Evening star., 1937-01-26

ana the NQLtOnQt GODeTnmenC.
of the lDeGkneSSeS reDealed in
these services as the basis TOR tn
TINE Jacobs report starts out con-
fidently to base the Federal
obligation toward National
u Capital maintenance on an ac-
tual measurement of "interdepart-
mental services. But the report soon
leads into a bewildering maze from
which graceful withdrawal Is difficult.
In this maze, carefully avoided by fis-
cal investigators Of the past, 1t leaves
the puzzled reader and the unhappy
Government officials who, under the
three-point fiscal formula would be
charged with measuring and paying
for the services and alleged services.
The committees attempt to measure
interdepartmental services exchanged
between the National Government
and its administrative agency-the
municipal government-for governing
the District, or between the national
Government and the unrepresented
tax-paying residents Of the District of
Columbia. apparently resulted from q
fundamental misconception of the ma
ture of the fiscal relations issue.
The investigators seemed to believe
that the root of the interminaDle con-
troversy over fiscal relations would be
found in the dissatisfaction by parties
to the controversy over the exchange
Of uncompensated services. Remove
this source of friction, 1t was ap-
parently believed, put everything on
paying basis, and q long step would
have been taken toward peace on the
fiscal relations front.
Added Sources Of Friction.
But as far as known there has been
little serious dispute in the past over
the specific nature or cost Of services
rendered for or by the national Gov
ernment. II there has been, the fiscal
report has succeeded merely In adding
to it; has, in fact, injected new and
peculiarly vexing issues where none
existed before.
The report declares that the Fed
eral Government is now performing SO
special services for the District Gov
ernment while the District Govern
ment is performing 80 special services
for the Federal Government. But a
close examination reveals that Of the
80 services now represented as being
performed by the Federal Government
for the District Government, about 10
Of them, or nearly half, are already
being paid for on a contractual basis
or for one reason or another are not
susceptible OF measurement for actual
compensation.
OF the 80 special services repre-
sented as rendered for the Federal
Government by the District Govern.
ment, about 10 Of them, or q third
are already paid for or are impractical
or too inconsequential to measure In
cluded among the 20 for which the
District should be reimbursed, If and
when Congress chooses to do 1t, are
tuition for nonresident pupils and a
charge on non-residents for use Of Dis
trict library facilities.
There is also third list Of services
which are suggested for possible meas
urement but the committee plainly
gave up the task and did not include
them except for general discussion
Some of these. as the report suggests
lied into the realm of imponderables. "
Examples Of Services" to d. C.
While 1t Is impractical to discuss
each of the items in detail, discussion
Of few of them is sufficient to show
the inherent weaknesses Of the COM
mittee's plan Of approach. Some Of
them lead not only into the realm of
imponderables but into new fields Of
possible discord and confusion hither-
to unexplored.
For example, the following proposed
charges against the District Of Co
lumbia fall into the same general
category and might be discussed as
one:
!. Codifying and printing Dis
trict statutes, q service performed
by the House Committee on Re-
vision Of Laws. Use Of the code
by Congress Is in connection with
District matters and the entire cost
should, 1t is claimed, be paid for
from District appropriations.
2. Controlling audits and per-
forming audits for the District by
the Controller General, to be paid
for by the District.
3. Review, control and compila-
ton Of the District budget by the
Budget Bureau, to be paid for by
the District.
4. Services Of the Engineer Com
missioner and his three assistants,
salaries to be paid for by the peo-
pie of the District.
Illogical Conception.
The proposal to charge the District
Of Columbia for such services reflects
q curiously illogical conception Of the
relationship between the National and
District Governments, in addition to
conveying rather sardonic gibe ut
the unrepresented taxpayers who live
here.
If it is logical to charge the people
Of the District with the preparation Of
the District Code, it Is also logical to
charge them with the cost OF prepar-
ing the legislation, some of which
9n B b