The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-18
City of Washington Does
 Not Exist in Legal Sense
Congressman Johnson of Kentucky Brings Out Fact That the District of Columbia Is the Capital of the United States and Not Metropolis Bear
 ing Name of First President
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

Washington, March 17--(SpeciaD-Let ters are addressed to Washington, and it is of Washington that people speak. Washington. The capitol of the United States is in the District of Columbia.
 The facts in the case were presented today in the following manner:
 MT. Johnson of Kentucky. Mir Chair man, on page 32. line F. I move to strike out the word Washington and insert the word the
 I have no doubt the committee will agree to the proposed amendment. but a few words of explanation might not be out of place. Throughout the bill. Ito be used, sometimes the city of Washington is used and sometimes the District of Columbia" and sometimes
 the city of Washington in the District of Columbia" There ought to be uni fornlity about it. particularly since the use of the language as it appears in the bill in many places, apparently at least, gives recognition to a historical condition which does not exist. There are peculiarities tbout the charter which was granted to the city of Washington and to it's repeal finally, to which l called attention last summer in some remarks. After I had done so the President of the United States changed the manner of concluding his proclamations. There fore the proclamations of all Presidents had concluded by saying Done at the city of Washington" Since then Presl- dent Wilson concludes his proclamations by saying Done in the District Of Co., lumbia." I sent a copy of these remarks to the distinguished gentleman who edits the Star He wrote me letter acknowl- edging receipt of it, and saying that he. too, was entirely satisfied that the seat of government was the District of Co., lumbia. Strange to say. in 1892. when the city of Washington was first chartered. there were no limits fixed for the muni cipal corpora tion. It just simply incor- porated the city of Washington without even saying 1t was in the District of Columbia. and no limit was fixed to the boundary of the corporation It had been commonly accepted that Florida avenue was the northern boundary of it, that the eastern branch of the river was an- other boundary. and that the Potomac river was another boundary. But that is not true.
 No boundary whatever, as I stated, was ever fixed for the city of Washington when It was incorporated as a municj- pdity. by the ooe VI reprudry q, 1871. the charter of the city of Washington was repealed entirely. But the constitu- tion of the United States fixes the Dis trict of Columbia as me seat of gov ernment The act of July IS. 17so, provides for the requirement of the District of Columbia. and that act also makes the District of Columbia as the seat of gov ernment.
 In I790 the capital was in New York, and a compromise was made at that time by permitting the capital to ga to Phila- delphia for the next 10 years, and then to be removed to the District of Colum- bia in December, 1S00
 Mir. Kearns. MT. Chairman. will the gentleman yield?
 Mir. Johnson of Kentucky. do.
 MT. Kearns. Is what we cah George town here part of the seat pf govern ment?