Evening star., 1915-12-13
What Is the Wisest Way?


The proposed constitutional amend
ment, giving Washingtonians the
status of citizens of state for the
purpose of representation in Con-
gress and the electoral college, seeks
to put in the Constitution only that
vital basic principle, whose equity
is unassai1ab1e. The proposition is
stripped of every controversy-breed-
ing feature of necessary supplement
tary and enforcing legislation, and by
the terms of the amendment Con-
gress is authorized to enact all such
legislation, including the law fixing
the qualifications of voters in the Dis
trict 1t is left to Congress to de-
eide by majority vote whether there
shall be for District voters a prop
erty qualification or an educational
qualification or. most important of all,
a qualification discriminating be-
tween the sexes and excluding
women.
Of course, there is nothing in the
proposed amendment that is hostile
in the remotest degree to the inclu-
sion of women among District citi-
zens and voters. If the amendment
were adopted as it stands a mere
majority vote of Congress, fixing the
qualifications OF District voters, could
enfranchise District women. Such en-
franchisement if directly provided by
constitutional amendment would re-
quire a two-thirds vote of Congress
and three-fourths vote of state leg
islatures. The vote on woman suf-
frage in the last Congress suggests
that the majority but not the two
thirds vote can be secured.
The proposed constitutional amend
ment took the shape in which it ap-
pears because that was the only shape
in which it could receive the united
support OF the Chamber of Com
merce committee of ten and of the
Chamber itself. Everybody got be-
hind it and pushed, because it estab-
lished the vital, fundamental principle
of national representation for the Dis
trict, and did not negative anybody's
individual view as to local self-gov-
ernment, woman suffrage or an edu-
catiohal or property qualification for
voters.
The equitable privilege or right
which the District seeks in this
amendment is the same in principle
as that which the woman suffrage or
ganizatiens seek for women all over
the United States, including the Dis
trict. There should be sympathetic
and harmonious cooperation between
the two movements. No woman's
organization should adopt a threaten
ing or dog-in-the-manger attitude
toward the District amendment, de-
stroying in short-sighted selfshness
all chances of its passage, and
alternating very many Washingtonians
who favor woman suffrage in the Dis
trict, but think it should be provided
by the majority vote of Congress as
an ordinary law, after the constitu-
tional amendment, stripped for the
race OF all retarding weights, has run
the gantlet of two-thirds of Con-
gress and three-fourths of the states.
The District, which has no national
representation at all for anybody, is
entitled to receive from the woman
suftragists hearty support for its ap-
peal for this right, privilege and
equity. Many Washingtonians think
that the wisest and easiest way in
which to secure both national repre-
sentation for the District and the in
clusion OF women among District citi-
zens and voters is to push the con-
stitutional amendment as it stands,
and after its passage TO include
women among qualified voters by act
of Congress in accordance with the
provisions of the amendment.
But if the woman suffragists after
thoughtful consideration are con-
vinced that this inclusion OF women
must be made a part of the consti-
tutional provision, requiring two
thirds instead of a majority vote OF
then why they should threaten or
destroy the amendment, to the injury
both of the District and of the gen.
eral cause of woman suffrage in the
nation. This amendment is now in
the hands of Congress. Under its
provisions Congress is authorized, in
effect. after the adoption of the con-
stitutional amendment to legislate
woman suffrage for the District. II
Congress chooses to anticipate this
legislation and to make woman suf-
frage at this time part of the con-
stitutional amendment the District
cannot complain, and will doubtless
cheerfuliy acquiesce.
Washington is entitled TO the hear
ty support of the woman suffragists
local and national, for its constitu.
tionai amendment. either with the
further amendment suggested, if thu
assent of Congress can be secured, o,
e<.~l.