Evening star., 1921-01-17
What the Hearings Teach.

What the Hearings Teach.
The hearings on District national
representation before the House ju'
dietary committee have absolutely
demonstrated certain propositions.
Organized Washington unitedly ahd
earnestly petitions Congress for vot.
ing representation for its people IN
House. Senate and electoral college.
To amend the Constitution so that it
may become possible for District resi-
dents to enjoy this distinctive Ameri-
can right Congress is asked first to
empower itself in its discretion to
grant this representation. When by
constitutional amendment this new
power is (by vote of two-thirds OF Con.
gress and thresfourths Of the states)
added to the list Of the powers of Con-
gress. then in conformity with the
second paragraph Of the constitutional
amendment we shall urge Congress by
majority vote to exercise this power,
and in accordance with equity and
American principles, to grant US this
representation.
The provision empowering Congress
to act takes District national repre-
sentation out of inaccessibility and
impossibility and brings it within
reach. Subsequent action by Con-
gress will actually grant this repre-
sentation and make it a reality.
The organized District is not only
united to ask for this national repre-.
sentation. but it Is united in the
opinion that the procedure outlined
for securing this representation Is
blocked by a minimum of obstacles
and gives maximum promise Of sue.
cess.
The organized District which these
hearings disclose Is no negligible, con.
temptible community. the mere hetero-
geneous aggregation in a temporary
camp of transients of thousands of
government employees with permanent
residence in the states, and of others,
also largely transient. who house and
feed them and minister to their needs.
The District has become. compare
lively speaking. homogeneous com.
munity, a distinct entity. with a Wig
orous united community spirit and
with a people manifesting civic loy-
atty and community pride.
Our business and professional men,
the educational, scientific. literary and
artistic elements Of our population,
our workingmen in public and pri-
vate employ. our department clerks
and other government employees, our
winter residents in process of conver.
sion into Washingtonians. combine to
constitute one Of the strongest. most
intelligent. most public-spirited and
whole republic.
The capital rejects the theory that
It is merely the temporary camping
place OF transients. to remain for.
ever a community of defective de.
Americanized Americans, on the same
footing as aliens in relation to the
legislative and executive branches Of
the national government. and on a
lower plane than aliens ithe United
States Supreme Court says as suitors
in the national courts.
Congress will give due considera.
ton to the appeal for equity and
American fair play of a community
more populous than seven states;
which pays annually eighteen millions
in national taxes and twelve millions in
municipal taxes; which sends $4,000 Of
its sons to war: which contains per-
haps approximately 100000 residents
Of voting age, perhaps 10000 of whom,
expensively maintaining dual resi-
dence. vote in the states because they
cannot now vote here at home,
The efficiency and power of organ
&zed Washington were demonstrated
in the recent war in dozen different
ways-in securing soldiers and sailors
to help to win the war. in applying
effectively the selective draft, In cam.
paigns for liberty loans, Tor conserva.
tion and for money for the Red Cross,
the united war workers drive and for
countless charities. The power thus
developed Is now evidently about to be
turned into the campaign for national
representation.
Nearly all OF the citizens organi-
zations Of Washington. large and
small. cooperate in the organization
Of the joint citizens committee on
national representation for the Dis.
trict Of Columbia.
What the organized District did in
respect to the enumerated war activi.
ties it can and will do In a campaign
for its own Americanization. for the ap.
plication to itself of the vital principle
Of political equity. upon which as one
foundation all these other campaigns
and activities have avowedly been
based
What the organized District resi-
dents did in wartime organization
shows the community's resources, ca
pacity and latent strength.
When we stand together, as we dc
now. to campaign for political equity
and national representation with the
same enthusiasm and the same power
that characterized our campaigns for
tho success Of the selective draft. for
the liberty loans and for the Red Cross
campaigns and the unite. war service
drive We will move forward 20 certain
victory.