Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-02
Havana and Washington,

Cuba, an Associated Press dispatch
says, which has modelled its constitution
and government on that Of the United
states, will take another leaf from our
chapter Of experience next February
when a constitutional amendment be-
comes effective abolishing the municipal
government Of Havana and vesting sole
control Of the Capital City with the
federal government.
There is one great difference be-
HReen the status of citizens of our
Capital, however, and the future status
of citizens Of Havana. Cubans who
happen to live In Havana will retain
their right. as citizens. to participate
in national elections and in provincial
elections-for Havana will still be located
within province, under Q governor.
The only rights they lose will be those
OF voting as citizens Of q municipality.
Havana's municipal politics, 1t Is under
stood, were not conducive to good gov
eminent. In addition, the federal gov
eminent for many years had paid the
lions share Of municipal expenses. The
Federal government had supported the
schools entirely. It had supported other
municipal agencies entirely, and shared
other expenses, such as the police de-
pertinent, on half-and-half basis with
the city. U1der the constitutional
amendment, which was approved, with
others, two years ago, the federal gov
eminent will assume entire control,
together with the financial RESPONSE
bility that such control demands. OF
course the citizens Of Havana will con-
tinue, through their national taxes, the
support Of Capital City projects hereto
fore given. But the responsible federal
government, entering upon q period Of
upbuilding and identifying the Federal
City. win enlarge its own contributions
One naturally wonders how this ex-
pertinent win stand the test Of years.
One naturally recalls q similar change
OF policy on the part Of the Federal
Government In this country, when 1t
decided to take the full control Of the
District vested In it under our Consti-
tuition, abolished all representative
municipal government and embarked
upon q new course Of Capital City de-
velopment and enlargement.
It VIII be recalled that the Federal
Government. through Congresses which
discussed the matter for years. wa
convinced at the outset that financial
responsibility followed exclusive gov
ernmental control, and therefore bound
itself by law to contribute . dollar for
every dollar raised from the urrepre-
scented taxpayers Of the District. Later
1t changed the proportionate share, but
never the law.
For several years now it has evaded
the law, cut down It's proportionate
share, and the unrepresented citizens Of
the community ind themselves taxed
more and more to Offset the diminishing
financial responsibility assumed by the
exclusively powerful Federal Govern
ment.
II, In Havana. the amount Of the
federal participation in the expenses Of
the Capital City diminishes as the pop
ulation Of the city increases and thG
demands for revenue are lessened. thu
people Of the city Of Havana will still
retain q voice In the control Of theil
affairs through their representation n
the federal government. They viii
have the recourses left to them thai
are guaranteed under q democratic
form Of government. They will still
participate. as citizens, in the contro
Of the taxes they pay.
As far as correct principles Is con-
cerned, Cuba has done more than Dor
row a chapter from our book Of ex'
perience. She has edited and rewritten
portions Of it, and the deletions art
more important than that which ha'
been left untouched. We might borrow
back q few paragraphs from Cuba.