Evening star., 1939-06-20
Additional Sources of the Federal OBLIGATION
To National Capital Are Listed
Financial Responsibility Accompanies Exclusive ControI
City Planned and Developed Along National Lines

ing the period when the national
obligation, tardily recognized by the
organic act of 1873, was neglected,
the Capital was a national shame,
byword and reproach. Since the
Nation has returned even part way
to its original obligation the Capital
has become an object of national
affection, in whose attractiveness
and in whose welfare the whole
American people take pride. In place
of the discreditable, struggling, neg
lected village Of the period of ma
tional indifference there has risen
the Capital of today, wherein the
eye Is pleased by all that both Ma
ture and art have done to adorn the
most beautiful city on the CONT
nent. In its honest, economical and
efficient municipal government, in
Its asphalt pavements, in its system
OF shade trees. ins its underground
trolley system of rapid transit, in
Its broad streets and avenues, COM
paratively free from overhead wires;
in its fine public buildings and in it's
numerous and diversified parks, 1t is
becoming model among the mu-
inequalities of the world. Those de-
fects in the ideal city, represented
by inadequate service by essential
municipal functions, result from
failure to continue consistently the
application of the fine principles
which were followed in the develop
ment of Washington.
The Nations equitable obligation
OF proportionate contribution toward
the maintenance and development
OF the seat of government is as Just
and as binding today as it was at the
beginning of the century and should
not be <epudiated, either outright
or by piecemeal.
3. Obligation based upon pay-
ments made from local taxes. solely
because Washington is the Capital,
IN excess of what would be paid il
Washington were the ordinary COM
mercial self-sustaining community.
Also obligation based upon paw.
ments which are national or semi
national and impose an obligation
upon the Nation to pay all or half
or 40 per cent of expenditures and
which render inadequate the Fed
eral contribution of approximately
10 per cent in the current fiscal
year. These items should (a) either
be eliminated from District of Co.
lumbia bill and handled under some
other appropriation bill with specific
equitable provision for distribution
OF payment between Nation and
Capital, or (b) if retained in Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill
should be coupled with specific
statement of equitable distribution
OF payment between Nation and
Capital or tc) if retained in District
OF Columbia bill and payment made
with low percentage of national con-
trlbutlon (such AS 10 per cent, under
present lump-sum payment. then
this unjust excessive contribution
by Capital to be considered in max
ing equitable increases of lump-sum
contribution.
For example:
The Municipal Center-The Com
missioners. having been advised that
the Municipal Building would be
needed by the Federal Government
in its Avenue Triangle development.
sought in 1929 to obtain permission
from Congress to purchase two
squares of land as the site for a new
Municipal Building, or group of
buildings. The total estimated cost,
land and buildings, was $4,000. 900.
The District then had surplus reve-
nues in the Treasury amounting to
about $4,000 900, and it was the un-
derstanding tsee H. r. 1878, SEVENTH
flrst Congress. second session. that
the District would be credited with
the value OF the District Building,
tentatively placed at IS 600, 900. The
Commissioners project was possible
without undue strain on current
revenues.
Congress changed the plan on
the theory that the new District
structures should conform in scale
and grandeur to the Federal devel-
opment (See House hearings on
S. 4l30, Seventy first Congress. sec
ond session, April 1890. Accord
ingly, the Commissioners were Or
dered to acquire four squares. in
stead of two, using up the surplus
the District had in the Treasury and
leaving the city for number of
years without funds to make a start
on needed new buildings. During
that time the minor courts, the Po-
lice Department and certain other
activities were in urgent
need of new quarters. It was not
until two years ago that the District
was able to build the new Police
Court, and some of the other needed
structures are now under way, partly
with P. w. A. aid.
Park and Planning Commission
This national body was created bv
an act Of Congress public No. 2O2,
Slxty-eighth Congress- in 1924 for
the development of parks within and
outside the District of Columbia, the
name being changed from National
Capital Park Commission to Ma
tlonal Capital Park and Planning
Commission in 1926. The broadly ma
tlonal conception of this task was
indicated IN the wording of the act,
which proposed the appropriation
each year of "a sum not exceeding
cent for each inhabitant of the
continental United States, as de-
termined by the last preceding
1920 decennial census" Funds ap-
propriated for use within the Dis
trict of Columbia were to be paid
from the revenues of the District