The Washington times., 1917-06-27
Washington Reborn
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

The will bring many changes in American life It
will introduce many reforms 1t win help to make more
efficient Not the least important Of these changes win be
those which will witness in the City of Washington We
have of them already. We have influx Of
population incident to the We have crowded hotels
and thoroughares Houses and apartments which for years
have been vacant rapidly being rented New buildings
being demanded for the Government and dwellings to
house the increased number of residents Does
mean that civic consciousness has at last to Wash
ington-more indeed than it has hitherto known7
The City of Washington experienced real municipal
emotion June 9TH last 1t seemed day part of the
Uniona civic entity Thrtyfve thousand of young men Of
military residents of Washington enrolled for m
tary service The people of the District of Columbia have
been able to vo-the most precious privilege citizen
ship has been denied the-but from the obligation Of mill
tay service they have fortunately not been debarred Most
of Washngtons residents not born here many Of
them make the National Capital their reside nova
days much of the countrys braingoverning minds The
recaly Washington should be model city. In many
spects it exces other American municipalities But the
tendency to hinder the development of civic institutions By
ignoring them observation-disclosures
of the people.
It is always matter of surprise to the outsider when
he discovers that the people of Washington cannot voat
of all the cities of the Union the National Capital is the only
where exercised without the Of the
governed Universal Suffrage has become of the slogans
war; Democracy" is another There something
pifu last year about the failure of the people of this Dis
rict to obtain referendum vote matter pending before
Congress
opposition the enfranchisement the people Of the
District of Columbia it always forb argued that Wash
ngon is welgoverned city, much better than it would be
under an elected mayor council
TO ASSUME THAT THE PEOPLE OF WASHINGTON
WOULD PERMIT NEFFICIENCY UNDER AN ELECTIVE SYS
TEN TO UNDERRATE THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE EEc-
ToRATE HERE THE THEORY THAT THE PEOPLE KNOW
NOTHING ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND OUGHT TO BE FUR
NIS4ED GUARDIANS IS CONCEPTION As THOROUGHLY
UNDEMOCRATIc In RESPECT OF SINGLE CITY As IT
WOULD BE OF THE WHOLE NATION
There than 100000 people in Washington and
while large percentage directly in the employ of the Fed
era Government the right to regulate the individual conduct
of American citizens is not properly the function of any
poyer whatsoever.
In the growth of the City of Washington very large
number of citizens have very valuable equity The Federal
Government too, has equity Inasmuch this is the
Capital of the Nation the right of the Federal Government
have controlling voice in the management of this city Is
obvious for here the ambassadors ministers Of
foreign powers to conduct international business Suggestion
after suggestion has been made in the past for the better
ment of civic conditions in the City of Washington These
unheeded largely because the people of the District do not
bestr themselves in avowing their rights.
By the entrance of the United States in the the civic
responsibilities of the people of the National Capital have been
increased The physical appearance of the city itself rapidly
being changed city is being reborn.
1T WOULD SEEM OPPORTUNE THAT THE RESIDENT
POPULATION OF WASHINGTON SHOULD NOT ONLY HAVE
IN CONGRESS BUT THAT SYSTEM OF
CITY MANAGEMENT BE INSTITUTED IN WHICH
THE EQUITIES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE
PEOPLE AT LARGE SHALL BE RECOGNIZED.
The people of the District subscribed than their
quota for the Liberty Loan and ourankd every other city
the nation the percentage of subscriptions population
indeed has been the response to the Red Cross
been with appeal from the Government sup
port The Congress- in justice to the people of the District
should give them voice in their government The time
prove that e governed is not an
empty shbboeth in the Nations Capital.