Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-12
RELATIONS
STUDY HELD FUTILE
BY MAPES GROUP
Attitude Indicates They Have
No Great Confidence Prob
lem Is Solved.
MORE VIGOROUS SENATE
OPPOSITION is FEARED
Chairman Declines to State How
$3,500,000 in Tax Estimate
Will Be Absorbed.

The special House committee headed
by Representative Mapes of Michigan
which announced yesterday 1t would
recommend to the next Congress several
new taxes for the people of Washing
ton, really feels that its study of fiscal
relations between the Federal and Dis
trict Governments Is futile.
While members of the committee, In
Guiding Chairman Mapes, are reluctant
to make any statements regarding It's
decisions other than the formal state
ment issued by Mr.. Mapes yesterday by
unanimous agreement, their attitude
shows they have no great confidence
they have solved or will solve the prob
lem which has been Vexing Congress
and taxpayers Of the District for nearly
a century.
Fear Senate Opposition.
There Is a thought in the minds oil
some members that the fact it IS a
House Committee. on which practically
every member previously has advanced
decided opinions on the question in
volved, may cause the Senate to oppose
such measures even more vigorously and
take firmer stand in opposition to the
attitude of the House toward the Dis
trict on fiscal matters.
The committee was charged with two
duties. One was to report what the
contributions Of the Federal Govern
ment should be toward the support OF
the Capital The other was to see what
new sources of revenue might be tapped
or what changes should be made in tax
methods.
Action Is Deferred.
In deferring until its next meeting
on November Is any determination re-
gardlng the amount the Federal Gov
eminent should contribute toward the
expenses of the District government,
the committee has left this question
open.
Chairman Mapes and other men,
berS of the committee declined today
to state how the $3,500,000 or more
which it is estimated will be raised by
the proposed new taxes will be absorbed
in District finances, whether this
amount will go toward reducing the
Federal contribution; whether it will
go toward reducing the real estate tax,
or whether it will be merely giving so
much more revenue to spend.
Chairman Mapes said it was his
attitude and that of other members of
the committee that with taxpayers suf-
fering keenly in other States it did not
seem fair to call OH them to contribute
toward the expenses OF the District as
long as people in the District were not
paying certain taxes which people in
other States are compelled to pay.
Sees Little Hope Of Settlement.
Representative Mapes has repeatedly
heretofore let it be known he sees lit
tie hope of settling the controversy
which has existed between the people
Of the District and Congress since prior
to 1885 regarding fiscal relations.
He points out the gasoline tax
throughout the States average at least
4 cents a gallon, which is the new tax
rate his committee recommends for the
District.
The records discussed by the Special
Committee show the average tax on
automobiles, based on weight, which is
enforced in most of the States. amounts
to about $l2 per car. In its report. the
Mapes Committee has reached no con-
clusion regarding the rate of tax on
automobiles by weight.
Regarding the estate tax, Chairman
MapeS and other members of the COM
mittee point out that all but one State
have such levy.