Evening star., 1938-01-02
Civic Problems, Civic Bodies
Budget Hearings Open Tomorro~-Taxes One
Of Main Problems of Returning Congress.
Women Aid Drive for Vote.

1OI IAAClC lldNc UccIl ITO IlcdTlI1RS
on the proposals listed by the cor
poration counsel and submitted to
them at their direction. The civic
comment on the program has been
more on the brev!ty Of the pro-
gram and the omission of items Of
interest than on what has been
included.
The complete list Of six items
follows:
l. Amend the criminal code with
a view to making it more difiicult
for murderers to escape punish
ment on a technicality.
2. Substitute a medical examiner
for the present coroner and abolish
the coroner's jury.
3. Require the payment of tuition
for all nonresident children at
tending the public schools.
4. Establish farm for inebriates.
5. Create a commission to select
design for an official flag for the
District of Columbia.
6. Amend in minor respects the
new inheritance tax law.
1t is understood that the framing
OF this program followed an out
line prepared by the Commission
ers so that any omissions are theirs.
The only controversial item in
the list is that which would re-
quire the payment of the tuition
OF nonresident children in the
District public schools. This is an
old question which has been fought
over on numerous occasions and
always settled regardless Of the
equities involved. OF the 5000
non-residents now being educated
IN these schools only IL pay tuition.
The superintendent of schools re-
ports that 1t costs the District an
nually an additional quarter of q
million dollars to carry this load,
When Congress provided a Fed
eral share in the Districts budget
OF 30 per cent or ev1-. 40 per cent
there was considered some logical
and equitable reason for the free
education of these nonresident
pupils. Now with the Federal share
cut to 10 or IL per cent and the
schools unable adequately to take
care OF their own local pupils Dis
trict taxpayers see neither reason
nor excuse for continuance of
the practice.
Some citizens are asking whether
the city of New York educates
tuition free, nonresident children
whose parents work in that city
out reside in adjacent New Jersey.
1hey are also asking if Philadel-
phia carries similar burden for
the children Of Camden whose
parents are employed in the Quaker
City. Heated discussions are ex-
pected on this item.
Items l, 2. and are expected
to receive general support. Item
D, TO create a commission to select
design for an official flag for
the District. is not taken seriously.
There are so many things which
the District needs far more than
an oflcial flag that most civic
workers would rather not have the
time Of Congress diverted from the
real needs by considering anything
so trivial.
The program has failed to in
ciude recommendation for the
recognition of the District of Co.
lumbla as a part of the United
states and the recognition of its
people as American citizens. so
Wnat good would flag be to such
non-participating community of
subjects of the Nation? The num-
Der OF District residents who ex-
press such sentiment is indeed
large.
OF course the Commissioners
Will add to their legislative pro-
gram the proposals for reorganizine
the District government and re-
vamping the tax laws. It is not
known, however. whether they
contemplate asking organized civic
Washington to express its views
on these questions. AS to reorgani-
zation plans, the views of the
commissioners have not been Of
flcially expressed since the pub
lication OF the report Of the Citi-
zens' Advisory Committee.
ID. c. National Representation
Now Goes to General Federation.
THE General Federation of Won.
ems Clubs. at its triennial
convention in Kansas City, Mo-, in
May, may be given an opportunity
to vote its Endorsement of the pro-
posal to grant national repre-
sentation to the residents of the
District of Columbia. At its meet
ing on Monday last the District
of Columbia Federation Of Wom-
ems Clubs by 2-to-1 vote ap-
proved resolutions which they are
asking the general federation to
adopt.
The District of Columbia Fedora
ton has for years supported the
campaign for the proposed amend
ment to the Constitution of the
United States which will give to
Congress the power to grant to
the Distsict voting representation
in the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives, the right to vote for
electors for President and Vice
President and the same rights as
the citizens of the States before
the United States courts through
out the country. This matter was
brought to the attention OF the
general federation at its last con-
vention and was approved as a
subject for study by the affiliated
clubs and State federatnns. This
is the usual preliminary step be-
fore asking the general federation
to support or indorse proposal.
Prominent members of the Dis
trict body are very hopeful of
success in having the Committee
on Resolutions approve the reso-
lutions and their adoption by the
Kansas City convention.