The Washington times., 1917-10-06
The New Editor
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Watch The Times Tomorrow For An Important AAhouneeme
III e.~ Parting Theushts the Needs Of Washington.

10,
changed owners this column devoted exclusively to dis
cusson of local affairs begun Owing to desire to
concentrate the national letter which appears smuane
ousy the page of this newspaper and several news
papers in other large cities the writer has recommended
the addition to the staff of The Times Of man who will
give his whole time local editorials man Of long resi-
dence in Washington of broad experience integrity and
ability carry forward the editorial policies previously
outlined His identity will be announced IN tomorrows
Times. - .g..z !.
There are many thoughts that crowd themselves forward
for expression this the last of series Of than hun
dred editorials Washington affairs The writer, how
ever can think of better statement of the whole question
of this place in the extraordinary events OF today than
war viii bring many changes in American life It
will introduce many reforms 1t will help to make US more
efficient Not the least important OF these changes VIII Se
those which viii witness in the City OF Washington We
have seen some Of them already We have influx Of
population incident the We have crowded hotels
and Houses and apartments which for years
have been vacant are rapidly being rented New buildings
are being demanded for the Government and new dwellings
to house increased number of ransents and residents
Does it mean that civic consciousness has come at last TO
Washngton-more indeed than it has hitherto kncwnf
"The City Of Washington experienced real municipal
emotion on June 5th last 1t seemed for day part OF the
Uniona civic entity Thirty Eve thousand of young Of
military age residents of Washington were enrolled Tor mill
ary service The people Of the District Of Columbia have
zenshp has been denied thebut from the obligation Of
military service they have fortunately not been debared
Most of Washington residents were not born here but
many of them make the National Capital their home Here
reside nowadays much of the eountrys bransgoverlng
minds Theoreticaly Washington should be model city
In many respects it excels other American municipalities
But the tendency to hinder the development of civic nsu
ons ignoring them has been constant since the disenfran
1It is always matter Of surprise to the outsider when
he discovers that the people of Washington cannot vote
that of all cities Of the Union the Netonal Capital the
only where government exercised without the consent
of the governed Universal Suffrage has become Of the
slogans of the Democracy is another There was some
thing p last year about the failure Of the people of this
District to obtain referendum vote matter pending be-
fore Congress.
n Opposition to the enfranchisenen of the people Of
he of is lWaV
Washington elgoverned city, much better than it
would be under an elected mayor or council
To assume that the people Of Washington would per-
init inefciency under elective system Is to undeate the
intelligence Of electorate here The theory that the people
guardians is conception thoroughly undemocratc in re-
spect of single city would be Of the whole nation
There than 100000 people in Washington, and
while large percentage is directly the employ of the Fed
era Government the right to regulate the individual conduct
of American citizens is properly the function of
poyer whatsoever. 'rs
In the growth of the City of Washington very large
number of citizens have very valuable equity The Federal
o e a1 S the edera
have controlling voice the management of this city IS
obvious for here the ambassadors and ministers OF
after suggestion has been made in the past for the better
ment Of civic conditions the City of Washington These
go unheeded largely because the people of the District do not
bestir themselves in avowing their rights
By the entrance of the United States in the war the
civic responsibilities Of the people of the National Capital
have been increased The physical appearance OF the city
itself is rapidly being changed "a city is being reborn
at would opportune that the resident population
of Washington should not only have representation in Con-
gress but that system of city management be instituted
in which the equities of the Federal Government and the
people at large shall be recognized.
1.-The people of the District subscribed than their
quota for the Liberty Loan and outranked every other city
in the nation the percentage of subscriptions to population
Generous indeed has been the response to the Red Cross so
has been with every appeal from the Government for sup
port The Congress in justice to the people OF the District
should some day give them voice in their government
The time is not far distant when it will be acknowledged
that the consent of the governed is not an empty shb
boleth in the nations own Capital"
The above was the first editorial printed by the writer IN
this column on June e. 1917 It is also his conviction today