Evening star., 1926-10-12
George F. Mitchell Gives New
Plan of Governing Fis-
cal Relations.
|~TAX" ON GOVERNMENT
PROPERTY SUGGESTED
J. r. Bibbins Denounces Increase
of "Checkerboard" Streets
in New Areas.

Representation in Congress and the
adoption of a scientific method of de-
tsrmining how much the Federal Gov
eminent should pay toward Capital
development and maintenance were
advocated asN outstanding District
needs by George F. Mitchell. presi-
dent of the Kaloraina Citizens Asso-
ciation. the first witness before today's
session Of the special House commit
tee inquiring into local affairs.
Other suggestions given the COM
mittee by Mr.. Mitchell were:
Substitution of an income tax with
a low rate and liberal deduction In
place of the present intangible per-
sonal tax, which he described as un-
satisfactory; election of the Board Of
Education by the people; separation
Of District finances from the Federal
Budget Bureau, and new law to gov
ern procedure In Juvenile Court.
Would Estimate ''Tax."
In advocating national representa-
ton and election OF the school board,
Mr.. Mitchell stated in answer to
question from Representative Reid Of
Illinois, that he was not in favor OF
local self-government. Mr.. Mitchell
said one scientific way of determining
the Federal Governments proper
share of District upkeep would be to
pay an amount equal to what the tax
would be on United States property
here.
"Would you still advocate that If
1t should prove to be less, than the
Federal Government pays now" Rep
reseutatiVe Reid inquired.
Even if it was less. 1t would stop
the constant harangue about the ques-
ton" Mr.. Mitchell replied.
A considerable part OF the session
was taken up by j. K. Bibbin, q con-
sulting engineer, and chairman OF the
committee of the Kalorama associa-
ton, who confined himself to the high
way plan, asserting that the natural
beauty Of the outlying portion OF
Washington has been marred byS
cutting down hills in opening new
streets. He contended the proper
method In developing washington
should be to preserve the natural
topography instead of continuing the
checker-board" system of. streets as
they exist under the L'Enfant plan in
the older Part of the city.
Pressed by Mr.. Reid for more In
formation, Mr. Bibbins said he regard
but that the condition he complained
of with regard to topography in the
newer section should be corrected.
Mr.. Reid asked him If he thought the
cutting down Of land has anything to
do with the development of row
houses and so-called community
houses, which have led to so much
discussion before the Zoning commits
sion, The witness said he could see
how 1t might become necessary to
build row houses If the cost of pre-
pairing the site was very heavy
Zihlman Points to Difficulty.
Representative Zihlman of Mary
land, chairman of the District com.
mittee, said he agreed with some or
the things Mr.. Bibbins had said. but
that he could not understand bow
preserving the natural topography or
the land would reduce the cost. point
ing out that in keeping. the topogra-
ply there would result many ODD
shaped and different sized lots.
Mr.. Bibbins referred the committee
to Berkeley, Calf. as an example or
what he called "the contour plan" OF
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