Evening star., 1914-05-05
Wanted: Political Fair Play.

The problem OF a square deal politically
for Washingtonians is not solved by the
arbitrary dictum that their status is un-
chanSeahle that their political I'M
potency is ncurahle. that their voteless
un-American condition was voluntarily
accented by them more than century
ago and is not. therefore. through all
eternity to become at amy time a rea-
sonable subject of complaint. The cen
tury-old surrender of the America n
hirthrirht Of national representation was
only for time and not for all time.
II the nation is to continue 10 control
the District. the District should be and
can safely he recognized as part OF the
nation and be permitted representation
In Congress. which is the nation, in cxer-
cising this control.
The only way to preserve the original
status of Washington was TO keep the
District as nearly uninhabited as al the
beginning. Our forefathers did not ex-
pect this paralysis Of growth. George
Washington predicted that the city of
tie nation century thence. If the conn
try kept united. would be, though not
as large as London yet OF magnitude
inferior 10 few others in Europe II is
unbelievable that he thought that this
would he peopled by aliens politically
and lees than aliens iudicially. He could
not have imagined that the great Ma
tional Capital. rivalins London in popu-
lation would not be an American city.
The transaction ~ the birth of the
city was not the permanent sale of an
American birthIicht for special capital
privileges. including national mainte-
nance and development. Even if the
nation had faithfully and fully carried
out its century-oid pledges to the capital
the surrender OF the American birthright
Of national representation would not
equtably have been viewed as perpetual.
But the nation violated its obligation and
in ISIS only in part recognized and re-
assumed il. TODAY the United States
should fultill its obligation of capital
maintenance and upbuilding TO the extent
thar equity demands: and should also
restore national representation to the
people Of the district. il statehood condi
tons are row fairly met here.
The isolated Washingtonians. claiming
residence nowhere else than in the capi-
tai. are left almost alone in the ma
tional hospital for the cure of politically
defective and delinquent Americans. What
should be their status and rights Are
they to grow in American privileges and
national consideration until they become
(eAcept for national legislative control
through Congressl a distinct American
community, or are they to be destroyed
community and scattered in citizen
snip among the states of the Cnion'
We OF Washington naturally favor the
preservation and development of the in
dependent status of the isolated Washing
that il would be better for both nation
and capital that Washington, instead of
becoming merely the national camping
ground. the temporary abiding place OF
transient Americans, should be, though
under exclusive national control through
nifty, with local citizens, local traditions,
local self-rcspect and local pride
But whatever the actual solution may
be- the problem must be solved Of the
status political. judicial, industrial. ma
terial-of a populous and intelligent
American community. living at the Ma
tional Capital, but politically outside OF
the nation: and this problem promises
TO become In the not remote future with
the notable growth Of the class OF iso-
lated Neutrality-suspicious.. one OF the most
important and urgent, when will confront
people.
Elsewhere in The Star this problem is
discussed in editorial correspondence.