The Cordova daily times., 1921-02-21
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1921
DiSFRANCHISED DISTRICT OF
 COLUMBIA

The city of Washington's "disfran. chised half million" are stirring themselves to secure political liberty.
 It doubtless seems strange to many people in the United States that the District of Columbia, an area ten miles square, the seat of the federal government, with nearly half a mil lion people, is completely disfran- chised. The people of the national capitol have absolutely nothing to say regarding their local or national gov ernment. They have no representa- tion in congress, no vote in the cleo toral college, and cannot elect a single one of their municipal officers, all of whom are appointed by the president. All legislation concerning the District of Columbia is handled by the house and senate committee on the district.
 In 1874 the district enjoyed a ter ritorial form of government but this was taken away in that year and ever since-for 46 years-the district has been absolutely disfranchised. The people here, than whom there are no more patriotic and public spirited in the whole United States, have long been dissatisfied by the political slavery under which they live. The claim, in brief, the politi- cal privileges which are enjoyed by all other citizens oft he republic, and they are pressing congress for en- franchisement.
 It is enough to state, in describing the condition of non-representative government under which the "disfran- chised half million" live, to say that there are more than 100000 women of voting age in the district and that despite the nineteenth amendment establishing woman suffrage none of these women are enfranchised Wash, ington is the only place in the United States where women, despite the constitutional amendment, are not allowed the privilege of the bal lot There are 75,000 union labor men in the district, the only union ists in the United States who have no political liberty. There are 80,000 government employees, who if they do not hold citizenship in the vari' gus states, also are completely dis Aak. hnn . 600 veterans In the district-men who fought to free the slaves in the Civil war, who battled to give freedom to the Cubans, and who made "the world safe for democracy" on the French battlefields. Not a single one of these veterans who fought to make others free is himself free politically.
 After more than 40 years of agita, tion for some sort of district politi' cal liberty the movement finally crys talized about two years ago in the organization of the national press committee for D. c. suffrage, headed by men in the congressional press gallery. This body organized aux Hilary suffrage committees of women veterans, and labor, and has since as a regular business, carried or the fight for enfranchising the dis trict
 Two measures are now pending be fore congress for this purpose. One provides election by the district peo pie of two senators and two repre- sentatives in congress, with vote in the electoral college. This meas ure is the hamberlain-Burrougs reso 1ution. The other suffrage bill known as the Capper-zihlman reso lution, provides that the distric people shall elect their board of com missioners, public utilities board board of education, and two dele gates in congress, similar to the twt allowed the Philippines. A hearing has recently been held on the Cham berlain-Burrougs resolution by tht house judiciary committee, where un answerabie arguments were present ed for. district suffrage. The com mittee has not yet cited on the reso