The Washington herald., 1921-01-16
District Franchise.

provides among the powers of
Congress: "The Congress shall have
the power to exercise exclusive legislation
in all cases whatsoever over such District
(not exceeding 100 miles square, as may
by session of particular States and accept
snee of Congress, become the seat of gov
ernment of the United States"
This grant of power does not forbid its
delegation. Under it Congress can if it
will, grant to the District of Columbia such
local powers and authorities as it chooses
1t can give the city of Washington, if it
sees fit, a charter
AS a matter of fact it did grant self
government for period and then recalled
it. 1t is but a natural condition that mem
bers of Congress show a somewhat sus-
picious attitude when the District now
asks for full citizenship rights-representa-
tion in Congress and the Presidential vote
but does not ask for local self-govern-
ment.
To them this seems putting the cart
before the horse. To them the reverse
seems the natural sequence. Their per-
sonal view is first for local powers, the
right of control of their local and more
immediate affairs.
1t should be recognized also by the
proponents of national citizenship, who in
fact do represent rightly the great major
ity of District would-be voters, that Con-
gressmen realize that the sentiment of
their States is not now favorable to what
is asked. If they vote for it, they will have
something to explain.
The attitude of the States should be
clearly understood here as it is essential
to getting what is asked. The District is
not asking to be made State with State
rights. 1t is in fact, but one big city,
and is not asking even for a city charter.
Its present condition is as that of
big city in a State wholly under the au
thority of the State legislature in which
it has no representative, and demanding
the right to vote for State officers and for
representation in the State legislature, but
not asking for local self-government.
Knowing that this District is in fact but
the City of Washington, that it can never
have more than a city government, that
. it is territorially and in resources incapable
of Statehood, it is popularity regarded as
representing no distinctive opinion as to
national affairs, no broad interests and no
regional resources or natural wealth.
1t is considered as having but one great
industry-the national government-and
that its representatives in Congress would
d be largely influenced in their alignments
by that single fact. These are obstacles
to be met and overcome.
Congress in some way must be made to
understand why the broader franchise is
asked and not the more immediate and per-
sonaL 1t must know why there is almost
10 unanimous desire for the one and very
emphatically divided sentiment as to the
other.
Congress also is wearying OF having to
devote so much of its time to legislating
. Just for this one city as to matters that
in no way concern the country at large. 1t
fails to appreciate why s3I men, elected to
legisIate as to IIo,ooo,oo should have to
give days to- solving the local problems of
$4,000
- If the cream content of Washington
milk, for example, is not satisfactory,
should s3I Congressman drawing salaries
of $500 year from the national Treasury
have to FIX a new standard, or revise local
authority to do this? Or why should the
schools of Washington wait to get from
s3I men busy on national affairs, the facil-
tiles other cities provide?
There is a way out of this tina. would
clear the way for a strsight-out, unham-
pered national-not merely Congressional
appeal for the national franchise. This
is to increase the number Of Commissioners
to FIVE, the three now have too multi
tudinous duties and too much of their time
is now occupied at the Capitol instead of
at the Municipal Building.
The City of Washington could then be
granted a city charter and the Com
missioners made the legislative body, or
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