Evening star., 1937-02-10
KING SEES THREAT
Of DC. TAX BOOST
Says Demand for Increased
improvements May Lead
to Higher Levies.


Senator King, chairman of the Sen
ate District Committee, last night
warned District citizens that demands
for increased civic improvements must
result in their paying for them with
higher taxes.
Senator King spoke at the annual
banquet of the Forest Hills Citizens
Association at the Columbia Country
Club. Chairman Norton OF the House
District Committee, another speaker,
assailed as ridiculous the revised "red
rider" passed by the House Monday,
and also emphasized the necessity Of
granting national representation to
the District.
Senator King pointed out that the
Federal Government is today spending
13 times as much as during the Wilson
administration before the World War,
and that funds for these expenditures
must be paid by the people unless
imitation is resorted to.
Admitting that the District is badly
tn need of several important improve
ments, such as schools, he declared
II want you to have a reasonable
(FederaD appropriation to your
budget, but you must pay yosT fair
share. You need hospitals, new Ssil,
an inebriate farm, but you've got to
pay for them.
II am not in favor of the Federal
Government paying more than its
proper share. You should be taxed
the same as citizens of cities in other
parts Of the country. They have
Federal and State income taxes, in
heritance taxes and sales taxes which
you do not have here. The income
tax Is the fairest tax there is and
there are men-rich men-who live
in Washington who do not pay an
income tax comparable with that of
man of similar income in the States.
These men have become rich, too,
because of the millions of dollars the
Federal Government has poured into
the District"
Sees Taxes Too Low.
Asserting that you people are not
taxed enough" in comparison with
the benefits derived from the Federal
Government. Senator King declared
that the issue Of tax exempt property
IN the District is not peculiar to the
District alone. A large amount of
properyt in his home State of Utah is
federally owned. he said, and much
tax exempt Federal property in the
form of national parks or reservations
in other States.
The Jacobs Committee report to the
President asked tax rate in the Dis
trict similar to that paid by citizens
of II other cities of comparable size,
Senator King stated. He added he
had urged this plan of determining
q fair rate for District citizens several
years ago.
II wish you had the vote" Chair
man Norton told the association,
II would join all of you in re-
lieving the District Committees in
Congress of the responsibility of run
ming your affairs. We in the House
are supposed to represent our home
districts and new members are usually
assigned to the District Committee,
because it is one of the least desir-
able"
The Job of serving on the District
Committee is thankless one, she de-
clared, and usually member asks to
be relieved from duties on the COM
mittee after he gains priority over
newer members. For this reason, she
said, many capable members of the
committee are lost just as they are
becoming aware of the needs and
problems of the District.
Urges Unified Front.
She declared if the citizens groups
could get together on things" and
present a unified front to Congress,
more would be accomplished by them.
1t is confusing to members of Congress
to have conflicting views expressed
from several groups.
Local residents are fortunate in
having low tax rate, she said, but
she believes in the Federal Govern
ment paying its proper share"
when I first came to Congress"
she said, "the District appropriation
was about nine million dollars, but
this has been decreased from year to
year since then. I do think that the
amount recommended by the Presi-
dents committee is too low. I don't
think the people of Washington will
have as hard a time before the Sub
committees on Appropriations this year
In an effort to secure improvements
at least that is my belief"
Mrs. Norton declared she is strongly
in favor of the bill to broaden the
powers Of the District Commissioners.
Concerted action by civic groups was
urged to support this measure.
RED Rider" Bill Assailed.
II the new "red rider" becomes law,
she said. I'VE are in a worse condition
than before, because it is still left to I
some one to interpret who is and who
is not advocating communism. 'The
bill would permit q child to make
trouble for its teacher by saying 1t was
being taught communism, she believes.
Il resent the implication that we in
Congress must set down rules to gov
ern the Board of Education when I
am sure we all know the board con-
sists of the highest type of individuals.
L. A. Carruthers, president Of the
Forest Hills Association, introduced
Maj. Gen. Mason M Patrick, U. S. A..
retired, who was toastmaster and
chairman of the Dinner Committee.
In addition to the two speakers Of the
evening, Gen. Patrick introduced the
following guests:
Dr.. H. N. Roberts. president, North
Cleveland Park Citizens Association:
George Esch, first Forest Hills Associa-
ton president; Paul Williams, presi-
dent, woodrow Wilson Home and
School Association; George Diffen-
bach, representative of Chevy Chase
Citizens Association on the Joint
Committee on School Appropriations:
George Bryan, one of the first resi-