The Washington times., 1922-04-29
TAXPR0bE
IS URGED
BY JONES
Resolution Questions Whether
Government Owes District
or Vice Versa.

or Vice Versa.
A sweeping investigation Of the
taxation situation in Washington
was asked of the Senate today by
Senator Wesley Jones of Wash
ington.
Believing that the long-stand-
Ing controversy between the Sen
ate and the House should be set
tied. Senator Jones thinks a
searching INJURY into the exact
facts is necessary before any
stable basis for local taxation can
be reached.
Question About Surplus.
He lays emphasis upon the $4,000.
600 surplus which the District has
in the Federal Treasury in a resolu
ton introduced In the Senate to.
dayss He declares himself in favor
of joint committee of three SEN
ators and three Congressman prob
ing the entire question TO the bot
tom.
In Senator Jones resolution it is
set forth that conflicting claims
about this s5.000,000 surplus are
now being made. 1t is stated that
the House conferees in the long
wrangle over the District bill not
only denied that there was a sur
plus In favor of the District, in
point OF fact, but claimed that
money was owing to the Federal
Treasury from the District re.
sources.
The point at issue seems to be that
the House conferees declare that GER
tain revenues, such as the receipts
from automobile licenses and SO
forth, should be credited on a 60-40
basis. with the Federal Government,
instead Of being credited entirely to
the District side of the ledger. 1t is
also set forth that, owing to the diff
ficulties of a local tax collection. the
Federal Government was forced to
loan money. to the District govern
ment for eleven months every year.
The Resolution.
The resolution was referred to the
Senate District Committee. Its text
follows:
Whereas the peaple OF the
District of Columbia have paid into
the Treasury of the United States
nearly S5,000,000 more than they
have been required to pay toward
the expenses Of the District; and
whereas the use OF this money by or
on behalf Of the District is denied
Tor the reason, among others, that
: advancement has been made without
interest from time to time during
the last fifty years by the National
Government for the benefit of the
District. and that revenues which in
equity belong to the United States.
have gone to the credit of the
District; and whereas, for these
reasons and others, il is claimed that
the District Of Columbia, instead Of
being entitled to a credit of nearly
s5,00O.000, is in equity indebted TO
the United States; now, for the pur-
pose of ascertaining and determining
the amount, II any, to which the
District is entitled from the United
States, or the amount IL any, which
II may owe the United States, there.
fore:
BE it resolved by the Senate. that
q point committee of three Senators,
to be appointed by the President of
the Senate, and three Representa-
tives, TO be appointed by the Speaker
oi tne house OF representatives, 1S
hereby created and authorized and
directed to ascertain and determine
what. II any, Indebtedness there may
be owing TO the United States from
the District of Columbia, or what, II
any. indebtness there may he owing
to the District of Columbia from the
United States, growing out of tho
transactions Of relations since the
passage of the orasnic act of 1878.
The committee in reaching a concIu.
sion shall consider not only legal, but
equitable claims and obligations, and
shall report its conclusions and recon-
mendations to each House of Congress
on or before the first Monday in
January, 1923; the committee is au--
thorized TO send for persons and pa.
pers, to administer oaths, and to
employ such stenographic, clerical,
and expert assistance as may be
necessary, and to pay for the same,
upon vouchers signed by the chair
man, one-half out OF the contingent
fund of the Senate and one-half out
OF the contingent fund Of the House
OF Representatives; the committee Is
authorized and directed to avail itself
Of the services of the Bureau OF EFF.
ficiency and such expert and legal
help of the Treasury Department
and the District of Columbia as Ii
s,,au hn r,ru ~ i.,o h1a M IN do