Evening star., 1937-12-12
District Federal Relations
Confused by Misconceptions
Many in Congress Consider Capital as Mere Local
Community, Writer Finds Court
Opinions Cited
By WALTER L. FOWLER,

II $500 -
By WALTER l. FOWLER,
Assistant Corporation ',,s SsS.nsel District Of Co
o. 4 CTUAL arguments advanced some
~ times in Congress, when local
~ appropriation bills are presented,
4 = indicate failure to clearly under
stand the true relationship existing be-
tween the United States and the District
of Columbia. But the avenues over which
We travel, and the magnitude of the prof.
ects advanced, all eloquently proclaim the
fact that this city Is not a mere local
community, but a great national city,
existing for the millions Of citizens
throughout the Union.
Wnere Is there municipality in the
world that IN its very inception would have
undertaken to lay out and maintain such
VIDE avenues and create plans of such
magnitude? Where is there municipality
IN the world that could, or would, under
take to bring to fruition the mighty
schemes OF improvements that the Con-
gress has authorized for the District?
For instance, public No. 284-Seventy-
nrst Congress, An act for the acquisition,
establishment and development of the
george Washington Memorial Highway.
along the Potomac from Mount Vernon and
Fort Washington to Great Falls, and to
provide for the acquisition of land in the
District OF Columbia, the States of Mary
land and Virginia, and the comprehensive
development of the park and playground
system Of the National Capital" approved
May 20, $780, discloses that Congress au-
thorlzed the appropriation of $4,000 900.
and that the sums expended for the pur-
pose OF acquiring all the land necessary
should be reimbursed to the United States
from any funds in the Treasury of the
United States to the credit of the District
OF Columbia at the rate of 81, 900 900 year.
Municipal Center Project.
AS another example, public No. s56-
SEVENTEEN Congress, entitled, "An act to
provide Tor Municipal Center in the Dis
trlct OF Columbia" approved February %,
1923 authorized the Commissioners of the
DHtrlct OF Columbia to acquire by pur-
cnase, condemnation or otherwise, all Of
squares 490, 49l, 533 and reservation 10.
including buildings and other structures
thereon, as site for Municipal Center,
and to construct thereon buildings for
municipal activities. For this purpose
$6,280,000 has already been expended. The
plans then called for an additional expendi-
ture OF $20,o00,000 to complete the project.
II, during the observance of the sesqui-
centennial year of the Constitutions birth.
there should come a clearer conception of
the relationship between the local and
national governments, as contemplated and
planned by the fathers, the annual hodge,
podge attendant upon District affairs might
be alleviated, and the celebration, as far as
District citizens are concerned will not
have been in vain.
Maryland and the District.
The State of Maryland as to the ter
ritory within its limits, became the
political successor of Great Britain,
All powers of government over the
former province, and all property rights
therein which were vested, jointly or sew
orally, in King and Parliament, under the
British constitution, and in the proprietary
and the Assembly of the freemen of the
province Ohe local Legislature) under the
charter granted Lord Baltimore, passed to
the State, and was held by the State in its
capacity as sovereign over the tract ceded
by 1t to the United States, passed to the
United States by the act OF cession. See
grant OF Charles I, King OF England, to
Lord Baltimore, July 20, 1882.
Inc common law Of England was in
iorce IN the Colony and State Of MARYLAND
and is in force today in the District Of Co.
lumbia, except as it has been modified or
changed by statute, and recourse must be
had to its rules and principles for the de-
termination of the Jurisdiction and title of
the United States in its capacity as local
sovereign over land lying within the Dis
trict Of Columbia.
Inc cessions by Maryland and Virginia
IN 1913 and 1899 were accepted by Con-
Eress IN 1890. However, It was provided
that the seat Of the Federal Government
should not be removed to the proposed
Capital until more than 10 years thereafter:
tnat Is, the first Monday in December in
the year 1900. 1t was also provided that
until the time fixed for the removal thereto
ana until Congress by law otherwise pro-
vlded, the operation of the laws of the
states within the District should not he
anected by the acceptance y Congress
IL was national city that was to he
lounoeo, one that was to be the permanent
seat OF the Government of the United
States. 'o"
LEnfant Prepares Plan.
Peter Charles LEnfant, under the direc-
tlon OF President Washington in 17e1
pursuant to the act of Congress of july 1s
l7so q Stat. 1900, prepared a plan for
the City of Washington The main feature
ot tnls plan was the rectangular system of
stfeets However, the important points
were connected by diagonal avenues for
the purpose of creating vistas and obtain
ing more direct routes across the eridiron
system OF streets. The location of the
avenues was determined by the high
points OF land in the original Topography
with little regard paid to the grades. It's
symmetrical arrangements of squares and
lots, streets, avenues, circles and public
reservations did not extend north of
boundary street or affect the roads and
highways in the rest OF the District of
Columbia. Owners OF land outside the
northern boundary of the City of WASH
angton laid streets over their land and
recorded subdivisions as they pleased often
not conforming to each other or to the
general plan Of the City of Washington.
Finding it necessary to correct this con-
dition, Congress, by an act passed August
~, 1888, authorizing the Commissioners
to make and publish general orders to
regulate the subdivision of lands In the
District of Columbia, indicated its desire
to follow out the general plan of the City
OF Washington. In 1898 the Commission
ers were authorized to prepare highway
plan for the District Of Columbia outside
OF the cities Of Washington and George
town. Preparation of this plan was made
IN accordance with the desires of Con-
gress to follow the plan of the original
City OF Washington, which was the
LEnfant plan herein referred to.