Evening star., 1925-07-02
Federal Aid to States.

criticism of Gov. Ritchie of Maryland
leveled at the system of Federal aid
to the States. which has developed
particularly in recent years, in an ad-
dress before the governors confer.
ence.
Gov. Ritchie turned his attention
particularly to the so-called $3.50
system, by which the States are
called on to match dollar for dollar
with the sums appropriated by the
Federal Government in order to bene-
tit under the law providing the Fed
eral aid. He pointed out that already
this system includes six separate sub
jects-agricultural extension work,
highway construction, vocational edu-
cation, industrial rehabilitation. pre-
ternity and infant hygiene. The ap-
propriations by the Federal Govern
ment for these "aids" totaled $75,-
s66,3sO during the fiscal year 1924.
All of the laws passed by Congress
covering these subjects date from
1914. The system. therefore, is of re-
cent growth. But 1t shows signs of
being vastly extended
Every one of the matters covered
by this system of Federal aid is local.
When the Constitution was adopted,
jurisdiction over these matters was
reserved to the States. Under the
$3.50 plan of Federal aid the Govern
ment demands and obtains a certain
amount of control over the expendi-
ture OF the money, over activities
which should be handled by the States.
Through this system the Federal
Government indirectly obtains control
over matters within the States
which by the terms of the Constitu-
ton 1t could not maintain directly.
The insidiousness of the system is
its particular danger. There is no tell
ing to what extent it will go. central
izing the Government in WASHINGTON
and standardizing living conditions
among the people of the country, no
matter what the desires of the differ
ent localities may De.
Several times in the past President
Coolidge has called attention to the
danger of too great Capitalization Of
government in Washington. He has
strongly urged the cause of States
duties and responsibilities, as against
the assumption on the part Of the
Federal Government of the duties and
responsibilities which clearly should
lie within the States.
a Gov. Ritchie has presented a de.
tAiled study of the manner in which
the system is working and has urged
that these laws providing Federal aid
encroachments upon the control over
States affairs by the Federal Govern
ment be halted.
In his opinion the impairment to
State initiative and incentive far
outweighs any immediate benefit
which the individual States may de-
rive from the operation of this sys-
tenn. There are obvious defects in the
the amount of Federal aid returned
to a State bears no relation at all to
the contribution made by the State to
Federal revenues. A small group Of
States, more populous and more
wealthy, contribute the major share
of the Federal revenues, but the pro.
portion of the funds returned to these
States through the $3.50 system does
not take this fact into consideration
at all.
The arguments for Federal aid to
the States stress the fact that a num-
Der of the States have wide areas.
small populations and comparatively
little wealth. But when a State has
been admitted to the Union it is a
recognition by the people of that State
as well as by the Federal Govern
ment that the State is worthy and
capable of self-government and self
development. Paternalism is an evil
against which the fathers Of the coun.
try inveighed. 1t is an evil which
N'''
than it did in the days when the
country was young and struggling.
Gov. Ritchie has put his finger on
an issue which is bound to come
more and more to the front as the
advocates of Federal aid, of Federal
standardization Of government and
manner Of living and education seek
to extend the system which has lately
come into vogue. Even now a pro-
posal for a great department of edu-
cation, with $1Oo,OO0,Oe0 to be ex-
pended annually by the Government,
largely through the $3.50 system, is
advanced and efforts are being made
to have Congress enact it into law.
Those who believe in the principle
of local self-government are arming
against this invasion of the duties
and responsibilities Of the States.
There is no Darwin press agent to