Evening star., 1922-01-12

!
sideration of the naval limitation
treaty.
The Shantung question was
bitterly over every other issue affect
! ing District government.
He questioned why any congress
| man should vote against giving Con-
gress this new power. which, he said.
is not power to commit crime or
misdemeanor or to do an injury.
but to- confer an equitable American
right, reconciliug two great princi-
pies of American representative gov
, ernment % that all national Amer
leans shall be represented in the ma
toinal government which taxes them.
makes laws for them and sends their
scns to war: (2) that as a matter
of national necessity or wise policy.
the nation. through Congress. shall
retain exclusive control Of the ma
tion's city.
Congress to Empower Itself
We have tried to convince you.
said Mr.. Nuyes. "and have. We think.
proved that the District is so well
equipped in resources. in population.
! in intelligence and in patriotic Amer
icanism that if Congress had now the
power. which we seek for it, to grant
| national representation it could safely
and wisely exercise this power at
tors and Representatives are not Yet
convinced and are not fully satisfied
that the District Is today fitted in
population and resources for national
representation they ought not to vote
against our amendment on that ac-
count. For it is to be noted that they
are not asked, i'll approving the
amendment. to declare that the Dis
. trict is now fft for such representa-
tion. but to give themselves, as Con-
/ o 70 VnI, n
tatiOn only when in their opinion the
District has become thus fitted
THE effect of vote against our
amendment IL to declare not mercy
that the District is not now fitted for
national representation. but that its
defective and delinquent residents
will never become thus fitted, though
the Districts resources are multiplied
and a million Of population be col
lected in II.
"'ro vote for this amendment COM
mits Congress to nothing: to vote
against it means denial of the posi- =
bility of District represen: alton.
though 1t attain population and ma
terial requisites Of statehood greater
than those Of dozen states.
Give . Sporting Chance:
Even II you dount whether the
District will ever become fitted for
national representation. vote for our
sporting. fighting American chance.
In the republic majorfties rule. Amend
the Constitution so that a majority
of Congress may. II 1t wishes. give a
measure Of national representation to
District residents. Give the seat of
government the same possibility of
national representation that Hawaii
and Alaska now possess.
why should any senator or repre-
sentative. even II he thinks the new
h N~xttr
an amendment which merely extends
an existing power of Congress on
logical and equitable lines. and which
simply empowers Congress to correct
a political inequity. whenever. II ever.
it sees Mt to do so? Why should Con-
any new constitutional power. with
which those affected are ready to
trust it? Surely Congress does not
mistrust itself?"
Tive Ways to Correct EVIL.
AnaIyzing the objections to the
amendment as attacking non-existent.
imaginary evils. which. in fact. the
amendment has carefully avoided, Mr..
Noyes stated that the evil of totally
ment at the capital could be correct
ed. either by repeating the exclusive
legislation clause with grant of state
hood to the District. or with retro
cession of the District to Maryland. or
by empowering Congress. as proposed
in the amendment. to grant voting
representation in Congress and the
electoral college. BY empowering
Congress- to grant to District resi-
dents certain specified powers of citi-
Gems of q state other powers of state
hood are impliedly denied.
Not q new state. said Mr.. Noyes, but
new political status is to be created
or evolved. This new factor in our
scheme Of government representation
may be unusual. peculiar, extraordi-
nary. but It Is not so unusual. pecu-
liar and extraordinary as the original
creation and present-day pretension
by the republic Of the totally unrep-
resented seat OF government, q dis.
trict physically within the United
States. even containing its capital.
States.
None Of the pending bills. said Mr..
Noyes. offers the District territorial
status, az they give no particle of
participation in local self-government
such as attaches to the territorial
legislature. and no promise Of future
participation in the national govern
ment such as attaches to the territory
in relation 10 the admission to state
hood.
Tinted for Amendment.
1--WE have been assured in both
House and Senate, said Mr.. N0yes,
that IL only Washington would unite
in asking for something in the line of
political equity 1t would be granted.
Orsanized Washington does ask as a
unit for adoption OF the constitutional
amendment. and this Is the only po-
Iitical project In respect to which 1t
speaks with united voice. 1t was con-
ceded by members Of the House ju-
dietary committee that this unity Of
sentiment was demonstrated at our
hearing before that committee last
January"
character Of that representation OF
the District before the judiciary com.
mittee. He continued: "Our hearing
demon strAted conclusive1y that or
ganixed Washington wants national
Representation through adoption OF
the pending constitutional amend.
ment. This wonderful unity OF or
kanized sentiment in Washington has
developed since 1916, when the FRS,
congressional hearing upon our con-
tstitutional amendment was held by 9
subcommittee Of the Senate District
committee. At this hearing only one
large civic organisation, the Chamber
Iof Commerce, appeared to advocate
adoption of the amendment. If there
IL any thought that support of oui
! constitutional amendment by any OF
the list Of its champions" {who ap-