Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-02
Ickes
Continued From First Page

'COntlnueQ from First Pa2e.)
and general welfare purposes. These
lands are maintained and developed
with Federal funds. thereby reliev-
ing the District government of the
necessity for substantial expendi-
lures for these purposes"
Critics of Mr.. Ickes argument de-
clared the facts are, first, that the
extraordinarily large park and rec
reational areas to which he referred
such as Rock Greek Park. Potomac
Park and Anacostia Park, among
others-Were acquired as a part of
the grand scheme for development
OF beautiful National Capital.
Charged Against District.
Secondly, they turned to legal doc
uments to show that in the cases of
Rock Creek Park and the Geological
Park. the District bore half the ex-
pense of acquiring the land; and
that in the case of reclamation of
the Anacostia flats the entire de-
Velopment expenses have been paid
out of the Districts revenues.
Thirdly. in direct reply to Mr.
1ckes point. they turned to annual
District appropriation acts to show
that the costs of maintenance and
development of such areas are
charged against District revenues
rather than Federal funds"
The Federal Government shares
IN these maintenance and develop
ment costs only to the extent to
which the United States has been
making limited annual Federal
payment toward general fund ex-
penses of the National Capital. The
percentage this payment has borne
to the total general fund costs has
been dwlndling for many years and
since the lump sun has been limited
to S5,000,000 in the last three fiscal
years it has been less than Is per
cent of the general fund appropri-
alton, formerly divisible between the
District and the United States, and
one about 10 per cent of the total
appropriation.
Federal Treasury Reimbursed.
The District Appropriation Act for
the past fiscal year just ended car
ried an item of 1851 $40 for salaries
of National Capital Parks, $685., 500
for park area maintenance, SITE, APO
for Park Police, SO, 400 for uniforms
and equipment for Park Police and
100000 as a reimbursement by the
District to the Federal Treasury for
money spent under the Capper-
Champion Act for purchase of park
and recreational areas, which are
made by the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
Purchase and development of Rock
Creek Park was begun under an act
of Congress of 1890, which provided
that one-half of the cost of 81 300
600 for acquisition of the land
should be reimbursed to the United
States Treasury out of District rev.
enues, in four equal annual INSTALL
ments with interest at 3 per cent. 1t
also provided that one-half of the
sums annually appropriated for
maintenance and improvement of
the land as a public park should be
pdlu Out vi ICfClluCS VI lIlC AlSCl Nv.
Nevertheless, in enactment of sue
ceeding District appropriation bills.
the Federal share was cut to 40 per
cent and to still much lower levels
with the adoption of the lump-sum
basis, until last year the Federal
share was less than - per cent.
The District Appropriation Act
OF 1890 provided for establishment
OF the Zoo, the cost of 100000 to be
split $3.50 between the Federal
and District Governments. AS stated
above, maintenance funds for these
areas were taken from District rev.
enues in succeeding years, with
steadily declining Federal contribu-
tons.
s16,000,000 Outlay Provided.
The Capper-Cramton Act, adopt
Cd in May. 1880, provided for an