The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-27
The War Will Not Excuse
Negligence at Home
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

Everything is being blamed upon the war or, rather,
the is being used for all things that go
If it rains too much the coudburst must be due to the
heavy detonatons of artillery abroad
If pick up the telephone receiver and can't get
number because the operator insists ransposng the
dgs asked for the has something to do with It.
If we want peach ice at the hotels must pay
so cents for ton account of the war.
pay twice much for any food it is because OF
the
Undoubtedly the war has affected domestic life and win
continue to reach into the home taking away Injuries and
adding burdens But is the really the reason why so
many things needed by the people OF Washington are
passed byi And if is doesn this argue the need OF self
government and universal suffragei
Does anyone really believe that the disservce being
rendered by the Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany would be tolerated in any city where the people rue
Does anyone believe that impure milk would be sold
to the people of any city capable of enforcing its will
Does anyone believe that the fremen of Washington
who work twenty hours day would not get two
platoon system in y the people of Washington could
votef
Does anyone believe that any of the questions advo-
Gated for the benefit of the people OF Wash
ngton would be ignored if there means OF exertng
political pressure Congressf
Nobody in Congress seems to care particularly about
the District of Columbia at least cares to the
clusion of all other business-what happens to the mu
ncipal questions of vital interest to Washington.
For years the argument of those in the Government who
have opposed suffrage the District has been that the Fed
era Government the of the largest of prop
ery should control the affairs of the District But suddenly
the Federal Government isconfronted with big crisis and
Dranch OF ltneltner the executive
has any time to bother with District affairs Wherever
turns Congress the is the ''We cannot do
anything about that now account of the war;"
every mayor every city of the United States adopted
that attitude if every Common Council suddenly began to
ignore the wishes of the people, for other the
body polite would have something to say about Eec
ton Day.
The trouble is that in Washington there is election
day Everybody who holds Office in the District holds it by
appointment the President of the United States much
too busy whether his appontees doing their job
we'll As it happens the present Commissioners of the Dis
trict capable but they overburdened with prob
ems And at just about the time they at the solution
of question they must to Congress for legislation and
authority 80 ~
The Senate and House of Representatives constitute the
Common Council of the city of Washington and it is busy
Common Counc-too busy at this time to listen to anything
but war That is what its members say But they
cerei They to find time to discuss everything under
the sum- rather everything for which any individual
Der has hobby There ought to be the Senate
and in the House of Representatives who would
have his hobby the District of Columbia and nothing else
Then would the voice of the people340O00 of them-be
heard
The biggest service that Congress could render unit
of Americas population to each of six States in the
Union-would be to reenfranchse Washington. What is
the worth of sacrifices in distant Europe the legislative
body home too busy right the wrongs suffered every
day by than three hundred thousand American czens