Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-29
Framing the District Bill.

Framing the District Bill.
Today the subcommittee of the
House appropriations committee as
signed to consider District appropria-
tons meets for its first survey OF the
estimates. and the Commissioners are
present at its SO ssion to explain their
recommendations and to urge their
satisfaction in terms OF adequate al
lotments of funds.
Our first petition to the committee
is TO appropriate literally for the Dis
trict's needs. putting out Of mind at
this time all thought of the method
of apportioning expense. which. as
result OF conference between the two
houses, will for this year be finally de-
cided upon. We urge that there be no
cutting from the Budget Bureaus
recommendations, unless Congress sub
stitutes some other expenditure of the
money total of the eliminated items
that in its deliberate judgment is more
AL lie pIhiAi AlllFs1 tSt
If the carefully considered recon-
mendations of the Budget bureau are
TO be opened up for decreases. they
ought 10 be opened UP also for in
creases. At least the full amount of
appropriations recommended by the
Budget Bureau should be made.
The estimates are carefully framed
to meet concrete, demonstrated needs.
They include provision for the urgent
necessities of the schools. for library
facilities. for police and fire protec-
ton. for park Development and for
meeting other municipal needs equally
Election of the absolute requirements
Of the Capital municipality.
The law OF 1922 enacts shat an
nually the $40 ratio shall prevail
and provides an elaborate program of
financing for five years, which is now
being carried out. 1t permits excap-
tons in appropriation acts to the ap-
plication Of the 60-40 ratio. a provision
which was intended to permit certain
appropriations to be made with the
whole cost imposed upon the District
and which permitted certain other ap-
preparations to be made on the $3.50
instead of the G0-40 basis. as in the
case of the interest and sinking fund
expenditures under the organic act of
1878 and in the case of appropria tons
TO apply. to the Districts benefit. its
accumulated tax SURPRISES in the
Treasury. These taxes We're collected
from the District for expenditure on
the $3.50 basis. with a corresponding
contribution by the United States
which should not be lost to the Cap
ital because Congress has delayed I'M
til 1925 to make the actual appropria-
ton.
The law Of 1922 thus makes 60-40
the permanent ratio in substitution
for $3.50, but allows exceptions in re-
spect to specific items. In order that
there might be a District appropria-
tion law enacted at the last session
the conferees on the District appro-
priation bill agreed that for that par
ticular act and that particular year
the permissible exceptions should be-
come the rule, and that for the fiscal
year practically all the items of the
bill should be appropriated on some
other basis than 60-40.
There ought 10 he no friction or bit
terness in the lIor.sc committee owe.
the question OF the extent OF the spe-
cific exceptions to b,, made this year
to the 60-40 permanent radio.
The r euse committee will make its
recommendations on the subject, and
the House will act. If the bill goes
to the Senate with no provision OF
604Q contribution the Senate will, it
is assumed. as matter of course. sub
stitute the 1910 provision of payment
. for the lump-sum payment, and the
=: conference committee will in the end
by the yielding of one side or by COM
promise determine the form Of pro-
vision to prevail during the next fiscal
year.
We urge that the compromise law
Of 1922 be given u reasonable chance
to justify itself by its fruits by undis-
turbed opportunity to operate at least
for the five years contemplated by the
statute.
Whatever in the end may be deter.
mined as to apportionment Of costs by
final conference, we urge that the
House committee and the House ap-
propriate with justice and wise lib
crafty to satisfy the multitude Of Dis
trict wartime neglected needs and to
meet the current requirements Of the
wonderfully expanding Capital murici-
pality.
In certain senatorial circles the
Teapot Dome discussion has come to