The Washington times., 1919-04-10
TO ASK FULL
PRVlEGESIN IN
D.C.SUFFRAGE
Pleas For MouthfuI Portions of
Justice Give Way to Demand
For Full Meal.
By BILL PRICE

By BILL PRICE.
The confident opinion, expressed in
all parts OF Washington, that Con-
Eress will at no distant date pro-
vide the machinery for suffrage in
the district IS leading civic leaders
here TO the conclusion that nothing
will be gained by laying before the
national legislators a minimum pro-
gram; that Congress will be inclined
TO liberality when 1t acts and will
give the people here a maximum Of
the rights that so with the suffrage
Of free Americana.
A number OF leading officials of
cittzens' associations who have been
discussing this subject recently in the
light Of the strongly developing
sentiment in Congress for suffrage
here have about cOms to the conclu-
sion that Congress should be asked to
grant full voting privileges except in
such matters as the Constitution re-
serves to Congress, especially as to
exclusive legislation over this slice Of
Federal territory.
In halting, hesitating fashion many
advocates of suffrage in the District
have for q long time recommended
asking for a mouthful of justice at
time instead Of A WHOLE MEAL
In this manner there would come to
Washington citizens in the course Of
another fifteen or twenty years about
half the suffrage rights now accord
ed to other Americans.
DOaovan wants Fuu Meal
T. J. Donovan, the capable head Of
the Central Citizens Association, has
recently been going into this subject
in detail with other civic leaders, in
cluding Theodore Noyes, chairman of
the central suffrage committee,
named by various civic organizations
many months ago
"A very large number Of citizens
who have expressed their ideas Of
local suffrage in my presence late
" are very definite in their convic-
tion,T said Mr.. Donovan today, that
while they recognize it as automatic
that for all time we must maintain q
Federal status In the District with ex-
elusive right in Congress to legislate.
they have no difficulty in harmoni- |
ztng this with their right TO choose
ths members Of the Board OF Com
missioners Of the District, the Board
of Education, the Board OF Children's
Guardians, the Public Utilities Com
miagion and kindred other adminis-
erstfve officers. None Of them can
see good reasons why the doing Of
Chis would conflict in the least with
authority OF Congress to retain leg
tnlGtfve control over the District.
The President OF the United States
- really too busy to be compelled to
p8ss upon the qualifications of men
fer administrative officers, and il is
reasonable TO assume that all men
chosen by the electorate would work
in harmony with Congress"
DemanG. Not SuppIIeate.
NE. Donovan Is convinced that the
time has come to stop supplication
for representation in Senate and
E4Ouse and the Electoral College for
he District The question, as he sees
10, should be submitted to Congress
as a demand from American citizens
who have done their share in every
activity Of peace and war, and whose
records in money and men given to
the Government for the war with Ger
many were betteer than those Of a
number Of States Of the Union.
II am confident that when Amer
n citizens outside the District 1
mprehend the status OF the people |
re they will absolutely demand /
at their Senators and Congressman 4
orrect the injustice 80 long done the 4
,sople Of this city" went on Mr.. |
"LlQnON6n. 4uEEGLOEG i say LnAL the ]
time for that justice is close at hand,
and that we should ask for all that
we are entitled to rather than hum
bly, asking for a bit of legislation at
3 time.
"our trouble in the past. and that
- now being overcome through the
cooperation OF all citizens. is that |
the citizens of the States were not
aware of the fact that TO be a citizen
OF the Federal Capital carried with
IL the stigma Of forfeiture of every
right our forefathers fought and died
for, and which our sons and brothers
vent overseas and laid down their
lives for.
"When they ascertain that the |
principle Of self-determination is to
be made by the peace conference to
apply TO dozens Of little nations IN
Europe and not to the enlightened 1
citizens of the city Of Washington,
they will have something effective TO
say. All indications we now have are
that they are already beginning to
say It.
Capital PatrfOoe.
Seventeen thousand District boys
went into the army to fight for de-
mocracy; the more than 100000 cItI-
zens who were left behind exceeded
the same number Of people in any
other part Of the United States in
Liberty bond and war stamp sub
scrlptions. Thus measuring up 70
every demand Of their Government,
meeting every crisis like real men, 70
there any longer opposition TO Wash
inEton people being given the same
right Of self-determination az the
Turk, the Bulgarian. the Greek, Ru-
,nanian, Serb, and othersT''