The Washington times., 1917-07-14
SILENCE RULE
Of president
ON QUESTION
Of PRIMARY
Citizens Federation Committee
in Doubt as to Plans Pending
knowledge of Whether Refer
endum Would Be Observed
By BILL PRICE.

President Wilson has not seriously
approved the movement before the
Federation Of Citizens Associations
for the choice of a Commissioner of
the District to succeed oliver P. New
man through a preferential primary,
the plans for which are to be ar
ranged by that body at an important
meeting tonight Neither has the
President indicated that he will not
abide by the choice of a man recon-
mended to him in such a primary.
Seek PresIdent'E Views.
Pending q hint from the White
House as to what Mr.. Wilson thinks
OF this first serious effort of the peo-
pie OF the District to express for
themselves their choice Of an official
to preside over their AFFAIRS, the COM
mittee in charge OF preparations for
such primary is today somewhat in
doubt as to what to do. The disposi-
ton appears to be to go forward with
the arrangement OF all plans and de-
tails and to appoint a committee to
obtain from the President an express
sion as to whether he would abide by
the choice Of the proposed primary.
Many ardent advocates of home
rule and of general suffrage for the
the District believe that the project
ed primary. even II held without con-
sultation with the White House,
would have q wide moral effect in
augmenting the earnest wish of the
District for suffrage, while others are
just as positive in their opinions that
no good would come of a priamry IL
the President should ignore its rec
concentrations or II 1t is held with
out his approval.
By all, however, the hope was ex-
pressed that an outcome of the move
ment would be to secure from the
President some positive indication OF
his personal interest in and advocacy
of Congressional enactments bestow-
ing suffrage throughout the District
ON all strictly local questions.
Democratic leaders of the District
are today holding of pending some
word from the White House before
offering help to the movers for a
preferential primary. Republican
leaders are likewise slow in giving
their views, fearing that the charge
would be made, as indeed it has al
ready been made, that Republicans
are back OF the scheme and seek to
embarrass the President.
The Times Position Approved.
The Democratic view was given to
The Times by John F. Costello, Dem
ocratic national committeeman and
recorder Of deeds.
81 am absolutely and unqualifiedly
for suffrage in the District by act OF
Congress, having been elected ma
-tional committeeman in a party pri-
mary" Costello said. 81 am with The
Times in its fight for suffrage, and
feel that the paper will never let up
until its aims have been achieved.
am not in a position, though, to give
my approval to the movement Just
started to nominate a candidate for
Commissioner until know whether
the man selected in such a voluntary
primary would receive the approval
of President Wilson. I prefer to
know definitely whether such a selec-
ton would be Endorsed by him, and
until do know this 1 do not wish to
embarass him by aiding in the pres
entation OF a candidate. It is possible
that he would prefer to choose his
own man without regard to the wishes
OF a homemade primary"
1t was admitted today by Clyde d.
Garrett, chairman of the committee of
the federation that his committee and
the association tonight are face to
face with a hundred serious questions
as to how the primary can be ar
ranged and at the same time secure
the enthusiastic backing and ap-
proval Of the people OF the District
so that any choice made will be re-
garded as genuinely a true expression
OF popular local sentiment. Person
ally he believes that the plans to be
laid before the association and pos
sibly adopted by that body will have
the backing OF the people. He is OPP
timistic enough to believe that 10000