Evening star., 1940-02-18


est idea how many surveys nave
been made of the District, or It's
institutions, in the past, or for that
matter, even In the past 10 years.
The practice Of looking into the
situation" by congressional commit
tees, BY Federal departments, by ex-
perts brought from other cities, by
boards, by foundations, institutions,
or endowments, has grown, however,
by leaps and bounds, over the years.
Even Maj. Daniel j. Donovan, vet
eran District Building official, who,
as auditor, keeps multitudinous de-
tails at his f1ngertips, and thousands
of figures in mind, said so far as he
knew no complete list of surveys had
ever been compiled by any person or
agency.
At the Government Printing Office
the records of public documents
printed concerning District surveys
from all sources are there, but scat
tered through voluminous files of
cards.
MANY surveys utAAc'
In spite Of the value attached to
surveys (judging from their con-
slant recurrence), there have been
some monumental ones catalogued
In the annals of the city as futile.
One Of the largest and most out
standing Of these was the famous
Jacobs Report. It grew out of a
survey conducted in 1887 by j. l..
Jacobs and staf1 on the subject of
fiscal relations between the District
and Federal governments. It cost
$50, 900, resulted in a 244-page re-
port proposing system for solving
the problem of fiscal relations. 1t
never became legislation.
Then there is the latest study on
proposed reorganization of the Dis
trict government made by Griffen-
hagen & Associates at a cost of
$17,500. This was revised and is
still pending in the House District
Committee. Many features are still
in dispute, perhaps always will be.
Tremendous energy and much
time went into q previous reorgani-
zation survey Of the District govern
ment conducted at the suggestion
Of the Senate District Committee
by three ofilcials here in Washing
ton, familiar with Federal proce-
dure. They were Lewis Douglas,
then director of the Bureau of the
Budget; William A. Roberts, for
mer peoples counsel, and Auditor
Donovan. A nine-volume report
was submitted to the Senate COM
mittee, but the recommendations
were never translated into legisla-
tion.
Taxes and fiscal relations have
been the subject Of many surveys,
Investigations by Congress and by
other agencies, with varying results.
OF somewhat mixed success was
the tax study conducted by Chester
B. Pond, in cooperation with Colin
F. STAN, In consultation with an ad-
visory committee. Submitted in
January, 1889, it cost about 5000.
Many changes were made in its pro-
visions. There evolved finally the
present new tax structure for the
District with q new income tax on
individuals and corporations, which
the Pond group had not recon-
mended.
Efficiency Bureau Study.
The former Bureau of Efficiency,
beginning in 1928, studied the prob
lem Of fiscal relations over a period
Of several years. Two reports were
presented, one in 1929, second in
1880, and material was being gath
cred for further study when the
bureau was disbanded in 1898. Ex-
penses for these studies were not
charged against the District, but the
exact cost to the Federal Govern
ment was not made public. Pro-
posals Of the Bureau Of Efficiency
were not enacted into. law.
A select committee studying fiscal
relations In 1880 and 1881 engaged .
specialist, George Lord Of Detroit.
The Mapes committee report, sub
mitted to Congress In December,
1891, attempted but failed to repeal
at that time the long standing sub
stantive law providing for . per-
centage basis Of dividing cost Of the
District Of Columbia government
between Federal and local funds.
Congress fixed the Federal lump sum
that year at $o,500, 900, but failed to
enact = series Of "Mapes" tax bills.
The Treasury Department report
on the comparative tax burdens OF
the District Of Columbia and IL
other American cities, made at ex-
pense Of the Treasury Department In
1895. resulted In no action.
Burdette G. Lewis last year made
q survey Of the welfare and relief
situation in the District and SUBJ
mitted q voluminous report in sey-
eral pamphlets which cost ga, 900
for the survey and an additional
5000 for printing. This resulted
In three personnel changes.
A survey Of the child welfare
situation in the District, started BY
Dorothy Henry Of the Childrsn's
Bureau, Department q Labor. IA