Evening star., 1923-10-22
No Radical Unsettlement of
New Organic Act-No
Change of 60-40 Ratio.
DO NOT RENEW FIGHT TO
RESTORE $3.50 RATIO
Or Kill Definite Proportionate Con-
tribution System With Lump
Sum Payment Plan.
Editorial Correspondence Of The Star.
THEODORE w. MOVES.

The organic act of 1873. pronounced d
by the Supreme Court of the United
States "the constitution of the Dis
trtct," has been amended in due form
and with deliberation. The new or
ganic act of 1922 displaces the act
of 1878 in fixing the fiscal relations
of nation and Capital.
The wise and just law of 1873
benefited both Capital and nation for
forty-four years. The nation. which
had grossly and shamefully neglected
its National Capital obligations for
more than three-fourths of a century.
made self-imposed reparation by the
act of 1878; and as the result of the
operation of this equitable and benefi-
cent law for nearly half a century
the nation has regained its self-re-
spect as Capital builder, and the
Capital. which had been humiliation
to it's people and a reproach and a
shame to the nation, has become an
inspiration to national patriotic pride.
1t is not surprising that the change
of conditions in half a century should
make reasonable and fitting an over
hauling of the District constitution -
No state constitution has. II is be-
lieved. shown greater stability in
strength Of resistance to radical
change for so long a period.
A Guarantee of Peace and Justice.
One of the great benefits to nation
haps next in Importance to its guar
antee of just taxation of the District
by a taxing body in which the Dis
trict is not represented, was its
function as compromise peace
guaranteeing law which assured fiscal
certainty in the relations of nation
and Capital and relieved the people
of the District and the people of the
United States, including the Amer
leans of the District, of annual ir-
ritating, friction-c causing and pref
udice- breeding controversies over the
District fiscal relations. The word
ing of the law of 1922, making spe-
cific fiscal provisions covering a
period Of five years and Indefinitely
thereafter, and the declarations of
the legislators who have been con-
spicuously active in the enactment
tention that the act of 1922 shall per-
form the same misunderstanding,
prejudice removing and peace-pro-
noting function as that of the law
of 1878, and record the deliberate
determination of the national legis-
lature that the new law shall have
full opportunity to develop its merits
and demerits without disturbance
through the constant raising and dis
cussion of new propositions concern
ing the fiscal relations of nation and
Capital.
Lessening Prejudice and Friction.
Our national legislators and the
people of the District are alike weary
of and disgusted with annual squab-
bies, infiaming prejudices and breed
ing recriminations over the exact fis-
cal relations of nation and Capital.
And minor injustices to the Washing
tonian, created or left uncorrected by
the new law, become as nothing in
view of the blessing for years to come
of certainty in national relations and of
assured fiscal peace.
Features of New Organic Act.
What then are the characteristic
and dominating features of the new
organic act? I. After a period of wa
vering 1t fs determined that the wise
and just principle OF definite proper
tionate contribution by nation and
Capital toward Capital upbuildinE
shall be preserved. z. 1t is determined
that the ratio of contribution toward
Capital upbuiIdfng shnIl be 40 per ce mt
Capital taxpayers.
The reservation of power by Con-
gress to make appropriations in eX-
ceptional cases on some other ratio
than 60-40 does not detract from the
stability, permanency and general
application of the new ratio. The Gus
tom is well established of appropriat-
ing on the full cost basis for the Dis
trict in exceptional cases whenever
Congress pleases without any author
ity to do so in the substantive law;
and by putting on record authority to
for the District to urge that purely
national expenditures, though made
in the District, shall continue to be
paid wholly from the Treasury. and
shall be fully met that are con-
tractual, as in the case of sinking
fund payments on the 3.65 bonds, or
that will otherwise make change of
ratio (from $3.50 to 60-40) inequi-
tably retroactive, as in the case OF
final expenditure of the Districts mil
lions of tax surplus accumulated under
the half-and-half law.
The new ratio of 60-40 is as the gen
eral rule definitely and permanently
or for an underlined period substituted
for the $3.50 ratio of 1873.
Hold Fast to New Organic Act.
The decision on this point should
be permitted to stand without appeal
for several Congresses at least. The
national Legislators nnd District tnx-
payers are entitled to n wholesome
and refreshing period of rest from
fiscal controversy. No proposition to
restore the fifty-fifty ratio, or to sub
stftute an indefinite national contri-
button for one that fs definite, or to
provide lump-sum national con-
tributiOn instead OF the nations pro-
portionate. contribution under the
new ratio should receive cOnsidern-
ton. Revival of the issue In any
shape is contrary to the spirit of the
cOmprOmise enactment of 1922.
New Burdens Patiently Borne.
Wholehearted assent by the Dis
trict to the law of 1922 involves sacri-
fees and the bearing of new burdens,
which should, however. be cheerfully or
at least philosophically endured.
What are these additional burdens
The new organic act, while it retains
the vitally essential principle of definite
proportionate contribution, upon which
the law Of 1878 was based. changes the
ratio of contribution from $3.50 to 60-40,
the District becoming the majority con-
tributor. Under the old law the Dis
trict would nominally contribute $10,-
000, 600 out of capital-upbuilding ap-
propriation of 500, 900, 900; under the new
law 1t would contribute $12.000,000.
Other provisions of the new law,
supplementing this enlargement Of
the Districts proportion OF contri-