Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-25
Praise Heuped
On Message
ByLegisIotors
BY GRACE BASSETT
star stan Writer

Chpltal message.
In the Senate. District Com
mittee Chairman Bible. Demo-
crat Of Nevada. said he would
sponsor the joint resolution
handed Congress yesterday by
city heads.
This proposal Axes Federal
support of the Capital City at
a figure equal to costs not COW
cred by, taxes-now $50 mil
lion annually-and authorizes
500 million in loans from the
Federal Treasury.
Represe n tative Mcmillan,
Democrat of South Carolina,
promised to take the resolution
before his full House District
Committee by the weeks end.
Will Urge Expediters
AS chairman. he said he also
would urge establishment of
. Senate House working COM
mittee to expedite passage of
noncontroversial local bills.
This suggestion came from
leaders of both Senate and
House committees - Senator
Morse. Democrat of Oregon.
and Representatives Smith,
Democrat Of Virginia. and
Hyde. Republican of Maryland
after q joint committee meet.
ing yesterday.
A majority of % Senate and
House committeeman came to
hear Robert E. Mclaughlin,
president Of the Board OF Com
missioners. deliver the Commits
sioners' l0-page message.
His major request was for q
continuing policy OF Federal
support to save the Capital City
from decay. The exodus of high
and mid-incofne families to the
suburbs has robbed the central
city Of tax revenue sufiicient to
maintain it as the Capital. Q
showplace for the Nation. he
said.
The Federal Government
should pay public works bills
bigger than total tax revenues,
when local tax levels have
reached those in the surround
ing areas. Mr.. Mclaughlin
maintained. Now, District
taxes have passed that level.
he noted. so increases would
drive more Washington resi-
dents to outlying areas.
Would Set Pettern
His resolution for a 500
million, 30-year borrowing pro-
gram and an increased Federal
payment from $23 to $50 mil
lion was aimed at setting the
pattern of Federal support and
revitalizing public works build
ing.
This financing formula led
a list Of 20 top priority munic-
ipal requests laid before COM
mitteemen. Fifteen require
legislation. Five ask more
money in the pending budget
| for school. health. welfare.
prison and civil defense budg-
cts.
Such spotlighting of local
issues was most helpful" Sem
ator Bible said. The Commits
sioners drew the needs OF the
District into one compact pack
age"
Representative Mcmillan
noted each legislator had his
own ideas for meeting those
needs. But he Joined Senator
Bible In praising the Commits
sioners for their bold and
fortnight" program.
Senator Morse commended
Commissioners for establishing
a precedent message pat
termed after the Presidents an
nual State Of bhe Union ad-
dress. Come TO Congress with
the annual District message
even earlier in future sessions.
he told them.
Says City Is Cheated
AS one with experience in
municipal government, I would
say the Commissioners are sub
stantially correct in describing
the urban crisis. former Phila.
delphia mayor, Senator Clark,
Democrat OF Pennsylvania. said.
He threw away a prepared
speech at a luncheon yesterday
10 say he'd tight for a t32 mill
lion annual payment. He de.
handed that Congress stop
cheating" the District on its
share OF running the city, and
face up TO the challenge posed
by the Commissioners message.
Representative Smith called
the message the most con-
structive thing have seen pre-
sented a District committee 10
my experience with this COM
mittee." He said many OF the
bills urged by the Commissions
ers we're noncontroversial. A
Joint committee screening them
from items requiring investiga-
ton and hearings could do
much 10 move measures with
no fuss through Congress. he
noted.
Though House Chairman
Mcmillan favored this idea. he
said he would await q full COM
mittee decision before acting
on II. Senator Bible was more
dubious He said informal con-
ferences might better screen
quickly paSsable bills without
interfering with the independ-
ent investigatory rights Of SEN
ate and House committees.
Representative Miller, Re-
publican of Nebraska. said he
had a lot Of questions to ask
the Commissioners before he
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