Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-14

dell S. Smith and w. B. Wsstiake
of general legislation in the Dis
veFsed. or radically modified.
But 1t may be harder to get 2 re
vsrsal Of 4 Supreme Cur. Sec,-
stitution. Especially In these lat
t ter Sss, e1s E e a' r sp
reseatatioa tp naaipnaily 4lsfran.
chised Americana q the way OF
constitutional amendment made
smooth.
The Americanisatiou Of the WON
en- OF the United StatAs (outside Of
the DistFlct os CeipWktel should DO
followed naturally, logically and
The ssssSe men sSd 81 H., e
District Of Eolnmbta-
is thought wife, Without permit
ting any clash between the two
campaigns. Let M not a6ste . par
ticls Of eur enthnsiAsm IN Sighting
for the consfitntionaf amendment
on the other 1lne tipon the Supreme
Court Of thu United States.
We are after national representa-
ton either By the action Of two
thirds OF ConGrnss and three
fouEths Of the states, or through
reversed decision Of the Supreme
Court and the action Of . majority
of both houses Of Congres1.
But We VIM not be SO foolish as
to drop and lose the hone Of prom
Use which No have In order, like
the dog In the fable. to snap at
what may turn out to be merely q
reflection in the water. We shall
deposit our constitutional amend
ment bone Of promise IN safe
place before we experiment to as
is a deiusion.
Moral: There should be no abate-
ment OF our vigorous campaign to
secure the enactment OF our pend
ing constitutional amendment,
which does not ask to take from
the nation as represented by Can-
gress . particle OF its power In
sssRs to to sssa. sspt s sssz
community American representa-
ton in the Congress which 10 to
which instead Of Diminishing TIE
powers OF Congress adds q new
power, to wit. that Of granting in
its discretion national representa-
ton to the people Of the capital.
II.
Next il is nrsed that in view of
the Difficulties and discour1ee-
ments encountered Ia trying to Sc
cure favorable consideration Of
say constitutional amendment we
should abandon that effort and de-
vote ourselves to the easier task /.
OF securing . larger measure of
participation In our local govern
ment by mere majority vote OF
Most washingtonians believe tina.
they should be given greater pow
ers of participation in their local
government and local legislation.
but they disagree and fight Wig
orously over every specific radical
change proposed in the form Of
local government.
The decision Of the Supreme
Court in the Stoutenbursh case de-
MES the hover OF general legis-
rarily and tentatively, to a local
legislature. This decision must be
modified before concessions con-
corning local government can be
anything hut stringently restrict
ed. easily reyucable and distinctly
less in substance than those grant
ed with unsatisfactory results in
It may be wise to plan to get a
case before the Supreme Court
burgh VS.. Hennick decision, and
secure an expression of opinion
upon the principle involved from
the Supreme Court OF today. Even
II there is no complete reversal Of
the decision. it's mobilization with
q resulting enlargement Of the
power Of Congress- to delsgats its
district You'd heibtni 1s's tae e. s
the degree Of the Districts possible
participation in its les9l govern
nent and would promote the capt
tails welfare.
Nation9l representation and
change tp local government are not
hostile alternatives. The securing
Of national representation viii
make It easier to get what is wise
msat iesis,stion by coaeress, and
win also give additional strength
to the movement to convince the
Supreme Court that II should re-
verse or radically modify the de-
cision in the Stoutenburgh case.
1t is not necessary or desirable
TO relax particle In our campaign
for national Representation. What-
ever we may do az leave undene in
respect to the form OF local gov
er1ment.
Pending . modification OF the Su-
prena Court decision. which will
enable Congress to grant US worth
while powers in respect to local
government, and while the national
representation issue IL being fouGht
out and Is at crucial point, It Is
wise. in your cummittee's opinion.
to concentrate all our enefgies
temporarily on the constitutional
amendment campaign.
obtaining the opportunity for ma
tional representation or national
representation itself is the vital
essential; and that the fatal blunder
would be to permit differences OF
opinion in respect to local govern
ment to break up the harm onipus
and united co-eperation of effort
to gain the primary essential OF
national representation.
constitutional amendment to in
jure in any way the present form
of municipal government. neither
do we propose By that amendment
to protect or to perpetuate 1t.
The issue Of national representa-
ton must be kept entirely distinct
from that of the form Of local gov
ernment. or success for the pro-
posed constitutional amendment
those who oppose It can defeat a
propagation which requires for
adoption q twp-fhirds vote OF each
house OF Congress-.
The proposed amendment, with