Evening star., 1941-05-12
Overton
Continued From First Page.)


Continued From First Page)
Columbia by the Federal agencies as
a basis for computation.
Deductions Explained.
I'm order that this may carry
out an absolutely equitable distri-
button of the cost, there is deducted
from the gross amount of land held
in title by the United States Gov
ernment any such land embraced
within the boundaries of streets,
avenues, roads and alleys. In addi-
| ton, there is deducted Sc per cent
of the park areas within the boun-
diaries of this District.
Although the park areas are
Federal projects, so ordered by this
Congress and not by the people OF
the District, Sc per cent equals the
average amount of land used for
parable to the size of the Nations
Capital.
Thereafter there is also deducted
such land as is exclusively used by
the District of Columbia govern
ment. That deduction is made de-
spite the fact that the District gov
ernment is in truth and in fact
a Federal agency and occupies a
comparable position to the War De-
partment, the Agriculture Depart
ment. etc. in the exact manner in
which the direction of those depart
ments is handled by this Con-
gress.
Having thus made these equitable
deductions, we find if the formula
were applied to the land acreage
of today that the Federal Govern
ment actually holds title to 81 per
cent of the total acreage within the
District of Columbia boundaries.
District Pays for Water.
Following to the conclusion of
the formula, we apply this per-
centage to the new amount appro-
priated by this Congress for the
general running expenses of the
District Government. May pause
here to remark that the amount
of the general fund appropriation
is not the total amount appropri-
ated.
There is carried in each District
appropriation bill sums for the
Water Department and the High
way Department which are paid out
of revenues derived specifically
from water rents and gasoline taxes,
the general items.
1T is only fair to point out that
the water and highway systems
are paid entirely out of levies i'm
posed upon the residents of the
District and not from any of the
Federal money. A considerable
amount of water is furnished to the
Federal departments in Washington
free of charge and paid for entirely
by the local residents. The passage
of this bill will not change that
situation one iota.
In the estimates sent to Congress
by the Bureau of the Budget for
consideration by the Appropriation
Committee of the House in writing
the 1912 District appropriation bill
the total sum requested is $51, $780,
236. There is carried sum of $44,-
TIA, 900 for the general fund. Ap-
plying the 81 per cent arrived at in
the first two steps of the formula to
the lower figure the net result would
total SO ,389, $40.
Now there is another provision
in this bill which limits it's scope in
no uncertain terms. In passing the
huge appropriation bills each session
for this Federal Government the
House of Representatives has always
been wisely determined that, so far
as it is practicable, the sums we
| spend of the taxpayers money shall
be designated for specific purposes.
Limited to Capital Outlays.
Charged as we are to levy, collect
and direct the expenditures made
in the District of Columbia in de-
tail, this measure provides exactly
where and when this money shall
be spent.
Although have done consider
able work on this piece of legisla-
tion, I want to be the first to place
the credit for its important language
where the credit is due. This limi-
tation upon the expenditures was
written into the bill as safeguard
on the direct suggestion of the
President of the United States.
'1t sets forth in clear concise
language that it shall be used for
Capital improvement in the city
Recognizing that Washington is ex-
panding at an enormous rate as a
| direct result of our emergency de-
fense program, President Roosevelt
has authorized the statement that
he believes it is the duty of this
country to keep it's Capital abreast
of the important policies that are
now being carried out.
He has declared in no uncertain
terms that we should direct the Dis
trict Government to construct perm
anent Capital improvements to care
for the needs of the Federal agencies
now growing by leaps and bounds.
"As member of the House Of
Representatives I have a deep in.
terest in keeping the Capital of the
greatest nation on earth, the great.
est capital on earth-a symbol to al
distraught, oppressed and unstable
governments, be they conqueror OF
conquered-that this democrati,
Nation is stronger in peace thar
they can ever hope to be in war.
| Under the provisions of this bill