Evening star., 1936-04-08

as a State when burdens are imposed
and not viewed as a State but for
gotten as if n0nexiStent when benefits
or privileges or rights are to be con-
ferred. The District has been pro-
n0unced a State under a treaty with
France-a construction comforting
privileges on aliens, but not a State
under the Constitution, whose peo-
pie can sue, either as State citizens
or as aliens, in the Federal courts.
The District is a State when direct
taxes are to be collected, but not a
State when Representatives are ap-
portioBed, though the Constitution
couples the two things. The District
is not a State to make and carry out
through State Legislature laws for
its own benefit, but it is now re-
preached as State because il
escapes the tax burden incident to
the exercise of this privilege Of a
State. The District is not to be
State to enjoy any of the political,
judicial and financial benefits, privi-
leges and rights Of State, but is to
be a State to the extent that the
equitable tax burden of its people,
in comparison with the tax burden
of other Americans, must be figured
to include consideration of State taxes.
The District is remembered as
among the States when national in
ternal revenue taxes are collected, but
has been forgotten as completely as
If non-eXistent when the Nation has
distributed grants, subsidies, bounties,
etc, to the value of hundreds of mil
lions of dollars to the States, though
the District has contributed in ma
tional taxes from which these dona-
tions are paid more money than is
contributed by any one of nearly half
of the States of the Union and more
than 9 of the States combined.
No Podsnappery.
Uncle Sam as Mr.. Podsnap waves
the District out of remembrance and
out of existence when it is disagree
able for him to remember! Let Uncle
Sam remember that the District pays
into the fund from which public
buildings are erected, salaries of Con-
gressmen paid-and the billions of
New Deal expenditures must be met
more money than any one of the % of
the States, more than 9 of the States
combined and more per capita than
81 of the States.
When Washington as part Of State |
enjoys the expenditure within it of its
due share of the State fund to which |
its limits contribute, it will be time to |
permit State taxation to enter into its
comparative per capita tax figures. |
When Washingtonians are like Balti-
Marylanders again, with all
the Marylanders' rights and privileges |
to charge against the Washingt0nian
in comparison with the Baltimorean
the State tax which the latter pays,
not as Baltimorean, but as a Mary
lander. When Washington has vot-
ing representatives in House and Sem
SbC anu q SSdkC SAoAobuAC ~ Will Uc |
time for it to pay for such Iuxuries
in the shape of State tax.
OF course, the main consideration
for the payment Of State taxes Is the
enjoyment of the political power and
prestige involved in participation in
The national Government on equal
,erms with other Americans. To be
to statehood from the
status of political aliens to that of
Americans, with all the
powers, rights and privileges apper-
tanning to that status, confers a bene-
1T upon the individual of value not
% be calculated in dollars and cents;
and deprivation of this benefit in
'olves loss which is also incalculable.
Every one, therefore, will recognize
,he justice of Washington's protest
against being taxed to correspond to
What other cities pay to maintain a
State government, since the District
Under the Constitution and the laws
enacted by Congress is not permitted
he right, privilege and benefit Of en-
oying and maintaining State gov
ernment. But very few persons in
the whole United States appreciate
the scope of the material benefits in
and subsidies which attach
10 statehood of which Washingtonians
have been wholly deprived. The Citi-
ems Joint Committee brief in 1915
recited the millions which in the past
mad been distributed by the Nation
among the States, omitting the Dis
;rict of Columbia. But these subsidies
oy the Nation to the States are not
confined to the past, but continue in
greatly enlarged proportion in the
present.