Evening star., 1921-11-09
DISTRICT DELEGATE IN CONGRESS
URGED ON SENATE COMMITTEE
Residents Make Plea at Suffrage Hearing
for Passage Of Poindexter and
Capper Bills. T

toward receiving congressional sane
tion.
Since 1916. Mr.. Clalin continued.
the campaign for a delegate in Con-
gress has been eclipsed by cam
paign to enfranchise Washingtonians
through constitutional amendment.
. Mr.. Claf1in said he was convinced
the constitutional amendment fight
could not win at this time, and that
this Is the logical time to renew the
plea for a District delegate in Con-
gFess.
Reads Pleas for Delegate.
Mr.. Clafiin read into the commit
tee record statements made by many
members Of Congress and prominent
residents of the District in favor OF
giving the people of the District a
voice in their government through
the election of a delegate to repre-
sent them in the House. Among those
whom he quoted were former Repre-
sentative Rothermel of Pennsylvania.
Speaker of the House, who declared
that 1t was the saddest commentary
on representative government that
100000 Americans residing at the ma
tion's capital should be disfranchised;
James Wickersham, former delegate
from Alaska: former Representative
Lobeck of Nebraska William c. Red
field, former Secretary of Commerce:
John Burke, former Treasurer OF the
United States; William F. GUIDE, Ross
P. Andrews, Mrs. Mary E. Brown and
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussy. ,
Mr.. Claim told the committee that
the Federation Of Citizens Associa-
in favor Of the plan to have the Dis
trict represented by a delegate in the
House.
Chairman Ball wanted to know If
the meeting had been really repre-
sentative, or if there had been only
a handful of the delegates attending
the meeting Of the federation on this
occasion. He was assured by Mr..
Claf1in and by William NICK. Clayton
that the meeting had been entirely
representative.
Self-Government Opposed.
Mr.. Clayton said that the federation
had voted. too, on the proposal OF
local self government for the Dis
trict. with the election of a town
council, etc, and that the. proposal
had been overwhelmingly voted down.
Mr.. Clayton added, however, that
the federation had been and is in
favor of the plan for a constitutional
amendment giving the District ma
tional representation, with the right
to elect members of the Senate and
House and to vote for President and
Vice President.
Mr.. Clafiin read letter written by
Mrs. Mussey in which she declared
that no community has ever suffered
so much from Misrepresentation as
the District.
This caught the attention Of Chair
man Ball Immediately. He wanted
to know if Mrs. Mussey meant that
worse than in other places"
Mr.. Clafiin replied that he thought
Mrs. Mussey merely had reference to
the fact that members of Congress
made statements on the floor when
they knew little or nothing of the
real situation in the District.
IF you have a bad government
here, it ought to be brought out" de-
clared Senator Ball. IF you merely
desire a voice in your government,
then that ought to be brought out"
Pleads for Delegate Bill.
'It is almost impossible" continued
Mr.. Claf1in, ito find any one not in
favor Of giving the District a dele
gate to speak for it in Congress. 1t
is true that many want national rep
But they do not stop to
realize that it will be very difficult to
obtain an amendment to the Consti-
tuition; that it may take years to realize
''s Senator % capper of Kansas asked if
Mr.. Clafiin favored the pending dele
gate bill.
Yes" said Mr.. Claflin. Il believe
that is all We can get now. know
by investigation that a majority of