Evening star., 1923-02-25
FILES: HIS MINORITY.
REPORT ON SURPLUS
Representative Evans Dis
agrees With Decision of
Joint Committee.
CONTESTS THREE POINTS
Recommends That Investigators
Continue Audit of Matters
Between D. C. and U. S.

Declaring that the joint congress
sional committee appointed to deter
mine what surplus revenues. if any
of the District OF Columbia are in the
federal Treasury. has failed to carry
through the investigation as pro-
vided for in the act creating the
joint committee, Representative ROD
ert E. Evans of Nebraska yesterday
fled minority report in the House
Mr.. Evans criticises the report OF
the majority-signed by the other
five members of the joint committee
and submitted to Congress on Febru-
ary Sin detail. He says that he is
unable to agree with the findings and
conclusions of the majority for the
following reasons:
Il. The construction oc the act
raising the committee as made oy
the majority report is erroneous aal
the same objection lies as 10 the
construction or affect or other acts
bearing upon or affecting the matter
investigated by the committee.
'2. The investigation made by the
committee has covered neither the
period nor the extent that Congress
directed.
.'3. The finding by the majority OF
balance or surplus Of $.438.l54.92
not supported by facts or law
Recommends Further Audit.
Mr.. Evans. in conclusion. recon-
mends that the joint committee be
continued. with directions to audit
all the matters between the District
and the federal government.
He does net attempt to suggest. he
says. d surplus or balance either for
or against the District. His report
reads in tn 3 connections:
The minority views as herein pre-
sented do not intend to suggest a bal
arce or surplus for or against either
the District or the government. as in
the time permitted, from February 4
1922. to the present, even a cursory
examination OF appropriations and
accounts was impossible.
1T must be concluded that withour
complete checking and auditing of
all items which may enter into the
fiscal relations between the District
and the government there can be no
true balance
I'm conclusion it should be observed
that the balance for the District may
be either more or less than suggested
by the majority. or there may be no
surplus at all.
Carefullness Only Solution.
That the fact sought for may
be satisfactorily settled there should
be nothing left in doubt that can
be made certain. With millions in
doubt. on either side of the accounts
and not inquired into at all, a bal
ance or surplus based upon a care
ful audit of all items and a care
full digest of congressional action in
connection with those items must be
the only proper solution. of the prob
lem, which will insure accuracy. do
justice, and lay, so far as possible
it is possible to satisfy, the various
contentious.
ITO this end 1t is recommended that
the committee be continued with di-
rections to thoroughly audit all the
matters between the District and the
government, including the interest on
all items upon which it has not been
charged. and to ascertain and report
10 Congress what sums have been
expended by the United States and
by the District Of Columbia respec-
lively. whether for the purpose of
maintaining. upbuilding or beautify-
ing the District or for the purpose Of
conducting its government or its gov
ornamental activities and agencies or
for the furnishing Of conveniences,
comforts and necessities to the peo-
pie of the District, all as directed
by the act of June 90, 1922 (creating
the joint committee). and that such
additional appropriation be made as
may be necessary to carry out these
instructions"
Criticize Majority.
Mr.. Evans declares that the major
ity of the committee has not COM
creating the joint committee: that
the committee had no right to de-
termine whether 1t was just and prop
er to go into the subject matter pre-
sented, which covers "all matters"
pertaining to the fiscal relations since
July, 1874. Its duty was to go into all
these matters. He criticises the ma
Jority because 1t made final report
when, as he contends. 1t had had
an audit of the Districts account
time. and made use of the work OF
FORMER investigators for the earlier
period-work that did not. says Mr..
Evans. cover fully the ground.
Mr.. Evans takes occasion in his
report to declare that the right of
suffrage or the right of representa-
tion in any legislative body in the
sense that it exists as state, county
or municipality does not exist here.
congress has the power. and so far
as the capital is concerned. the right
TO utterly ignore such questions.
Discusses City's Upkeep.
Mr.. Evans says that it is constantly
urged that the District is the ma
tfon's capital; that 1t is too great
burden on the citizens OF the District
upkeep and development of the city.
In reply to this, Mr.. Evans says that
the duty of paving streets. cleaning
sidewalks, ETC., rests more lightly on
the owner or occupant of property in
Washington than in any other similar
city.
He says also that every dollar
which is expended by the government
IN memorials, parks, etc, Is adding
value to property in the District, in
creases the number of visitors and
increases the value and income of
property here.
The majority, in its report, he says,
has ignored entirely the injunction
of the law creating the committee to
figure what interest should have been
paid on advances to the District by
the government. or by the District to
the government
Takes Up Bond Issues.
Mr.. Evans discusses at length the
bond issues of the District, cites the
appropriations year by year, and
maintains that, contrary to the usual
opinion, the public schools have been
fairly treated even in the years since
the war. He says in this connections:
I'm the writer's opinion II the people
OF the District should turn their en-
ergies to securing an Intelligent ex-
penditure of their own and the ma
tion's contribution to this fund in
stead Of directing foods Of abuse at
Congress many Of the existent evils
would disappear. This comment is
recognized as not material to the de-
but as conditions in the schools and
alleged disparity between estimates
and appropriations have been injected
into this controversy 1t is submitted
for consideration of such as are real
ly interested In schools rather than