the other, then such sums
as have been or may be found due
from one to the other shall be con-
rate of 3 per cent per annum from
the time when the principal should.
either legally or morally, have been
paid until actually paid.
"And the said committee shall also
ascertain and report what surplus.
if any, the District has to its credit
on the books of the Treasury of the
United States, which has been ac-
Because auditors working sepa-
rately for the Treasury Department
and others working for the District
government have year after year
shown the same balance carried on
the Treasury books and the District
accounts, II Is auIHllte0 ny pTdc-
tically every one that the account
ants now employed by the joint in
yestfeating committee cannot fail to
find that the s4,64S.606.69 really ex-
tsts as an actual D. c. credit. How
much of an Offset there may be
against this amount, or what addi-
tional credits may be found to in
crease it, is the real point in the
present investigation.
Co-OperatiOn Given.
The accountants for the joint COM
mittee are working in the most
friendly spirit of cooperation with
the representatives of the Treasury
Department, the Department of JUS
rice and the District government. and
CONTINUED On Page 2. Column 81