Evening star., 1923-02-20
The Surplus Amendment.

1ne surplus Amendment.
In logicaf sequence to the findings
Of the joint select committee charged
by Congress with the duty Of inquir-
ing into the ownership Of the surplus
Of District tax revenues lying in the
Treasury in default Of appropriation,
Senator Phipps, chairman Of that COM
mittee, has introduced in the Senate
an amendment to a deficiency bill, the
law the committees conclusion that
this money Is a District credit, to the
net amount of $4,43S,15492, to be re-
sarded as a free surplus and avail
able for the same purpose and to the
same extent as amounts otherwise
properly credited to the same general
account in the Treasury Department" i"
This amendment does not. il will be
noted. undertake to specify either
the purposes for which this sum shall
be appropriated as District revenue,
OF the ratio of District-national pay
ments in its application. 1t simply
writes into the law the fact that the
District has to its credit this sum in
consequence OF an excess Of income
over expenditure after the deduction
of certain items found to be due to
The United States.
Acceptance OF this amendment
should follow as a matter Of course.
Congress undertook. through the joint
select committee, to ascertain the
state of the account between the Dis
trict and the general government to
make certain first Of the ownership Of
sum known to be lying unappro-
priated in the Treasury, end second
the equities in it upon full considera-
ton OF the record since the last "ac-
counting" which took the form Of
certain deductions Of District money
to pay old items held to be chargeable
10 District revenues as a result Of the
negligence Of federal officials in con-
Quoting these accounts.
1t is highly desirable that this mat.
ter should be closed at the present
session. This Congress undertook the
research, created the select committee
end called for a report by a certain
date. That report was filed on time-a
voluninous, detailed. carefully con-
sidered finding, based upon researches
by expert accountants and informa-
tion given by representatives Of the
District, the Treasury and the De-
partment of Justice. 1t was as thorough
and equitable an inquiry as could
possibly be undertaken, and its con-
clusion was as sound as could be had.
1t was eminently fair to both sides.
The committee pointed out that a
further research through examination
Of all the old records from 1874 to the
present time has becomes impossible
through the misplacing, possibly the
loss, Of documents in the custody Of
the Treasury Department, and it
recommended the final closing Of the
account with this specific conclusion
that the District has title to the
amount named.
Adoption Of this amendment. which
thus embodies the findings Of the
joint select committee, leaves for fu-
ture consideration the objects to which
this fund shall be applied-whether it
shall go to make up the "cash basis"
fund to maintain District payments to
the joint capital fund at the beginning
of the fiscal year. or shall be applied
specifically to some particular pur.
pose, as the enlargement Of the public
school system, or the extension Of the
water supply, or the improvement Of
the streets and roads Of the District
1t leaves also to be determined
whether in full equity the amount
thus found to belong to the District
shall be extended on the ratio Of $3.50,
under which it was accumulated, or
under the new ratio Of 60-40, which
has supervened since it's accumula-
ton.
Opposition TO this amendment can
be based only upon the rejection Of
committees report was signed by all
Of the Senate members and two Of the
three House members. It represents q
five-to-one majority Judgment. No
more complete or judicial or equitable
inquiry can be conceived than that
which has just been concluded. Moth.
ing IL to be gained by postponement
TO another session in another Congress
Of this action in finally establishing
title to the money now lying in the
Treasury in consequence Of. q failure
Of appropriation Of District tax money
enacted by Congress in the past.