Evening star., 1941-11-12
Washington and Defense

District Commissioner Young's
surprise over the belated disclosure
that the District of Columbia is not
included among defense centers
scheduled to receive any of the
emergency public works funds ap-
propriated under the Lanham Act is
understandable, in view of the
known circumstances underlying this
disappointing development. There
has been no secret about the fact
that the District expected to receive
some of this money. AS long ago as
last July the Commissioners an
nounced plans to ask for about S.
100000 of the $150,000,000 provided
by the act for defense projects. And
formal applications had been filed
with the F. w. A. regional office in
Richmond for money to provide
school, water, sewer health and
other facilities needed Immediately
as a result of defense expansion. In
order to enable the District to re-
ceive loans and grants from the
Lanham fund, the Commissioners
requested special legislation of the
type which earlier had permitted
Washington to share in Public
Works appropriations. 1t is hard to
understand why F. w. A. officials
should have waited until the hear
ings on this proposed legislation to
make definite announcement that all
of the Lanham Act funds have been
allocated outside the District and
that, even If there were any left for
distribution, the District would be
ineligible to apply for them.
AS Commissioner Young aptly ex-
pressed it, the cards were stacked
against the District from the first
in this matter. With no representa-
tive in Congress to plead its case,
the Lanham Act was adopted with
out specific reference to the District
of Columbia as prospective parti-
cipant, although provision was made
for other defense jurisdictions not
within the States. Nevertheless, Dis
trict officials felt sure that Congress
did not intend to exclude Washing
ton, fountain-head of all defense &C
tivities, from relief under the act
and they made plans accordingly to
claim some of the appropriation. 1t
is inconceivable, for example, that
Congress should expect Washingto-
mans to pay for such emergency work
as new filters and pumps at the
Dalecarlia water plant to accommo-
date new War and Navy Offices in
Virginia, for new water mains to
serve Boiling Field and the Naval
Air Station or for educational faci-
lities adjacent to the military re-
servations in AnacoStia. Certainly it
would be drawing a fine legal dis
tinction to contend that these pro-
jects do not come under Lanham
Act classifications of public works
for the armed forces and for civil
ians assigned to military reserva-
tions or engaged in defense indus
tries.
In view Of the unfortunate impasse
which has arisen over ALLEGATION of
funds to the District, Congress, in
fairness to Washington and to ma
tional defense activities dependent
on the city for municipal services,
should write into the pending
amendment to the Lanham Act a
specific authorization for generous
participation of the District in the
supplementary s150,OOO,OOO appro-
priation for emergency public works.
This is a matter demanding prompt
action by Congress if the urgent and
growing requirements of defense
agencies In the National Capital are
to be met before the situation be-
comes even more critical.