Evening star., 1949-08-17
Fiscal Aspect of Home Rule Stressed
Above National Representation

Above National Representation
To the Editor Of The Star:
The fact that the national taxes paid by
District residents are about four times as
much as the local taxes We pay, as pointed
out by Jesse c. Suter in his civic column of
August IA, is of interest and a strong
argument for national representation as
separate matter, but is quite beside the
point in regard to local home rule. 1t does
not alter the fact that the $80,000000
thereafter to be considerably more) which
we pay for local purposes is a very sizable
sum for us. and one which concerns us
Washingtonians in a special way not really
shared by the people of the States whose
representatives now directly dictate the
appropriating as we'll as the levying of 1t.
Without arguing over again the "realness"
of home rule in the local law-making
arrangements in general, it should be
pointed out that in the Kefauver bill, the
important matter of deciding what to spend
our local money for is given fully to the
District Council. with no reference to Con-
gress required except for the annual
appropriation of the Federal payment in
accordance with a specified formula Are
we to suppose that, If we can get the House
to follow the lead of the Senate in passing
such a bill, Congress would still use its
ultimate constitutional authority to the
extent Of passing any appreciable number
of bills overruling or forestalling the
budgetary decisions of the District Council?
Or wouldn't the great majority of Sem
ators and Representatives think they have
too much to do in plotting national legis-
lation to insist on going along as back-seat
drivers on the District Councils appropri-
ations?
The Biblical quotation about the gnat
and the camel hardly fits this case. A gnat
onefourth or one-fifth the size of camel
would really be something to strain at'
and moreover we home-rule advocates do
not admit Swallowing the camel" of our
larger Federal taxation without representa-
ton. Most of us have shown as much
militant attitude Of demanding representa-
ton as anybody else when that measure
was being pushed for 10 these many years,
but where has it gotten us? We will do SO
again, even while busy with the more
promising prospects of local suffrage if
those who claim to be the special partisans
OF national representation will put the
necessary joint resolution in an active
position in Congress instead of merely
Offering 1t as an extra tail for the home
rule kite. which seems to have been the
situation for the last two or three years.
With all the interest shown as a by
product IN the home rule hearings. national
representation might be able to fly on its
own separate merits in the 81st Congress,
but. when tied to the home-rule kite, it
serves merely to endanger or delay the
latter. If that isn't the main purpose of
tying it to the home-rule kite, its advocates
should clear up that very widespread i'm
preston by seeing that the resolution for
constitutional amendment is introduced
and pressed before the Judiciary Commit
tees OF both houses. leaving the District
Committees to complete the handling of
the local home rule which is within their
jurisdiction. GEORGE w. HODGKINS,