Evening star., 1935-01-20
Blanton and Cannon Win 4 gain
In Denying d. c. Needed Funds
Victory Modified by Success of Otter
and Dirksen in Getting Truth
about Taxes Into Record.
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

bx JhMES Es CnlNNs
The annual battle in the House over
the District appropriation bill Is now
matter Of history. The result was
about the same. Representatives Can
non and Blanton marked up another
victory, which Is different way OF
saying that the District lost.
The fight was mild, however, in
comparison with some of the previous
clashes between the Cannon-Blanton
team and those with the courage to
defend the District. In fact, Blan-
ton and Cannon found this year only
two persistent adversaries-the slow
speaking, matter of fact Otter Of
Pennsylvania and the more emphatic,
touseled- haired Dirksen of Illinois.
But what chance did two Repub-
licans. like Otter and Dirksen, have
against two seasoned fighters such
as Cannon and Blanton and a cham
ber full of Democrats who were ready
to follow them at the drop of a hat?
Otter, incidentally, was the only
Republican member on the Subcom-
mittee Of Appropriations which framed
the 1885 District bill, and he knew
well the inequities 1t contained. Dirk
sens interest in Washington and the
battle he waged for a square deal,
grew out of the fact that he is men,
Der of the District Legislative Commit
tee.
Committee Slashed Bill.
The bill itself came into the House
from the Appropriations Committee
more than $l.000.000 short of the
amount recommended by the Budget
Bureau. Blanton and Cannon took a
large share of the credit for that cut
in the committee. for they usually
dictate the District bill-Cannon the
subcommittee chairman and Blanton
his most active supporter.
And having done thorough job IN
the subcommittee, Cannon and Blan-
ton were determined it should not be
undone on the floor Of the House
Their efforts were rewarded because
the House, despite the pleas of Otter
and Dirksen, refused to change word
or figure in the bill. It passed and
went to the Senate in exactly the
same form that it came out Of the
committee. That, in itself, is unusual
for any bill-even in these days ol
steam rollers.
Otter and Dirksen. however, did
much to straighten out the House on
some of the annually recurring ques-
tionS Of fiscal relations between the
District and Federal Governments. In
addition, they counteracted the i'm
preston Blanton gives at every oppor-
tunity that the tax burden is low be-
cause the tax rate is low and that
District residents enjoy many free
privileges" for which his constituents
have to pay.
For instance, Blanton has told the
House time and time again that
whenever tree is planted in Abilene,
or sprayed to destroy the caterpillars,
the good folks there dig into their
jeans and pay for 1t. But here in
the District, he led the House to be-
lieve. these operations cost the tax
payer nothing. He forgets to mention
the fact that such services are paid
for out Of the general tax revenues to
which all taxpayers contribute, and
that the same thing is true of trash
and garbage removal and the sewer
system-all services which, he insinu-
ated. are free" merely because no
special tax Is set up to finance them.
Record Is Modified.
The pages Of the Congressional Rec
ord during consideration of the Dis
trict bill are literally cluttered with
similar statements, but this year
Messrs. Otter and Dirksen succeeded
in shedding more light on the facts.
Let's dig into the record for a
more comprehensive picture
The prelude is something like this:
Mr.. Otter is making a vigorous plea
to have the House appropriate nearly
$4,000 to continue the character edu-
cation course in the public schools in
the coming fiscal year.
Mr.. Blanton Is recognized and says:
We have 1900 teachers in the city
Of Washington. Complaints during
the last 18 years have come to us that
some Of them are OF color-are Com
munistic in their tendencies. If the
character education permits each one
Of the 1900 teachers to talk to the
children as each wants to talk to them,
how could character education be
built in the Schools?"
will the gentleman be so kind as
to inform us how many Communists
we have on the teaching staff?" in
Quires Mr.. Dirksen.
In the last 10 years" replies Mr.
Blanton, Il have received several
complaints"
How many? Let us be specific? ?"
says Mr.. Dirksen.
II understand" said Mr.. Blanton
that one of the teachers was sus-
pended here once The teacher then
appealed to the American Federation
of Labor and the Teachers Union, and
that organization forced the teaching
staff to restore the teacher; and re-
store the salary. There have been
several complaints here during the
last Is years"
Other Situations Cited.
Several complaints among 1900
teachers over a period Of 18 yearsi"
exclaimed Mr.. Dirksen. You will
find that condition prevails in every
city Of this size In the United States. "
After ALL" replies Mr.. Blanton,
"there should be character teaching
in the makeup Of every teacher. Is
not that SO? Every teacher, every
where, in every school, should do his
part IN character building"
Quite so," agrees Mr.. Dirksen.
Suddenly, in the midst of this de-
bate, Representative Fitzpatrick, a
Democrat from New York. rises, and
asks:
What is the tax rate in the Dis
trict of Columbian
ut is $1.50 hundred" replies Mr..
Dirksen.
And what is the tax rate in the
gentleman's community" adds Mr..
Fitzpatrick.
II suppose about $780," Mr.. Dirksen
answered.
"That Is twice the amount here"
said Mr.. Fitzpatrick.
"Oh. let me explain" declared Mr..
Dirksen.
Does not the gentleman think the
people in the District Of Columbia