Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-18
All other States and Canada.
The House Acts.

The District of Columbia has been
condemned again as a haven of tax
dodgers. It has been condemned again
for protesting against the arbitrary de-
cisions OF legislative body in which 1t
has no voice. 1t has been condemned
again for its failure adequately to tax
all Of its alleged taxable resources
when 1t does not possess the power of
taxation. 1t has been condemned again
for its tax rate and the extent OF the
Federal parks. 1t has had the usual
amount Of abuse heaped upon it by
those who govern it exclusively and
again 1t has seen the House vote over
whelmingly to continue the imposition
OF burdens which it does not believe
are fair or equitably placed.
So far as concerns the right" of the
House thus to censure, without cause.
the unrepresented Americans whom it
governs, or to continue o practice
against which they have entered diRni-
lied protest, there is no question. There
Is no appeal.
Those who have protested against
the attitude Of the House In the past.
however, may take the modicum of
comfort that lies in the knowledge that
no word uttered in defense of the
House yesterday disproves their con-
tentions; no point was made that fair
and judicial analysis would not de-
stroy; no issue was defended except by
counter-attack upon those who have
raised 1t and the release Of q smoke
screen Of words that concealed the
merits Of the points at issue.
1t is, In addition, interesting to sum-
Marie the statements made by mem
bers of the House in defense q their
stand. First, that to agree to the Sen
ate amendments would continue to
make" Of this District a refuge for tax
dodgers; second, that it would "betray"
the constituents of the members of the
House; third. that it would create q
surplus Of $4,000 900, although there is
no mention made of the legislative pro-
posals now pending that would account
for this surplus and more; fourth, that
when the Government needs property
m the District, It must pay double its
assessed value, which indicates that
assessments here are so per cent of
true value: and fifth, that while the
Government owns thousands pf acres
Of land elsewhere, the Government does
not contribute to the States one cent
on account Of the ownership of the
public lands or buildings in the forty
eight States, thus implying that the Gov
eminent contribution in support of It's
Capital is based on its ownership Of
land and buildings here.
1t Is likewise interesting to note the
pleas Of ignorance entered by some
members who defended the action
Of the House. And it is amaz-
ing to discover that the root Of
opposition to q careful inquiry to get
ut the facts at the bottom of this con-
troversy is due to the belief that any
fact-finding commission, unless COM
posed wholly Of members of the House,
would, in effect, be packed" and,
therefore, incapable of unprejudiced
opinion.
To Mr.. Moore of Virginia and to
Mr.. Grimm Of New York the people Of
the District are indebted for q presen-
tation of their side of the case, neces-
Barily brief and confined to only few
Of the many points involved, but in
dicative Of desire for fair play, notable
elsewhere by Its conspicuous absence.