Evening star., 1941-03-28
House Unit Due
To Vote 0yerton
Plan Today
Subcommittee Ends
Hearing; Trade
Board Backs Bill
By JAMES E. CHINN.

The Overton plan would fix the
United States contribution by the
ratio of Federally owned land to the
total area of the District.
In a statement prepared by E
Barrett Prettyman. chairman of the
Municipal Finance Committee of the
board and read to the Fiscal Affairs
Subcommittee of the House District
Committee by William H. Press
executive secretary of the organiZa-
ton, the formula was described as
''the most intelligent method yet
devised for settlement of the
"vexatious' fiscal relations problem
This mornings session completed
the subcommittee public hearings
A favorable report is expected.
Others Approve Formula.
IN addition to the Board of Trade
approval of the formula also was
given by Ringgold Hart. genera
counsel of the Merchants and Manu-
facturers Association; Mrs. JOSEPH
Love of the VoteleSS League OF Dis
trict Women Voters, and Mrs. Ernest
Howard of the District Federation
of Women's Clubs.
Mrs. Howard told the subcommit.
tee the Women'S clubs not only in
dorsed the Overton plan as the
best solution" but also favored
adoption of sales tax as the "best
plan" to raise additional revenue
needed for emergency needs.
Representative Dirksen, Repub-
lican, of Illinois had planned to eX-
plain his plan for creation of E
Federal board of tax appraisers tt
furnish Congress with a report or
the value of United States owned
property here as a guide to fixing the
amount of the annual Federal pay.
ment. He failed to appear, how
ever. and the hearings were closed
The subcommittee is expected tt
make its report on the bill later ir
the day.
Text of Board Statement.
The Board of Trade statement
follows:
The Washington Board of Trade
an organization of approximately
1000 members, has for more than
so years consistently maintained
and exhibited deep interest in the
District of Columbia governmental
affairs. During that half century
We have, I believe, reviewed every
District appropriation and revenue
bill and presented to Congress our
views regarding them. This famil-
iarity with the Districts fiscal af-
fairs has provided very good back
ground for considering the matters
under discussion today.
with the declining percentage of
costs paid by the Federal Govern
ment in recent years. the fiscal
problems of this District have be-
come increasingly more difficult of
solution. Efforts to solve them in
clude numerous congressional in
vestigations and hearings and sew
eral independent surveys. at least
two of which examined the adequacy
of the Federal payment. This con-
tinually unsettled state of affairs,
unsatisfactory alike to the members
of Congress and residents of this
city, should be corrected.
Simple, Equitable Proposal.
"We believe the bills introduced
by Senator Overton and Representa-
tive Hunter will, if enacted into law,
provide simple, equitable, certain
and satisfactory means of arriving
at the amount of the annual Federal
payment toward the expenses of the
Nations capital.
When it was first proposed some
two years ago we studied this
formula carefully and gave it our
Vhole-hearted support. 1t still ap-
pears to us that under present-d day
conditions it is the most intelligent
method yet devised for settlement
OF this veXatiouS question.
Il will not burden the committee
with a lengthy presentation of facts
and arguments which would be
largely a repetition of testimony
already presented by our municipal
officials. I merely wish to say that
we and all residents of the District
of Columbia appreciate the Sympa.
thetic consideration the committee
is giving this matter. The Board OF
Trade strongly supports the formula
and urges its enactment"
The hearing, shortly after MIR
Press left the witness stand, was
marked by bitter clash between
several members of the subcommit-
tee and Martin Chancey. secretary
of the District Branch of the Amer
lean Communist party. At one
point, Representative Russell, Dem
ocrat, of Texas threatened to leave
the hearing.
After prolonged questioning, Mr.
Chancey was allowed to present &
statement which put the loca
branch of the Communist party OF
record as favoring the Overton form.
ula, an increase in the present SIT;
real estate tax and special tax OF
profits of big business.
The Communist official said ad'
ditional revenue is needed for relic
and more public schools. He com
planned that employables on the re-
lief rolls are not getting proper aid
Committee Meets Monday.
With the full District Committee
meeting Monday, the fve-man sub
committee is expected today to max
a favorable report on the bill, with
the prospect that it will be con
sidered by the full committee, ant
an early decision reached befor
the annual appropriation bill i
drafted.
Representative Dirksen of Illinois
ranking Republican on the Distric
Committee, has indicated that n
will urge his substitute for tn
Overton formula This calls for ;
report on the Federal-owned prop
erty and its assessed valuation. l
does not propose any proportional
share for the Federal Government
but the report would be for consid
Grafton of the appropriations sub
committee in drafting the apprOpri