Evening star., 1944-03-12
|0verton Announces
Senate Retirement,
Again BacksD. Vote
Louisionon Led Long
Fight to Win Fiscal
Equity for Capitol
Ry ]. A. OLEARY.


Louisiana, one of the best
friends of the District in Con-
gress, has decided not to seek
reelection this year.
In announcing last night his
intention to retire, Senator Overton
reafhrmed his belief in a Constitu-
tional amendment that would give
Washigtonians representation in the
House and Senate and the right
to vote in presidential elections He
opposed the election of local muni-
cipal officials, however, taking the
view that the exclusive legislative
control the Constitution gives Con-
gress over the seat of government
should be retained.
Senator Overton will be remem-
bered for the fight he led several
years ago to obtain more equitable
settlement of fiscal relations between
the Federal and District Govern
ments, which resulted in an increase
from S5,000,000 to s6,0Oo,00O in the
annual Federal payment toward
District expenses.
Drafted Fiscal Formula.
1t was during his craftsmanship
OF the District subcommittee of the
Senate Appropriations Committee,
from 1889 to 1941, inclusive. that
he drafted what became known as
the Overton formula for solution of
the long-pending fiscal relations
problem.
Since 1925 Congress had been
making variable lump sum Federal
payments toward the upkeep of the
National Capital each year which
bore no fixed relationship to the
growing needs of the city. Senator
Overton sought return to the fixed
percentage basis. such as had pre-
vailed between 1878 and 1924. Dur
ing most of that period the ratio
was $3.50 as between the Federal
and District Governments. In the
fiscal year 1921 the Federal obliga-
ton was reduced to 40 per cent, and
few years later was abandoned
entirely for the lump sum practice.
Senator Overton proposed that the
Federal payment be measured by
the percentage of the land area of
the city required for national pur-
poses. which would have placed the
Federal payment at about 20 per
cent OF the general fund expenses.
Lump Sum Had Dwindled.
At the time the formula was pre-
sented the lump-sum payment had
dwindled from S9,50O0OO in 1882 to
$5,000,000. If it had been adopted
when proposed in 1889 the Overton
plan would have made the Federal
share that year 100000 From that
time on the Federal payment would
have varied only as the Govern
ment's land holdings here increased
or decreased the taxable area of the
city.
The House refused to accept Sen
ator Overton'S percentage formula,
but his efforts resulted in a COM
promise that increased the lump
sum payment by S1,000,000 a year
1t has continued at $4,000 900 year.
In 1912 Senator Overton gave up
the District appropriation bill to
take charge of naval appropria-
tons, and was succeeded by Sem
ator OMahoney, Democrat, of Wy
oming. Until recently Senator
Overton also had been active on
the Senate District Committee,
from which he resigned to devote
more time to other committee work.
Had Planned to Retire.
Some of Senator Overton's close
friends have known for a long time
of his desire to retire, but he with
held the announcement until after
the recent gubernatorial run-off pri-
mary in Louisiana. No one had
announced against Senator Over
ton for the senatorial primary,
which is held in September, but his
retirement Is expected to bring out
a number of candidates.
Discussing the District suffrage
question, Senator Overton said;
L think the people of Washing
ton ought to vote for President and
Vice President, think they ought
to have two Senators and such rep
reSentation in the House as the pop
ulation of the District would Justify.
but the exclusive legislative juris-
diction the Constitution gives Con-
gress over the District should be
retained"
The pending -Capper res
olution for constitutional amend
ment confers on Congress the power
(See OVERTON, Page A-l6.)