Evening star., 1955-01-25
Hughes Pledges
Continued Aid
For Washington
Budget Bureau Heed
Says Goal Is City
Worthy of Nation

An "unequiyocal determination
to do the Federal Governments
part" to make Washington q
capital worthy Of the Nation
was pledged last night BY Row
land r. Hughes. director of the
Bureau Of the Budget
Mr.. Hughes discussed the Dis
trict as part of a talk on the
administration budget last night
before the District Bankers AS
sociation at the Mayf1ower Ho-
tel.
Compared with the $l2 mil
lion Federal payment to the
District prepared by the out
going Truman administration,
the figure was nearly doubled
in this fiscal year and is due
to be again next year, rising
to about $22 million annually.
Breakdown Of Figures.
The $22 million figure in
cludes the $40 million payment
to the general fund plus 81
million for water service. some
$500 .000-odd for sanitary sewer
service. and other payments. ;.
20 i. l
In addition, he cited: A $l2
million disbursement in 1856 on
the multi-million dollar loan
program which President Eisen-
hover recommended last year to
help the District carry out a pub
lie works program.
Expenditures for a special
loan and grant program to
finance expansion of private
hospital facilities in the District
will increase from So million in
1854 to $12 million in 1856.
"These expenditures empha-
size that while we adhere to the
policy of sharing Of responsible
ity and cost with local govern
ments on a fair basis, it is our
unequivocal determination to do
the Federal Governments part
to make our capital city one
which is worthy of our great
Nation" he said.
Mr.. Hughes said that in the
light of the administrators
philosophy regarding the Capital,
the trend Of the direct Federal
contribution to the District has
run contrary to that Of total
Federal expenditures: While
total Federal spending has been
reduced each year. Federal pay
ments to the District have been
increased substantially.
Example for Nation.
The administration, he said.
has q determined objective to
work with local citizens tQ. make
he Capital zone which viii pro-
vide an honored example to all
the communities Of our Nation." :"
He noted the evidence of Pres
ident Eisenhower's belief that
District citizens should be grant,
ed suffrage, that the principle
of self-government should be
applied, that segregation should
be ended, and that Federal pay
ments to the city should be ION a
reasonable level commensurate
with the Federal Governments
position In, and demands upon.
the District"
The District will receive nearly
$24 million from Federal grant
in-aid and loan programs in
1856, being treated as a State
or municipality under most Of
these programs. Mr.. Hughes re-
lated. This is chiefly to pay old
age assistance and other social
security benefits, to make un-
employment compensation pay
ments, to assist in highway con-
struction, and to finance slum
clearance and redevelopment.
Other Services Provided.
The budget director pointed
out that other facilities and
are provided the District
and its residents without charge.
He included in this list:
The Jones Point Bridge, to be
built at Federal expense, for
which planning will get under
way in 1856.
The Washington National Air
port.
The parks system, acquired
with Federal help and operated
at Federal expense.
The parks and parkways In the
metropolitan area, in which the
Federal Government has partici-
pated with Maryland and vir-
ginia, including the Suitland,
George Washington Memorial
and Baltimore-W q shington
Parkways and the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal property.
Museums and libraries con-.
structed and operated by the
Federal Government.