Evening star., 1941-05-12
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

A plea by Representative Hunter,
Democrat, of Ohio to perform q
simple act of deserved justice to the
District" today opened House de-
bate on the Senate-approved Over
ton bill providing a formula for
measuring the amount of annual
Federal payment toward municipal
expenses here.
Adoption of the formula, he de-
clared, would settle for all time"
the perennial controversy over the
basis of the Federal share of the
maintenance "of the seat of the
National Government.
The bill was called up at 1910
o'clock by Chairman Randolph Of
the District Committee. He made
move to limit debate to 2la hours,
but Representative Tarver. Demo-
crat, of Georgia objected AS a re-
suit debate will be unlimited.
Representative Hunter, who as
chairman of the Fiscal Affairs SUBJ
committee of the District Commit
tee sponsored the Overton bill in the
House, pointed out that President
Roosevelt had authorized the state
ment that he is fully in favor Of
this legislation"
Not a Tax Bill.
He likewise emphasized that the
measure is not tax bill, but added
that since the District is confronted
with a serious revenue crisis in view
of the unprecedented expansion Of
the city, his subcommittee would
soon give consideration TO the tax
problems.
In order that I may lay the
foundation for my facts, I wish to
say first that this measure is not a
tax bill" said Mr.. Hunter. 1T has
no connection with taxes and does
not contain in any of its provisions
any attempt to touch upon the tax
structure OF the District of Co
lumbia or the Nation as a whole.
Let us conf1ne ourselves therefore to
the subject matter of the legislation.
In making this presentation, I
come before you not as a representa-
tive of the District of Columbia. In
no wise am I appearing to represent
any interest other than that of the
House of Representatives. Under q
direct charge from this body I have
carried out by duties as chairman
Of the Subcommittee on Fiscal Re-
lations between the Federal and Dis
trict governments.
II am at this moment speaking
as duly elected member of the
House of Representatives from the
sovereign State of Ohio in pur-
suance of my duty to join with the
other duly constituted members Of
this body to legislate for the Ma
tion'S Capitalize Federal city
housing the fountain head of the
national agencies set up for the pro-
lection and guidance of this great
democracy.
Favored by President.
"The President of the United
States has authorized the state
ment that he is fully in favor of
this legislation. The Senate of the
United States has passed it unani-
mouSly. Serving as member OF
the legislative branch of this Ma
tional Government, I believe it is
my duty to take full cognizance Of
the actions of the complementary
branches of this National Govern
ment and act accordingly.
Briefly, this measure provides a
formula by which the Federal pay
ment toward the cost of maintain
ing and improving the Federal city
of Washington shall be automati-
cally settled each year.
The factors of this formula have
been made as absolute as humanity
possible in order to avoid recur-
renee of the bitter controversies
which have been perennial fea-
ture of our congressional sessions
for number of years. Before me
see many of my friends, older in
the illustrious service of their coun-
try than I am, who are weary to
the point of Illustration over these
bitter wrangles. Let us today put
stop to them.
This formula, then, arrives at
the sum to be paid by the Federal
Government by using the amount
OF land owned in the District of