Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-03
Perpetuating an Error.

- Perpetuating an Error
The National Committee for Economy
In Government and the National Asso-
citation of Manufacturers Of the United
States have issued jointly the first OF
series of imposing charts to show the
growing cost of government, especially
Of Federal Government, in this country.
They are interesting and possibly
valuable charts, but their accuracy. IS
Immediately challenged by the absurd
lsstInr of the District of Columbia
among the. thirteen" Federal Depart
rnents.. the cost Of which is alleged to
be breaking the backs of American citi-
zens. Each OF these three departments
costs / cent EACH" says the chart, IN
showing how the Federal dollar" is
spent. and the three departments are
named as Justice, District OF Columbia
and Commerce. These are the three
smallest. each costs one-half . cent
EACH continues the chart, naming In
order Legislative" State and Labor.
The expenditures by the Federal Gov
eminent on the Department" of the
District Of Columbia are given as
ca. 1866, 64s In 1891. and as s44,4s7. 622
In the current years appropriations.
,The source Of this palpable misrep-
reeentation Is the Federal budget itself,
OF which the National Committee for
Economy tn Government evidently
made use in, compiling the charts. The
COMMITTEES merely perpetuated an error,
as-others have done. The budget lists
estimates and appropriations for the
District Of Columbia along with purely
Federal expenditures, and the fact that
Ideal taxpayers, through their high mu-
nicipal taxes, furnish the greater part
of the revenue for the Districts main
tenance and development escapes al
but the most painstaking and meticu-
lous Of examiners.
sfcr 1851, instead Of contributing AS
sss,els TO the District. tbs District
auditors. figures reveal Federal con-
tribusion # .7a2,ooo-And this Inquire
includes, 10 Federal contributions,
soma .iAems which may b contested q
eqiiitabty rsptesenting q Federal con-
tribution. FOR the current years ap-
uropriationss the Federal contribution,
listed By the same authority. - $7,77S,-
900 subject TO later revision. These
Federal contributions are fer below
the redersl contribution demanded
by unrepealed law. In proportion
to- 'tAe total appropriated in 1925,
the FEDERAL Contribution has de-
creased fifteen per cent, while the
amount appropriated from local tax
revenues has increased nfty-for per
cent. 50,
The error in these charts is obvious
10 any one familiar with the system OF
Local government. But these. especially
In the audience addressed by the Ma
tional Committee for Economy in Gov
eminent and the National Association
Of Manufacturers Of the United States,
are relatively few. The audience sees
merely the total figures. And when it
Is discovered that the District OF Col
unabia receives from the Federal Gov
eminent some $4,000, 900 q year as
compared with the $4,000, 900 re-
ceived In 1921, the immediate impulse
issto' telegraph . Congressman TO cut
down on the District Of Columbia and
save the national taxpayers.
It Is to be hoped that in their next
series of charts and tables, the National
COMMITTEES for Economy IN Govern
ment will correct an error, and explain
THAT citizens OF the District not only
pay heavily in local taxation to shoulder
the mounting costs of the municipal
government, but pay heavily, In ad-
dition, as national taxpayers. Unlike
citizens Of other municipalities, they
arr prevented from effecting Local
economies to Offset growing burdens OF
FEDERAL taxation, Local economies tend
merely to increase the local tax burden
further to relieve the Federal Govern
u1ent of equitable participation in ex.
penses Of its Federal City, while the
savings" are in proportion so small
that the Federal tax burden remains
unaltered.