Evening star., 1935-10-17
All Other States and Canada.
Member Of the Associated Press.
A Sterile Field.

Search for possible new sources of Dis
trict revenue has been instituted through
the agency of a special committee ere
ated by the Commissioners under the
Craftsmanship of the corporation counsel.
Numerous suggestions have been ad-
come taxes and diversion of the gaso-
line tax from road and highway main
tenance to the general fund. Other pro-
posals will doubtless be concretely
brought forward before the time comes
for the committee to report to the Com
missioners and the Commissioners to re-
port to Congress. Larger revenues may be
required if the new District budget, now
estimated at between $45,000,000 and
SAG 1000 900, an increase of approximately
$5,000000 from the current appropria-
tions, is in any material degree adopted.
This additional tax levy, which would
still further raise the Districts heavy per
capita burden, Is only necessary be-
cause Congress refuses to grant the
lump sum of Federal contribution to
the maintenance of the National Capital.
Last year the Commissioners sought
SS,5O0,0O0 in the form of this lump sum
appropriation, which was far from the
former proportion of Federal contribu-
ton. Congress slashed the fund to
e5,7O0,000.
Already highly taxed, the District resi-
dent must bear the burden of the Capt.
tails steady growth without proportionate
assistance such as was undertaken by the
United States when the District was
reorganized into its present form of
administration. There has never been
a repeal of that principle of proportionate
sharing of the burden by the United
States. The fixed ratio has been changed,
and even that amended ratio has been
ignored of late years. On the basis of
the present appropriations the Federal
contribution is less than twelve per cent.
There is positive point of tax satu-
ration in such community as Washing
ton, with its lack of industries, its chiefly
residential character, and its rigid re-
striction within definite boundaries that
cannot be expanded. Real estate, privi-
leges, incomes and inheritances are
about all that can be taxed, and those
definitely limited unless the point of
conf1scation is reached. In the search
for additional bases for taxation the
Commissioners committee will be con-
fronted by sterile field, rendered so,
indeed, by the trespasses already COM
mitted in the course of the recent years
OF congressional reputation of an
equitable obligation in the matter of a
proportionate Federal contribution.
Any revision of the Districts present
tax structure, to be recommended by the
Commissioners committee, should by all
means include provision for an equitable
payment by the Districts largest and
wealthiest industry, the Government of
the United States. In any other COM
munity such obligation of its chief in
dustry would be recognized and ade-
quately met.
There can be no fair distribution of
the tax burden, based on equity, ability
to pay and public policy which overlooks
this important factor. The operation,
maintenance, upbuilding and beautiflca-
tion of the Nations Capital is primarily
q national obligation.
Commissioner Hazen has already an
nounced his intention of repeating his
attempt Of last year to induce the Fed
eral Government to make a substantial
increase in its financial participation
toward the support of the District of
Columbia. In this effort the Commits
sioner had the solid backing of the COM
munity and also of the Districts best
friends in Congress, and he is sure to
he1,o n0,,o1 s,,nnar% f1~ 49, mon