The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-01-02

District'sA expenses ought not to
or in the national budget because
the District pays most or those
axnenses itself. The same thing
applies to the Postoffice. Depart.
ment. That's nearly self-support-
/ ing. Then the Postoffice appro-
priation shouldn't go in the budget
according to that.
When They Do.
"The difference is that the
Postoffjcc Is a direct benefit 20
everyone. and everyone knows It;
and they know it practically pays
for itself, tea Most people don't
know the @District pays its own
way. When they see an appro-
sbriation of SO, 100000 for the
Districts school system
"When they do
ssThev naturally think the casn
comes out Of their pockets. Con-
gress doesn't appropriate money
for their schools-why should Con-
gress appropriate money for the
Districts schools? That's the
way they look at II"
'Well, they look at 1t wrong.
"Of course they do-and as a
result Of that matter OF book
keeping you were talking about.
whats bookkeeping got to DO
with it?"
IA Federal appropriation Is sup
posed to be paid from revenues
collected all over the country
every individual being assessed
his proportionate share. Right
or wrong, that's the prevailing
idea. The District appropriation
is cIassed indiscriminately with
expenses that are betrayed from
| the general revenues-and that's
the faulty bookkeeping. Right
or wrong. the voters think the
total OF the appropriation bill is
the amount that comes out or
their pockets via one or more Of
the fifty-seven varieties Of taxes,
and the District appropriation,
because of this faulty bookkeep-
ing, is included IN that total, and
it's absolutely wrong. Do you
get me?"
''Wen. all you've got to do is
explain
+ Hunting for Reason.
ITO 10000, 900 people? What's
the use of making wrong entry
and then spending the rest of
your natural life trying to tell
a nation of radio bugs and cross
word puzzlers that the entry is
wrong? Why not correct the error
instead?"
"You win. And there's another
reason for leaving the District
appropriation out of the Federal
budget
There's lots of 'em. What
! I'm trying to find is a reason
for putting it in-just as mat
ter of curiosity"
II can't help you any there.
But sending the District esti-
mates up to the Capitol is like
throwing a baby into a flock Of
wolves. Every item in the bill
item.
Its like this, what 1 mean.
Congressman Sonso wants a post
office for his constituents at
Dodge Crossroads. The commit
tee wants to chop the appropria-
ton in two. All right says
Congressman Sonso, go ahead
and chop, but you'll be shy a
vote when the bill comes up
Then he tells another committee
man That scheme of yours for
deepening Higgins crick. is, in
my opinion, economically fall
lacious, geographically imprac-
ticable, and officially unsupport-
able. I shall vote against it.
After interviewing several men,
bers of the committee, objection
to a postoffice at Dodge Cross
roads is withdrawn, and provision
is made for deepening Higgins
crick."
where does the District ap-
preparation get off, in a layout
Of that sort? What has it to
offer for support? What can it
threaten against opposition? All
it can do is sit up on its hind
legs and beg. And it can do
that only one day a week. 1
guess you're right. Bookkeep-
ing is pretty important now
adays. Either the District item
should come out
'"There's Bill now"
Lets CO."
Alibi Man: with a little trim
ming that ought to make a
| column
OOO0OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOt
Ed C.sR