Evening star., 1941-03-21
Board Of Trade
Shouts Approval
To0verton Plan
Members Also Hear
Frank Bone on
Defense Problems

the Board of Trade last night and a
roar of approval was his answer.
The chairman of the Senate Sub
committee on District Appropria-
tions drew the applause and cheers
of several hundred board members
at meeting at the Mayf1ower Ho-
tel when he declared:
To-day we are confronted with an
emergency, and the District is be-
ing called upon to provide more
schools, more police, more firemen
and other additional municipal serv-
ices to meet the rapidly expanding
defense program.
But I want to say to you" he
added, emphasizing each word, IF
we are going to end this apparently
unendlng wrangle on the Federal
payment toward District expenses,
the solution should not rest on argu-
ments growing out of the emer-
gency, but on sound measures that
will endure throughout the years"
Defense Problems Brought Up.
Senator Overton's address and a
talk by Frank Bane, director of the
Division of State and Local Coop
Grafton of the National Defense Ad-
viSory Commission, who discussed
the probable effects of the defense
program on the Washington Metro
| politan Area, highlighted meeting
devoted to local problems and their
relation to the defense effort.
Declaring his proposed formula
would place the Federal payment
beyond the realm of controversy.
Senator Overton said the plan would
raise the Government present
share from s6,000,000 to approx
mately s9,3Oo,000 a year. 1t would
fix the Federal share by the ratio
of federally owned land to the total
area of the District In practical
operation, Senator Overton said, the
Federal percentage of payment
would be approximately 81 per cent
Of the general fund appropriations.
A workable formula, he said. must
have these prerequisites: It's factors
must be non-controversial, fixed and
self-operating; they must rest on
reasonable and substantial basis,
and their application must do equal
justice to both the District and Fed
eral Governments.
Realized Funds Insufficient.
When he first became chairman
/ of the subcommittee handling the
local supply bill, Senator Overton
said, he realized insufficient funds
were being provided properly to
operate and develop the District.
After two years experience" he
added, Il am convinced the Com
missioners could expend $4,000 900
to sl5'00o0 900 more each year in the
task of maintaining, developing and
beautifying the Nations Capital"
There are only two ways to pro-
vide the necessary additional funds.
by increasing local taxes or raising
the Federal payment toward Dis
tr1ct expenses, Senator Overton said.
He insisted that the latter method
should be used, citing a Census
Bureau report showing that the
Districts per capita tax burden is
comparable to that of other large
cities and is, in fact, little above
the average.
Saying he feels he is as much a
Senator from the District as from
Louisiana, Senator Overton con-
cluded with these words: If we
stand together united, this unrepre-
sented portion of the United States
OF America will receive just treat
ment from Congress"
Mr.. Bane outlined what the Dis
trlct Defense Council and individual
citizens can do to provide a civil
defense that will be prepared for
"all-out protection
Total Defense" Necessary.
internal weakness may be and
often is as dangerous as external
threats" he said. Total war, as the
words have been popularized by Hit
Ter and his friends, is no empty
phrase. And defense today is moth
ing If it, too, is less than total-less
than all the resources, the will and
the determination of the people"
He said the most Immediately
urgent problem, of course, is the
armed defense delegated to the mill
tary establishments. But behind
this, he declared, is civil defense
the maintenance of the home front,
health and physical efficiency not
only of its people, but also of its
plant and machinery, the morale
and social structure of its daily life"
The impact of civil defense will be
felt more acutely as the gigantic de-
fense effort gains momentum, Mr..
Bane said.
In answer to the question of what
contributions individual citizens
could make, Mr.. Bane said the Dis
trict Defense Council will be calling
for volunteers to assist in the CITY,
wide room registry, act as aides in
hospitals and clinics, and cooperate
in community service programs for
enlisted men.
Rental Policy Advised.
Pointing out that public funds al
ready have been earmarked for con-
struction Of more than 72,000 dwell
ing units in 1872 localities, he said
the defense housing program in
Washington calls for some 1000
units. In this connection, he said,
communities must develop a sound
rent policy to apply not only to regu-
lar rental properties, but also to
rooms, apartments and houses that
have come on the market to meet
emergency demands.
Discussing the national outlook,
Mr.. Bane said the Nation has made
striking progress in defense produc-
ton, but that every one agrees we
can do better and must do better"
He said that while there are too
many strikes now, these are being
adjusted and industrial bottlenecks
are being loosened This statement
was greeted by applause.
In introducing Senator Overton
James E. Colliflower, president of
the Board of Trade. predicted tine
Districts 1912 budget estimates will
be revised upward Ito substantial
depree" heca,,se NJ t1e eyaa nsion m