Evening star., 1938-02-13
BY JESSE c. SUTER.
PPROPRIATIONS and tax

~ atlOn are Lne Vltdl SUBJECTS
~ holding the attention Of
a the civic and business
groups as well as the attention
Of the small humber of our legis-
lators who take any interest at
all in the affairs of the National
Capital. Committees of these Or
ganizations are holding frequent
meetings for study of the appro-
priation bill and the new tax bill
in an endeavor to WELD their only
weapon-the right of petition.
The Senate Appropriations Dis
trict Subcommittee held daily ses-
sionS from Tuesday through FRI
day and is planning to hear repre-
sentatives Of civic groups beginning
tomorrow, The present indications
are that the bill may be cut below
the amount passed by the House.
Senator Copeland has been reported
as going to try and have the Fed
eral lump sum increased He is
known to have always considered
the Districts fiscal difficulties due,
in a large measure, to the Govern
ment failure to pay 2 fair share.
The Subcommittee on Fiscal
Affairs Of the House District Com
mittee completed its draft of a rev.
enue bill and had 1t introduced in
the House. Hearings are scheduled
to start on this bill tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock before the
full committee. The business privi-
lege tax is retained, an income tax
imposed on all salaries earned in
the District and the already un-
fair and obnoxious tax on intan-
gibles is to be made even more so
under the proposed legislation.
District officials have been so
busy at the Capitol that things
have been rather quiet at the Dis
trict Building. The Commissioners
and the corporation counsel are ex-
pected to get busy in framing the
recommendation of the Efficiency
Committee in the form of q bill
for introduction in Congress.
Chairman King of the Senate Dis
trict Committee expressed disap-
pointment that this matter had
been sent to the committees of
Congress without any recommend
alton or in any definite form for
action.
The creation of Magistrate
Courts has been brought to light
again. Chairman Palmisano on
Thursday introduced bill for the
establishment Of Magistrate Courts
in the District to handle minor
traffic violations. The measure is
similar to the one which died with
the Seventy-fourth Congress.
Another resurrection of the last
week was the bill to tighten the
gambling laws. with particular ref
erence to suppressing the numbers
game. This bill IS. IT'D passed the
Senate on February 10. 1887. and
has since reposed peacefully in the
House District Committee without
any consideration whatever. Un-
der the pressure Of q daily series
of crime prevention articles. in
which it was shown that the num-
bers racket was responsible for
much of the unsavory conditions,
members of the committee have in
sisted by an overwhelming vote
to bring the bill out for q hear
ing. Hearings are expected to be
announced shortly and action by
the committee to follow promptly.
And then the matter of a District
nag was up again during the week
with meeting at the District
Building to rally and unite the
forces to induce Congress to au-
thorize an official nag for the vote
less and unrepresented people to
wave. There are many in the civic
ranks who fail to take this matter
of flag seriously. They say there
are many things which the District
needs at the hands of Congress far
more than q flag. OF course when
Commissioner Ha0en goes to the
airport to greet a screen star it
would be nice for him to have q
flag, but there are some unsenti-
mental ones who think it would
do far more good If he would apollo
gize and say, "Dearie, we amt got
no nag and We amt got no vote
neither"