Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-21
0U|zzES D. c. HEAD
ON SUFFRAGE HERE
R. C. CIaflin Sends Letter to
Miss Boardman on Seat
in Congress.

A series of questions on the subject
of representation in Congress for the
people of the District were put to
Commissioner Mabel r. Boardman by
Roy G. Clafin, president Of the Dis
trfct Delegate Association. in a letter
received by the Commissioner today.
The letter follows
Il read in yesterdays press reports
of your statement before a citizens
association on Monday night to the
effect that you are opposed to the en-
actment of a law by Congress grant
ing to the citizens Of the District of
Columbia the right to be represented
in their national government. a right
now enjoyed by all other American
citizens of sound mind
II have observed with considerable
curiosity for number of years the
tendency OF persons becoming Com
missioners of the District, through
presidential appointment. to become
ultra conservatiye on the question of
suffrage for the District. l have won
dered what might be the cause of this
apparently uniform effect upon the
minds of the Commissioners Even
persons who were previously known
to favor suffrage have not been an
exception to this rule.
1T is difficult to understand WHY
the viewpoint of a Commissioner on
this question should be so different
from that of the citizens Of Washing
ton generally. especially if the Com
missioner considers himself one of
them and a spokesman of their in
terests.
As to Delegate.
IF your argument against politics
should be justified in case of repre-
sentatives with full voting power, it
could not be held applicable to hav-
ing the District of Columbia repre-
scented in the House of Representatives
ia SiTPh 1nla Il I<
entirely non-partisan. if that were
best
You express the fear that, if
duly elected representative of the
District sent to Congress should not
be of the same political faith as the
party. such a condition would
'retard the progress of the Capital
city, and that little could be accom-
plished for Washington
rs it not proper to assume that an
appointed Commissioner of opposite
politics to the majority party would
be subject to exactly the same lack
of consideration? Being am appointed
and not an elected official. would ii
not seem that he would receive much
less consideration than an elected Off
cial?
However. it seems right to believe
that there are enough broad minded
men in our national Legislature to
overlook the matter of partisanship
n dealing with the broad problems of
eVeloping the federal capital and in
providing for the interests of the in ,
habitants thereof.
Having the Commissioners repre-
sent the citizens of the District of
Columbia on the floor of Congress
would hardly be fair or logical. as
Congress is representative body.
every member of which is elected by
the people of his district. The voice
Of the Commissioners is too frequent
ly not the voice of the citizenship OF
the National Capital. because they are
not elected by that citizenship.
In fayor!ng District representation
in Congress through the Commission
ers. would you advocate or be willing
for the passage of "a law by Congress
the two civilian Commission
ers elective officers?
The suggestion made by one of
them last week that the board of
Commissioners act as clearing house
for civic thought and undertakings of
he various organizations of the Dis
trict was an excellent one, and it is
to be earnestly hoped that such
plan can be put in operation. How
ever. if it proves that the personal
views of the Commissioners are 50
directly opposed to what has certainly
been demonstrated to be one of the
civic desires of the
" the clearing house idea holds little
promise of becoming functionng
'eality.''
Miss Boardman said she must leave
he city tonight for a few days, and
will not be able to answer Mr.
letter until she returns.
She stated. however, that it is her
lesire to take broad-ninded view
# the question of representation, and
s willing to consider carefully the
of others on the subject