Evening star., 1916-04-14

A joint resolution IS. J. Res 32) pro.
posing an amendment to the Consti-
tuition of the United States extend:
ing the right of suffra ge, to residents
of the District of Columbia.
Resolved. etc. That the following
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States be proposed for ratifica.
ton by the legislatures of the several
states. which. when ratified by the
legislatures of three-fourths of the
states. shall be valid part of said
Constitution, namely:
ARTICLE
Section /. That for the purpose of
representation in the Congress. of the
United States and among the electors
of President and Vice President, the
residents of the District of Columbia
shall have the status of citizens of a
state. They shall be entitled to elect
two senators. representatives in the
House according to their numbers as
determined by the decennial enumera.
ton, and presidential electors equal in
number to the whole number of sena-
tors and representatives to which they
may be entitled in the Congress.
Sec. 2. That Congress shall provide
by law the qualifications of voters and
the times and manner of choosing the
senators. the representative or repre-
sentatives. and the electors authorized
by this article.
Sec. 5. The Congress shall have
power to enforce this article by appro-
pirate legislation.
Mr. Chairman and gentiemen of the
committee. this constitutional amend
ment which we favor does not propose
the admission of the District of COlum-
bia into the niOn n sovereign state {:
" does not propose the destruction Of
the e.stcn-miles-squnre" provision of the
Constitution; 1t does not lessen in the
smalleat degree the control by the ma
tiOn through Congress Of what re-
mains Of the "ten miles square,"
1t does not disturb In any way the
financial relation of nation and capital.
1t il not based upon either the abOli-
tion or the retention of the haIf-and-
half law.
1t liz not complicated with changes In
the municipal government of the Dis
trict. In respect to such propositions
of change W axhingtOnianS widely and
radically differ. On the question of the
speedy enactment of this constitutional
amendment I believe that nearly all
WashtnGtOninns agree. The fear that
Congress will not act quickly upon II
aud that the Justice which 1t proposes
will be long postponed mOderates local
cnthusiasm in respect to 1t.
This constitutional amendment as
~uBaes that the nation will continue to
and ASSERTS that the time has come
when the people of the capital should
he represented In TINT Congress. The
tcn-miies-sHuare provision of the Con-
-iitutiOn set UP u peculiar political en-
tity, not state. not n territory. under
shc exclusive control Of the nation.
This amendment is supplementary to
che ten-mfles-square provision. 1t says,
In effect. that after a century Of in
crease and development the Americans
mill fAA In fhA ON
titled Mt all times to every American
right and privilege consistent with con-
tinued national control of the capital.
are now entitled to representation in
the national government.
II makes Americans of community
of 100000 people who now politically
aliens. 1t naturalfzes for the pur-
pose of representation in the national
government n city slightly larger than
Minneapolis and slightly smaller than
New Orleans.
The constitutional provision eatab-
Iishing the ten miles square is respon-
sable for the mOnstrous paradox of un-
representative government at the capi-
tal Of the great republic. This simple
constitutional amendment which we
propose will correct 1t.
We are confident that the people of
the United States. outside Of the Dis
trict of COlum bia. will not confess Inn
potency to make Americans for the
parp0ae Of nafionni representation of
the residents of the National Capital.
Before the 3ofnt fiscal eonmfftee L sub
mitted a table which showed that every
nation In the world except the United
states gave to the people of it's capital
the same national representation ms
that enjoyed by the people Of other
cities. Republics like Argentina. Brazil
and Mexico. which have copied our
Constitution, Including the establish
ment Of the national capital in a ma
tion-contrOlled district. have, as mat
ter of course. given the people OF these
federal districts full representation In
the national government. Is the United
states impotent where these republics
are strong. Is the great republic less
democratic, less republican. less con-
sistent In devotion to the principles OF
representative government than Ar-
xentina, Brazil and Mexico:
The District should b. given voting
representation In Cong and the
electoral college as nOn-soverei8n
state. Its residents should, like other
Americans, have the status Of citizens
Of n state for the purpose of this rep
reaentati0n only. The nation. through
Congress, should retain its constitu-
tiOnnI power of exclusive legisIation
over the national district.
II constitutional amendment IL
unique which gives to the capital COM
nunity some but not all Of the rights
Of citizens Of q state. the constitutional
provision concerning the ten miles
- even more startinKly unique. 1t Is
more un-American to deprive body
Of Americans of all political and repre-
sentative rights than IL Ii to deprive
them of n part of such rights.
The Americans residing In the Dis
trict should enjoy every American
right and privilege not Inconsistent
with exclusive national control OF the
capital through Congress. Full repre-
>entatiOu of the District in Congress
i, obviously consistent with exclusive
control Of the District by Congress.
such representation in not only con-
.i~tcnt. but il clearly equitable and In
harmony with American principles OF
government.
No Unnecessary Sacrifices.
To Impose upon the Washingtonian
hurtfuI Determinations i'll respect to his
status before the national courts clearly
involves an unnecessary sacrifice on his
part.
chief Justice John Msrshalfs treat
,pert of the District of Columbia when
the alleged rights of its citizens came
ri i'm