Evening star., 1922-05-21
BY WILL p. KENNEDY

pect for the city of Washing
ton. The people geaerally
throughout the country are
coming more and more to realize that
it is their Capital city. and to take
keen and personal interest in its de-
velopment. Members of Congress.
many of whom have been accustomed
to consider the District OF Coiumbia
as a mo mans land" of politics. are
having it impressed upon them that it
is not only a part of the United States.
but the very heart of the nation.
So that 1t is coming to pass that
instead of trying it out on the dog.
when immature. haIf-baked, revolu-
tionary or -propagandized legislation
is proposed, the members of Congress
are now being forced by sentiment
from back home" to go cautiously
and to weigh well how similar legis-
lation would fit in the home district
Several notable and recent spasms OF
nightmare legislation to the contrary
notwithstanding.
Eject Back Home Now
Must Be Coasidered.
Congress is coming to appreciate
that while 1t has sole jurisdiction over
the Capital city. it must consider very
carefully, how laws passed for sthe
District Of Columbia may spread to
home balliwicks. and also how the
various interests in the home towns
and states may be vitality affected by
a measure drafted nominally for
Washington only.
In this way the District of Columbia,
instead of being a mo mans land" is
in reality the first line trench of leg
islation. because laws made primarily
for the Federal city directly or indi-
rectly, sooner or later have r very
material effect on the whole country.
People Want Warrington
Treated Generously.
Prominent members of Congress in
the present campaign are finding out
that they have to answer directly
to their constituents for their initia-
tion or support of measures affecting
the National Capital. This account
ing of stewardship is demanded not
alone by the voters from the several
,, states. who are living by the hun
dreds in Washington. but maintaining
| voting residences in the states. The
people generally throughout the
states are convincing their represent
atives and senators that they want
the capital city treated not only with
out parsimony. but with positive
generosity. They personally like to
come to Washington for a visit. and
when they come here they want to
marvel at the most beautiful city in
the world. instead of seeing a stretch
OF undeveloped land. ill-kept. between
the Union station and the Capitol. or
to go humping over unrepaired
streets, or even to read in the daily
schoolrooms here to accommodate the
children who are learning their his
tory and patriotism a t the very shrine
of the nation.
Despite the efforts OF some con-
gressmen to make it appear that un-
der the half-and-half plan each Amer
ican is called upon 10 pay as much
as each resident of the District of
Columbia toward maintenance of the
capital. the people know as a matter
of fact that the average tax against
each American for the purpose is less
than 10 cents a year. and that Of
every $500 paid in taxes, less than
one is spent on the Federal city
There isn't a man. woman or child in
the country who would not be willing
to spend at least a dollar a year, IL
asked to. to make and maintain the
city of Washington as the most beau
tiful in the world.
Interest Not Coaaned
To Question OF Taxes.
But entirely aside from the general
policy of decently supporting the Fed
eral city. the seat of government, the
people in every state are taking a
deep, personal, individual interest in
legislation proposed for the District
Of Columbia. Illustrations are nu-
. merous, but TO give only few that
are present tense:
Washington is now trying to oh
serve daylight saving unofficially.