Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-31

A constitutional amendment has q
long road and a hard road to travel. 1t
must run the gantlet of two-thirds
of Congress and three-fourths of the
state legislatures. 1t must be stripped
for the race. 1t must carry not an
ounce of superf1uous weight either
externally on its body or in fat upon
its bones.
Washington thought that the first
Chamberlain amendments. ]. f., 81
was trained for the purpose OF running
its course to the highest possible point
Of racing efficiency; that it was abso-
lutely rid OF all impeding non-essen-
tials; that 1t was handicapped by
minimum of clogs and hazards
But experience has shown Washing
toms mistake. The first Chamberlain
amendment is halted in the judiciary
subcommittee of the Senate District
committee. Some influential senators
are not willing to give today for i'm
mediate enjoyment the status of
American citizens for the purpose of
national representation to the resi-
dents of the District of Columbia. A
few fear partisan disadvantage from
immediate District representation in u
delicately balanced Senate and House.
A few doubt whether the Districts vot-
ing constituency is today entitled to
national representation. Some who
favor votes for women believe that ex-
plicit and unmistakable enfranchise-
be simultaneous with the actual grant
of any form of national representa-
ton to the male residents of the capi-
tai.
From this condition springs the Sec
ond Chamberlain amendment-S j.
R., 196-which is printed at the head
of this article 1t has all the merits
Of the first amendment and avoids the
objections aimed at the latter. 1t
does not grant direct and immediate
representation to the District, but em-
powers Congress - grant such repre-
sentatfOn at it's discretion In the future.
1t thus disarmS the opposition of to-
days partisan apprehension, of votes
ers of the immediate fitness Of the Dis
tricts voting constituency.
Merits of New Amendment.
And yet the second Chamberlain reso-
luton effects the vital essential of the
ideal constitutional amendment Moth
ing whatever should be sought
through a two-thirds vote of Congress
and a three -fourths vote of the states
which can be secured through ma
jority vote of Congress. An absolute
minimum OF alteration of the Consti-
tuition. effecting only the vitality mecca
sary change, should be proposed by
| amendment.
! The second Chamberlain amendment
| ir1y1o fol er;v
| to Washintonians national representa-
| tion, but 1t takes that vital privilege
from inaccessibility and places 1t within
reach. After its adoption only a ma
| jority vote of Congress will be re-
quired to do equity in this matter,
whereas now a two-thirds vote of Con-
gress and a three-fourths vote of the
state legislatures are necessary.
| Its sole effect is to remedy an ac-
| knowledged evil and to do equity by en-
powering Congress- to declare the pOlitf-
cal and judicial status. of the residents
of the seat of government.
| All of the controverted issues con-
cerning the ma ake-up of the local cleo
torate, the qualifications of voters and
the form of local government upon
which both Washingtonians and our
| national Legislators radically differ
among themselves are postponed to be
decided by the majority vote of Con-
| gress after the great and vital ques-
| tion of the constitutional status Of the
| u.
! A proposed constitutional amendment
affecting the District is doomed to de-
! feat which provokes the active oppo-
sition of either democrats or republi-
cans: of progressives. conservatives or
reactionaries of prohibitionists or
anti -prohibitionists; of those for or
! against liquor referendum, or any
other kind of referendum; of those who
either favor or oppose votes for wom-
| en-: of those who advocate or oppose
an educational or property qualification
for voters: of those who favor or con-
denim change in the form of local
| government; of sing1e-taxers or anti
| singIe-taxers: of champions or belit-
tiers of the half-and-half law; and of
| those who either advocate or abominate
| the new nationalizing" of Washington.
| In short, any active group of Anleri-
| cans sufficiently strong to be able to
influence one-third of either house of
Congress, can defeat this constitutional
| amendment.
Our proposition, however. is now so
stripped Of every ,strife-breeding fea-
| ture and so centered upon a single
principle Of undeniable equity. that all
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