Evening star., 1931-12-18
Support of Foreign Capitals
Mapes Committees Partial Survey of How Other
Nations Help Capital Cities Shown Not to
Have Produced All the Facts.

but The Star learns from its survey
that the national government contrib
utes toward certain projects in the
capital proportionately as it does to
other cities.
For instance, any school in Belgium
may receive partial support from the
government, provided the official gov
ernment educational program is fol-
lowed. Government roads crossing the
capital are maintained by the govern
ment. Other points of importance
brought out in The Stars survey are
that residents of Brussels are repre-
sented in the national government as
are other citizehs and elect their own
local taxation.
The Canadian Government.
Canada, the House committee reports,
has been contributing 100000 annually
toward the expenses of its capital, OF
tawa, principally to cover supposed
benefit derived from fire and police pro-
lection and other services furnished by
the city, but that this has come to an
end" 1t added however, that the city
now is seeking a national grant of
$500,00O annually.
The Star is informed by the city
clerk of Ottawa that the national gov
ernment has spent fairly liberal" sums
for buildings, parks and other national
objects in the capital. 1t is brought
out also that Ottawa is represented
in the national government and has
control of its local government.
The Brazilian Government.
AS to Brazil, the Mapes Committee
FAIn ;et, ~ IN
de Janeiro has no governmental eX-
government or by the Union of the
States of Brazil"
The Star learns, however, that 'the
local police and fire departments are
supported by the central government
as also is the case of the hospital for
insane" The Star is also informed
that the nation does contribute to-
ward expenses of its cities, discriminate
ing in some operations in favor of the
capital" Further, Brazil encourages
increase of local tax resources, in con-
trast to the situation here, where in
dustrial development is discouraged
Residents of Rio de Janeiro have vote
for both local and national officers.
The Danish Government
The Danish government makes an
annual contribution to municipal ad-
ministration in Copenhagen amounting
only to $1,000 annually, according to
the Mapes body.
The Star learns, however that the
nation supports state police at the capi-
tai and that unemployment insurance
partly is supported by national funds
Road funds are provided partly through
gasoline tax. Copenhagen citizens have
the right to tax themselves.
The French Government.
AS to France, the Mapes report opens
with the assertion that the national
government pays nothing" to Paris for
the numerous buildings occupied by
Parliament and other government and
diplomatic quarters. Paris never has
been given special place" in assess
ment scale because of its situation as
the capital it adds. There are certain
SubventlonS," however, the MapeS report
admits, which Paris receives These
the report states. amount to one-half Of
the cost of municipal police; a large
sum for paving, expected to amount to
11,914,000 francs this year, which the
report says is not properly "subven-
tion,' but reimbursement" for up
keep by Paris of its national roadways,
and other contributions.
Summed up. the total contributions
to Paris amount to approximately 2o5,-
10000 francs. the Mapes body reports,
this amounting to mot quite 5 per cent
of the total
Important, however, is the fact that
the national government has no direct
part in fixing local taxation for Paris,
these being voted, within certain limits,
by the city'S elected officers
The Mapes report also did not bring
out facts revealed in The Stars survey
that the extent of national assistance
to the municipal police is greater in
Paris than in any other city of France"
and that a score of mayors of various
city districts are paid by the national
government
Also Paris, like other cities, receives
national funds for schools and public
welfare.
The German Government.
The German government, the Mapes
report asserts, does not contribute in
any special way financially" to Berlin
as municipality for the reason that it
Is the seat of national government.
The Stars survey shows there is no
discrimination in favor of the capital,
the federal government returning speci-
fed portions of certain federal taxes to
all provincial states in ratio to popula-
ton and tax payments
Important facts which the Mapes re-
port failed to state are:
That Berlin residents have voice
in national government and entirely
control the municipal government" ;
that Berlin is the largest city and busi-
ness center of one of the largest manu-
featuring districts of the country; that
federal buildings ARE not prominent in the
vast city of Berlin" which has popula-
ton of more than 1000, 900; that the policy
of the national government is to locate
certain important federal institutions IN
other German cities, the supreme court
being at Leipzig, the court of customs
appeal in Munich government archlVes
in PotSdam, and many research mstl-
tutionS Of the government and many
industrial plants owned in whole or part
by the NATIONAL government are scat
tered throughout the country.
Government of Greece.
The government of Greece grants to
the City of Athens 100000 drachmas
annually, the Mapes Committee reports,
adding that the drachma, being OF un-
stable value, it is almost impossible to
state definitely what it amounts to In
dollars. Taking the highest quotation,
the committee finds it represents about
S3,500,000 1t does not, however, 1ndl-
cate what percentage this Is OF the
total municipal budget.
The Star has no information on
Greece.