Evening star., 1935-01-20

would be So per hundred, and not
$780,"
Then Mr.. Otter resumes the floor
to explain that Of every dollar ex-
pended for character education Sc
would be paid by the local taxpayers
and 81 by the Federal Government.
THAT is correct" Mr.. Dirksen
added.
But, said Mr.. Blanton: "If the
gentleman's premise were correct,
that the assessments were on fun
valuation, say, up to last year, and
I not agree with the gentleman, does
not the gentleman know that in the
hearings the Commissioners testified
that in the last year they arbitrarily
reduced the assessed values $50, ,0OO,-
900 and that again this year they re-
duced them arbitrarily $50,00O, 900;
so that in the last two years they have
arbitrarily reduced the assessed values
$3.50 900, 900 in the District of Colum-
bia?"
Why should not they2" responded
Mr.. Dirksen.
Why should not there be a de-
crease in the aSsessable amount of
property? Did not the gentleman
from Texas take extreme pride in
coming into the well of this House
and helping the people of the District
to constantly get those reductions?
Says He Is Friend.
"Ohi am the best friend that the
Washington people have, in spite of
the opposition Of the newspapers"
replied Mr.. Blanton.
There was, Of course, no arbitrary
reduction" of assessments. Assess
ments were reduced because property
values declined. Even with the re-
duction, Washington assessments are
extremely high.
About this time, the tall, robust
Representative TruaX, an Ohio Demo-
crat, steps Unexpectedly into the pic
ture.
i would like to ask the gentleman
and his fellow character education
ists.' he begins, If they receive their
major support from their constituents
on account of the appropriations they
receive for the District of Columbia
or for their own representative dis
trictS?"
"Oh. now, let me say to the gentle
man from Ohio" interrupted Mr..
Dirksen, that of the $38,000.OOO or
s39,00O,000 that is represented here,
only $5,700,000 comes out of the Fed
eral Treasury. Is that not right?"
That is just one item, but look at
Howard University" declared Mr..
Blanton. Every dollar that Is spent
on Howard University is spent by the
Federal Government. Look at some
of the hospitals here which benefit
District people, the money for which
is furnished by the Federal Govern
ment out Of other bills"
City Pays Its Share.
CBut Mr.. Blanton, of course, did not
explain that the District contributes
to the support of these institutions
through the national taxes, and that
the students, or the patients, as the
case may be, are drawn from all sec
tions Of the country.)
Mr.. Truax said he would favor CIV
ing the $S5,000 character education
fund to the public schools of Ohio,
which, he said, need it.
Here they are, the District tax
payers continues Mr.. Dirksen. pay
ing taxes out of their own pocket. to
which Uncle Sam adds s5.7OO,000.
What for? For all this real estate
that has been displaced and that is
not taxable. because it is a part of
the mstrumentality Of government
Look at the majestic buildings and
the vast amount Of land preempted
by Uncle Sam from which the Dis
trict derives no taxes. That is why
We throw lump sum into this ap-
preparation bill Most of it comes
out Of their own pockets.
Nov their superintendent Of educa-
ton comes before the committee and
says: We would like to spend some
Of our money for this character edu-
cation work that was started last year
1t is their money and they ought to
have some Jurisdiction and authority
as to how they want to spend the
money"
But the argument was futile. The
95 members on the floor voted down
character education, So to 80.