Evening journal., 1917-01-30

worthy to be Needed as advice by
Congress. If for special reasons
Congress shall decide that a refer
endum on this particular issue is in
opportune at this particular time, its
denial of the referendum should be
based unmistakably upon this deci-
sion alone. The power of Congress
in the premises should be avowed,
the right Of the District in equity to
be thus consulted as to its legisla-
tive affairs should be recognized ard
conceded and the local community
should not be slandered as cOrrupti-
BILE degraded, and unfit to exercise
this right. In short, II this referen-
dunn is not granted, it should not be
denied permanently on its merits, but
merely for special reasons be post
poned.
IT, on the other hand, Congress
should decide that not only in the
abstract is the District equitably en-
titled to be consulted concerning i'm
portant local legislation through an
advisory referendum, but also that it
is worthy to exercise and should eX-
ercise this right at once and on the
anti-saloon issus, that decision should
be so formulated that IL will mean a
victory for the referendum principle
In Washington-merely postponing
the elimination OF the salOOns-and
not a victory solely for the saloons,
in substance defeating the effort to
abolish them. To this end, If ref
erendum is granted. Congress should
through this medium secure the hon
est opinion and advice Of all bona
fde residents Of the District, includ-
ing women as well as men, and in
cluding all Government employees, ir-
respective of their retention Of legal
residence in the States All the safe
guards that Congress can supply to
assure that the vote shall be intelli-
gently and honestly cast will be well
coined. The abolition of the saloon
should not be proposed in terms cal
culated to create unnecessary antag-
onisms and to invite It's defeat. The
issue should be stated in the clearest,
simplest form, so as to assure a max
imum of consideration as a moral
issue in the homes and in the church.
es, and so as to involve a minimum
of destruction Of Washington's in
dustries, conhning that destruction,
strictly to the factories making alco-
holic beverages. whose existence is
inconsistent with prohibition.
A referendum vote on the anti-sa-
loon issue would stir profoundly ev-
cry home. however humble, in the
District It would arouse the inter
est OF business Washington. It would
develop the full and, the Star is con
vinced, the honest vote of one of the
most intelligent communities in the
United States. Washingtonians
would be on trial as to their fitness,
not merely to be consulted as to To-
cal affairs by Congress through the
referendum, but to be represented in
that Congress and in the Electoral
, College like other Americans.
IL a referendum is granted and
Washington meets this test, the way
will be cleared for the 800 900 Amer
leans of the District, a population ex-
ceeding that of six of the States, to
be in important respects American
lied, and TO be transferred by consti-
tutlonal amendment from the status
OF political aliens to that of citizens
Of State for the purpose at least OF
representation in Congress and the
Electoral College.
If, on the other hand, the District
I is denied the referendum on the in
sulting ground that its voting con-
stituency is venai and unworthy, OF
if the referendum is granted and
Washington fails to meet the test, the
Americanization Of Washington will
be indefinitely postponed, to the Capt.
tai community's lasting injury and
| shame