Evening star., 1921-04-22
WASH|NCTON'S
NEW GOVERNMENT
Districts Triple Interest and
Zero Participation in No.
vember Elections.
OUR THREE REVOLUTIONS
Editorial Correspondence of The Star.
THEODORE w. MOVES.

are now fully functioning.
We speak of last Novembers cleo
tion as revolution-bloodless won
derful. The people of the United
states by the decisions of day, con-
scientiously recorded and enforced
without friction, changed their ma
tonal government: substituting one
national executive and one national
Legislature for another.
Our Triple Revolution.
If the November election signified a
revolution for the people of the
United States, it meant a triple revo-
luton for the people of the District
of Columbia. To the people of the
United States Gncluding the people of
the DistricD it signified a revolution
in national government. To the peo-
pie of the District il meant also
revolution in their state government
$50 far they have any and in their
municipal government. For Congress
is not only the Districts national leg
ialature, but it's state Legislature, ana
its voting municipal leSislature-i.e-'
its aldermen and common council
Ths President is not only the Wash :
ingtonian's national executive. but
his state executive-in effect. the gov
ernor of the District of Columbia
and his municipal executive. the
mayor of the city of Washington with
veto power.
No ID. &. Participation.
Thus the Americans in the District
have a threefold concern in the ma
tional elections, as compared with the
single concern of other American ms.
While they are thus three times as
greatly interested in these elections
as other Americans they are the only
Americans in the continental and con-
tiguous United States who do not par
ticipate as voters in these elections.
Their triple interest and AKIN UNI
concern in these elections are ac-
mpn MED by n minimum nm absolute
zero. of participation In them.
The revolution of last November
was, so far as other Americans are
concerned. conducted democratically
by themselves and for themselves.
Novembers triple revolution was. as
far as the unrepreSented District Is
concerned. conducted arbitrarily. des-
politically and in un- American fashion.
without participation in the over
turning of their governments by the
people of the District. There has
been no consent Of the governed on
the part of the District, either to
original government, which has been
revolutionized.
But generalities make no impress
sion. Put in abstract terms. dis
examinations against Wash!ngtonians
arouse little sympathy. Let US ap-
the Americans of the District to the
citizens of other and smaller Amer
lean communities in order that the
grievances OF the capitars resident
may be appreciated specifically by the
citizen of these other communities thus
in, nj la
Put Yourself in His Place.
Suppose the nation should say to
Vermont. or Delaware. or New Mex
leo. or Arizona. or Nevada, or Wy
oming, or Idaho (Which all have
smaller populations than the District
of Columbia): ITO meet an alleged
national necessity or to avoid an
imagined national peril you must lose
the night to vote for your state gov
ernment. your national government.
your municipal goverDments. Your
governor must be chosen by all other
Americans except yourselves in vot-
ing for President. Your state legis-
lature must be chosen for you by
others in voting for Congress. You
shall no longer be represented in
Senate and House. though they not
only remain your national legislature
but have become also your state and
municipal legislature.
You must no longer participate in
making your own laws, either ma
tional. state or municipal. You are no
longer permitted TO tax yourselves
for state or municipal purposes. or
participate on representative princi-
pies in national taxation. You must
no longer raise and spend your tax
/ money as you please, but it il to be
~coIlected and spent for you by an
alien body In which you are not rep
resented"
National Loss md Injury.
What weakening in the forces of
American craftsmanship would re-
suit if these states. smaller than the
District, were subjected to the same
vital Determinations today that siur
and injure the District, In this con-
tingency we should be required TO
eliminate Senators Dillingham; and
Dale of Vermont. Senators Walcott
and Ball and Representative Layton
of Delaware, Senators Jones and Bur-
sum and Representative Montoya OF
New Mexico. Senators Ashurst and
. Cameron and Represe Hayden
of Arizona. Senators Pittman and
Oddie and Representative Arentz of
Nevada. Senators Warren and Ken
drick and Representatives McCor-
! mick and Riddick of Wyoming and
Representatives French and Smith OF
! Idaho.
! New Hampshire has about 5000
/ greater population than the District
but it contributed about $4,000, ,00C
less in war taxes than the District
in total voluntary enlistments for
! the Army. Navy and Marine Corps
If New Hampshire suffered the Dis
! trict's determinations we should
eliminate from the nations service
such men as Senators Moses and Keyes
and Representatives Burroughs and
| Mason.
| Utah has nearly 1900 greater pop.
ulation than the District. but like
New Hampshire 1t is likely in the
by the District. 1t contributed ir
war taxes in 1919 $4,000, 900 less thar
the District. a little more than one.
half of the Districts contribution
1t slightly exceeded the Districts
| contribution to the nations military
forces in voluntary enlistments. II
the determinations against the Dis
trict were applied to Utah we should
remove from the national service
such tmen as Senators Smoot ant
King and Representatives Cotton ant
Leatherwood.
No Way to Dinerentfate.
What is there that these communi.
i ties could say to differentiate them
hselyes from the District in respect I,
these determinations? Suppose the,
said: 1.-The District is the seat o
national government, by traditiona
policy under the exclusive 1egislativ,
! control of Congress representing tn,
nation, and this wise and necessar,
relation of capital and nation shouII
not he destroyed or disturbed" Tn,
! response to this suggestion is obvious
The exclusive Legislative control o
the capital by Congress is not dimin