The Washington times., 1937-01-09
ACTION VIEWED
AS PENALTY
ON CAPITAL
Must Levy Exorbitant
Taxes, or Begin Bond
Issues, Is Claim

pressed keen disappointment In
the findings.
Attacking the report Of the spe-
cial committee as theoretical"
Thomas E. Lodge, president Of the
Federation of Citizens AsSocia-
tions, declared it penalties the
District for having operated on
Q cash basis in the past.
Penalty on District
Commenting on the findings Of
the committee, Mr.. Lodge said:
"The report seems to place .
penalty on the District Of COluIn-
bia for having operated on .
cash basis as against cities
which have been operating on q
bOnd-iSSue basis.
"The result will be that to
maintain and operate the Dis
trict of Columbia with increased
capital expenditures probable,
we will have to raise taxes all
out Of proportion to cities Of
comparable size or we will have
70 get into the bond issue class.
"The report appears nlinutely
factuaI as far as the United
States is concerned, but theOret-
lcal as far as the District Of
Columbia credits go.
at reduces the powers Of the
District Commissioners and
gives it over to the Bureau of
the Budget and the National
Park and Planning Commission.
1t suggests - inconsistency
enOugh-sOme sort Of suffrage
for District residents.
"The House and Senate Dis
trict Appropriations Commit
tees will not accept the PROPOSE
tions contained in the report"
Yaden Disappointed
James G. Yaden, former presi-
dent of the Federation of Citizens
Associations and active in civic af-
fairs for many years, said:
"I was hopeful there would
be an increase.
"Of course, am in favor Of
residents of the District being
given more power in local gov
ernment, but 1 am highly dis
appointed in the amount recon-.
mended for the Federal cOntri-
button by the Presidents COM
mittee."
Edward Shaw, executive secre-
tary Of the Merchants and Manu-
facturers Association, said:
"Tt is tough on the District. It
was a shock, after what we
thought the District might get"
Edward F. Colladay. widely
known lawyer and Republican
national committeeman for the
District. said:
81 am very much disappointed
I'm the action Of the Presidents
special commission and will
make a further statement after
I see its full report"
Fleming amazed"
Robert v. Fleming, president OF
the Riggs National Bank. said:
81 am greatly surprised and
amazed at the reported findings
Of the fiscal survey commission.
81 am reServing further COM
ment until have an opportunity
to study the substance of the re-
port"
George w. White, president OF
the Metropolitan National Bank
said:
81 I'm sorry, indeed, to see the
opportunity for taxation in
creaseS here in the District with
the Governments share appar-
emily decreasing.
$50 much land is being with
drawn from taxation and so
many more taxes are being
placed upon us, 1 sincerely re-
Eret it."
Edgar Morris, president of the
Board Of Trade. said:
'T have not had time to study
the report, but its recommends
tiOnS, in so far as a brief peru.
sal show, are incredible.
"Under the terms of the pro-
pOsaIS the Federal Government
assumes practically no responS-
Utilities toward the upkeep or de-
veIOpment of the Nations Cap
ital, but on the contrary has
the power to make the annual
budget for the municipality as
large as it sees fit, without any
voice from the vOteless citizens,
whose only privilege is to pay
in such amounts as they are in
structed. "
"The Board of Trade will do
everything in its power to COM
bat and to remedy the obvious
unfairneSs of the proposals"
Bastian Surprised
Walter M. Bastian, president OF
the District Bar Association, said
81 am greatly surprised and
disappointed at the results Of
the survey. After l study it 1
will have something more to
say"
Claude w. owen, former preSi
dent of the Board of Trade, said;
"This is a shock. / thought
we had an impartial fiscal reIa-
tiOns committee which would
realize the obligation of the
Federal Government toward the
District. / thought we would
have recommended a sum in ex-
cess Of the $4,000, 900 as the Fed
eraI confrihutinm tn thu his.