Evening star., 1950-04-20
Plans to Urge House
Vote Again When Bill
Reaches Final Stages

Subcommittee on District Appro
priations will ask the House to re-
consider the 10 per cent cut i
approved tentatively yesterday il
the $12 million Federal paymen
toward next years local budget.
The cut, which touched off tn,
Republican economy drive agains
the entire Federal budget, wa.
made by the narrow margin of 81
to 80.
1t was a vote by tellers anc
came at a stage of the proceed
ings when the rules did not per-
NIT roll call vote. When the
bill reaches its final stages, how
ever. about two weeks from now
Mr.. Bates will have the right to
ask for another vote. He said to-
day he has every intention of do
ing so.
Senate Restoration Seen.
Friends of the District in Con-
gress also predicted that, even il
the House does not change its
mind, the Senate probably will re-
store the $12 million figure.
The Senate on many occasions
has fought for equity for the un-
represented taxpayers of Wash
ington in their efforts to maintain
a fair basis for sharing the ex-
penses of the National Capital
with the Federal Government.
The $12 million figure, which
House Republicans succeeded in
cutting to $1O,8O0,00O yesterday
was established as permanent law
by a Republican Congress only
three years ago.
For the year starting July l
President Truman has recon-
mended District budget of more
than $119 million, the details OF
which have not yet been reported
from the House Appropriations
Committee.
In Omnibus Bill.
In order to get all Federal
spending for next year into one
package, however, the Appropria-
tionS Committee put the $12 mil
lion Federal share of the District
budget in the national omnibus
appropriation bill, now before the
House.
If Congress between now and
July l approves total outlay of
$119 million to run the District
and yesterdays House action
stands, the Federal Government
will be paying only about 9 per
cent of the cost of maintaining
its National Capital.
The House yesterday defeated a
move by Representative Marcan-
tonic, American-Labor, of New
York to bar racial segregation in
District schools and other mu-
nlclpal facilities.
Taber Leads Fight.
The fight for a smaller Federal
payment to the District was led
by Representative Taber, Repub-
lican, of New York. The perma-
nent law passed in July, 1947,
when the Republicans controlled
Congress. authorized $12 million
each year. to be apportioned $11
million to the general expenses
of the city and 81 million to the
water service.
Mr.. Taber's motion yesterday
reduced the $11 million figure to
$9,800,000, but made no change in
the 81 million for the water fund
This was equivalent to taking 10
per cent off the total Federal
payment.
During an hour of debate on
the issue, Mr.. Taber had the back
ing of Republican Representatives
ReeS of Kansas, Andersen of Min
nesota and Crawford of Michigan
Among those who joined Chair.
man Bates in defending the ST.
million figure were Representa-
tives Smith of Virginia and Yate:
of Illinois. Democrats, and Repre-.
sentative Stockman, Republican
Of Oregon.
Property Undertaxed?
In support of the cut, Mr.. Tabel
revived an old charge that District
property owners are undertaxed
The New York Republican tolc
the House the tax rate on rea
estate here runs SIT, $18 or $1s
per $1,000 of assessed value. HI
said he did not remember the
exact figure. (The real estate ratt
now is $21.50 per thousand ane
past Investigations have shown the
District maintains a high basis oi
assessment
Answering the argument tha
Congress once reduced the Fed.
eral payment to SIS million year
Representative Yates of Illinois
said that was during the depres.
sion, in 1885. But, even when thu
Federal payment was $5 million
it was equivalent to 1913 per cen
of the smaller total District budg'
ct then required. he pointed out
Today, he said, the $12 millior
Federal payment is only a Fraction
more than 10 per cent of tn,
much larger total outlay Con.
gress requires the District tt
make. In other words, he said
the $12 million figure represents
a smaller contribution to the pres
ent budget than S. million was IL
1885.
Mr.. Stockman said: "We shoult
use some intelligent effort il
cutting this enormous bulge
where the fat is really deep-no
on this little item"
Calls 1t Mild Cut.
Mr.. Rees called the Taber mo