Evening star., 1927-12-04
BY BEN McKELWAY.

Discussing some feasible. workable
method Of attaining permanent peace
! between the District and Congress
in relation to the part that each
should pay toward maintaining and
developing the Capital, a prominent
| Washingtonian expressed an opinion
the other day which may be quoted
substantially as follows:
1.-THE $3.50 plan Of sharing ex.
penses and the 60.40 plan sub
stituted in 1929 we're all right while
they lasted. but both are gone now
and the quicker we forget about them
the better. 1t was only through ap-
plication of the half-and-half principle
that the Capital was developed after
| a neglect by Congress between the
| founding of the Capital and 1873,
when the organic law was enacted.
| But the House has shown that 1t VIII
not accept this fixed ratio principle
any longer. What we ought to do
now is to determine a fair rate Of
! taxation for the District--a rate to be
determined by taking into considera.
ton the taxes of other American COM
munities. Settle that question on
| sound, economic basis acceptable to
all concerned. Then let the revenue
|
| United States Treasury irrespective of
what Congress is going to pay. When
| the time comes for framing the Dis
| trict of Columbia appropriation bill
for Capital maintenance and develop.
ment. let Congress frame II with the
| thought In mind that the residents of
the District have paid their taxes as
other American citizens have paid
theirs, and that the whole duty OF
maintaining and developing the Cap
ital therefore rests on Congress. Put
the responsibility squarely on Con-
gress. Then we won't have this
eternal controversy over what the
District IL to pay for and what the
Federal Government is to pay for"
| OF course, there Ia nothing new in
| this theory. 1t would be hard to lif1-
earth a theory in relation to District.
| Federal finances that has not been dis.
cussed and. debated at length. The
ground has been so thoroughly worked
| that it is beginning to become unpro.
| ductive Of new theories. The late
| Senator John .. Works Of California
had an idea not unlike the one quoted
above, but he linked 1t definitely with
| national representation for the Dis.
trict, which sheds q rather different
light on the subject. Senator Works
was a member Of the select joint com.
mittee Of Congress which conducted
such an exhaustive inquiry into Dis.
trict finances in 1915. He signed the
committees report, but flied separate
report outlining his personal views.
In this report he advocated convey.
ance to the United States CT all prop.
critics held in the name Of the District
Of Columbia and assumption by the
| United States of ali outstanding debts
against the District. He proposed
abolishment of the municipality Of the
District, the territory Of the District
to be designated the City Of Washing.
ton, its affairs to be controlled and
administered directly by the National
Government. The rate Of taxation
and basis for assessment would com
pare reasonably with those OF other
cities and all moneys derived from
local taxation would be paid into the
Treasury, applied to the payment OF
/ District expenses and the half-and
half system abolished. The Federal
Government would be wholly respon
sible for conduct and support OF the
Capital. and all appropriations there
for would be made from the Treasury
regardless Of the amount derived from
the District. Special assessments OF
charges against privately owned prop
erty for opening Of Improvement OF
streets or other public improvements
| would be abolished and residents OF
| the District be granted the right of
representation in Congress. the privi.
1ege of selecting their representatives
and the vote for presidential electors:
\ 4 4
| Senator Works views were more
radical, but they did not prevent his
concurring in the report Of the select
| Joint committee. This committee had
been directed to prepare statement
Of the proper proportion to be paid