Evening star., 1938-10-16

a fat morsel was tossed its way this
year.
Bearing in mind the essential needs
which Congress had denied for years
in annual appropriation bills or had
met only sparingly the Commissioners
did as other municipalities were urged
to do They appealed to the Public
Works Administration after obtaining
congressional authority for loans and
grants to correct or relieve the con-
ditions here described. The P. w. A.
obliged. The spending-lending agen-
cy was launching its second billion
dollar program for just such pur-
poses.
Now, four months later. contracts
are being let on behalf Of the District
government for $l8,15000o worth Of
public works and Improvements in
volving the largest single program OF
municipal construction undertaken
here in any one year within the
memory of oldest inhabitants.
The program as finally revised and
approved provides for u urgently
needed projects of different and in
dispensable character. 1t represents
the net results OF exacting negotia-
tions with the P. w. A., but the only
condition attached to the approval
is a mandate to start all construction
work before January i. 1889 The
dead-line for completion is July i,
1910.
The over-burdened local taxpayers
who look back with regret on happier
years when the Federal Government
contributed 40 per cent towards the
maintenance of miraculously grow
ing Capital City, the addition of an
$18,000,000 expenditure at this time
would seem the final straw to break
the camel's back. But in reality it is
the best bargain ever made in their
behalf.
Plan of Repayment.
Under the 25-year easy-payment
plan of the Public Works Administra-
ton, the District taxpayers will repay
only S9,983,l9l, with interest. The
estimate is not official, but the best that
Federal and District officials can make
at this time. That is IS per cent of the
entire cost of the projects. The As
per cent balance is coming in the form
of a direct contribution of $8l66,963
from the P. w. A.
That beats the old "60-40" fiscal
plan recognized until some years ago
when the Federal ratio of District ex-
penses was gradually reduced until
this year it represented a mere lump
sum of $5,000,00O
No wonder then that the staggering
number of $4,000 local communities
scrambled in mad rush to file their
fore September 80, the deadline on ap-
plications imposed IN connection with
the 1888 program. For this reason, If
for none other. the Commissioners are
due congratulations and Administrator
Harold L. Ickes, real friend of the
District, is due appreciation for ap-
proving every dollar of the 1880 900
limitation that Congress authorized for
the. District
The Commissioners did not get
everything they asked for in the way
of projects in their original applica-
tions to the p w. A. Compromises
were made as in all cases.
They received, however, the full
amount in dollars and probably no one
was more surprised than they That
the full arount was granted was due
largely to the genuine interest that Mr.
Ickes, who as Secretary of the Interior,
is guardian of wide tracts in the Dis
trict, has in the orderly and essential
development Of the National Capital
outside Federal reservations.
BY far and wide, the 1888 public
works program puts the municipality
years ahead in needed public con-
struction at savings Of millions to the
taxpayers and relief from back break
ing payments. In fact, there is a
three-year period of grace before cap
ital reimbursements start
What actually is forthcoming, now
that the Commissioners have rubbed
the magic lamp? But do not think
it was done as easily as that. Mr.
Ickes made them sweat at the be-
ginning before the magic finally was
performed. The District taxpayers