Evening star., 1951-06-23
Residents Of District Pay Extra
To Give u. S. Free Services
By Don S. Worren

By Don S. Worren
Because this is the National
Capital and a show place of the
country, city as well as Federal
developments here must be artis-
tic in style. grand in motif.
The results are easy to find and
lovely to see.
To mention some: Wide tree
lined avenues, extraordinarily
Fourth of Series.
spacious parks. drives linking his
toric forts, a Zoo that is the envy
Iof other places; stone-faced, low
'Ilevel bridges: municipal struc-
lures conforming to the monu-
!. mental character of Federal
buildings and a home for the re-
corder of deeds that would put
most cities to shame.
And there are height and use
restrictions on private commercial
buildings to protect the Federal
city plan and aesthetic conSidera-
tions also outlaw ugly. smoky but
profitable heavy industries that
could help fill the needs of the
tax collector.
Washington likes it that way.
It's residents rejoice along with
the millions of tourists in the in
spring results. But such things
cost extra and constitute some of
the many justif1cations for Fed
eral payment of equitable size.
What that amount should be
has been in dispute almost since
1900 when the National Capital
was created. From 1878 to 1925
there were fixed ratios of $3.50 and
60-40, but since then there have
been lump-sum payments that
at times, one congressional friend
comments, were gauged "only by
guess and by God"
So Million for Insane.
District officials at this years
House hearings in the new budget
outlined some of the multitude of
Ijustifications for the Federal pay
ment.
j Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler
protested that the District must
pay more than So million a year
for the care of insane patients
at st. Elizabeths Hospital sum
he said was "all out of range and
reason" for a city of Washington S
size.
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue joined in to say that I'VE are
not as crazy as the statistics at
st. Elizabeths would indicate" He
and Mr.. Flower made the point
that many thousands come here,
because it is the National Capital,
to present grievances and to fight
for causes and that when the in
sane are committed to st. Eliza
beths they are charged to the
District if they have been here
a year or more.
Washington naturally is proud
|, of its Zoo, but a check of the
license plates on cars of Zoo visi-
tors several years ago indicated
that more than half of them came
from outside the District. The
Zoo. Mr.. Fowler and others con.
tend, really is a national park. al
, though it's costs are paid by Dis.
trict residents and its manage
ment is vested in the regents o.
|, the Smithsonian Institution.
100000 u. S. Trash Bill.
Take the question of trash. I
6 lis one of those routine, undramati'
: Operations of disposing of things
q But it costs more to establish
|, and operate the incinerators. Dis
: posal of rubbish from the Fed
eral agencies means the incinera
tion of 100000 cubic yards Of 49,.
900 tons each year.. William A
Xanten, superintendent of sani
tation services. estimates this serv'
lice to the United States costs thl
District about 100000 a year.
1t would be considerably more
except that the Government trash
does not have to be collected b!
E the District. 1t is delivered by th'
t Government OF the incinerators.
4 This is one illustration of man.
= services the District performs TO
n Federal agencies. most Of then
lost from sight merely because the,
q are run-of -the-mill operations. bu
Iall of which are actual aid, al
d annual cash costs to District resi-
r dents.
IF The District affords police an
fire protection to the Fedora
> agencies, Government officials an
d visiting dignitaries.
If All of this and other service
,r are free, except to the extent tina
+ costs may be covered by the siz
+ of the variable and dwindlin
l. Federal payment.
n, Costs Calculated.
is The cost of special details {
le Metropolitan Police for specifl
Of Federal purposes. for instanc'
was calculated to be $4,000
1T The annual cost to the Fire De
Or partment for Federal services ws
ee estimated at $4,000. This ir
1e cluded responses to fires in Fec
loteral buildings, special detail
l. washing down Federal building
and pumping out their basement
es when flooded and fire preventie
given Federal person
,ftlnel.
lis Theye are other services lie
'visibleA Who, for instance. wou
g.