Evening star., 1922-01-14


tain corporations had found il of value
to employ counsel to look after their
interests in Congress. SO. therefore.
the people are entitled t. have some
one to look out for their, interests.
: He said that without an official rep
resentative in Congress much misin-
formation regarding conditions here
was given on the floors of both houses
by members.
After AIR. Clayton said that he was
for the election of the Commissioners
first and election of the school board
second Senator Ball interrupted to
say that he did not believe that it
would help matters to have an elect
i've school board because of the danger
of getting the svi,ools into politics.
Senator Ball said that he didn't know
of any states with elective school
boards that stood high among the
educational systems.
System Declared Satisfactory.
Senator Jones interrupted to say
that in Washington Statn the school
boards are elected and that the sys-
tenn was very satisfactory there, to
which Mr. Clayton added the opinion
that an elective sci DOL board would
bring the schools closer to the people,
as they should be. and that the par
ents would see. that only the best peo-
pie Were elected for trustees.
Mr.. Clayton asked the committee to
report out the Jones' constitutional
amendment resolution. and send it on
its way through the states. but in the
meantime he asked for Il delegate. He
also asked that District officials be
elected. as well as the school board
and the Public Utilities Commission.
Aaron Bradshaw. chairman of the
republican central committee here.
and of the Harding Coolidge League,
presented Il lengthy paper arguing
Il i
control their own affairs they elect
ed only the very best people and there
is no reason to believe that they
would not do the same thing if again
given the opportunity. The only
complaint against the mayor and
common council was that there was
not enough progression. he said He
expressed the hope that Congress
would give the District people the
right OF local self government and
the management of local affairs.
Sees No Detriment.
He said that he had represented
the District many times at republican
conventions and at no time. did the
cOlored citizens act TO the detriment
Of the city of Washington. He at
tackled the proposal of some to re-
quire that every citizen should have
$500 in cash or own property as a
also the system under which Con-
greSs could slip through such legis-
-lation as increasing the rate OF in
tesest without giving tie people a
chance to say something.
Mr.. Bradshaw said that he was
glad to note that no permanent
citizen of the District had appeared
before the committee to tell imaSi-
nary stories OF riots in the days when
the District had its own government
and tie right to run its own affairs"
Joseph q. Gurley, editor of the Fed
eral cmployG. official organ of the Ma
tional Federation of Federal EN-
plOyeS, and a member OF Local No >
of the same body. read resolutions
adopted a the national convention of
the organization in New Orleans. and
also by Local No. of this city, ia
voring enfranchisement of the people
of the District on the same plane as
those with the states.
Position of Federal Employees.
He said that the organization was
in favor of. first. local Self-govern-
ment; second. delegate in Congress
with a vote. anC. last. delegate with
a voice. but no vote. Mr.. Gurley
pointed out that it was proper for the
federal employees to be represented
before the committee as an entity. as
they were the basis of the population
of the District around WSilGl INA fttSt
OF the population stood.
Those who claim that there are rea-
sons why Washington has been. sim
gled out to be deprived of self-goV-
ernment should SHOW beyond rea-
sOnable doubt that tne city shouldn t
have self government. Mr.. Gurfey ar
sued. Congress could give loca! sell
government here and still MAINTAIN
control over the federal city, he said.
The. very system here destroys the
initiative of young peonLe who come
from the states to work in the de-
partments. There is no responsibility
felt, such as is found in the states
where the people vote. This con-
dition, he pointed out, was noticed by
visit tors who come to the city. The
people here. he went on. get used TO
having everything done for them, un-
til it.-destroys it all initiative. He
characterized it as vicious system
which had worked for half century
to destroy the initiation of the people
of the District.
Taft Speeches Interpreted.
Roy c. Clafln said it had been
contended that former President Taft
had expressed himself as opposed to
speeches. He said he had received
from the now Grief Justice an in
terpretation Of his speeches, and It
was that he was opposed to statehood
for the District, but not against
delegate representation. He said tha !.
there We're some senators VINO Sald
they would not report any kind of a
bill for full-fiedged senators and rep
reSentatiVeS.
.Who said that" interrogated Sena-
tor Jones, who added: Il never heard
of any senator saying anything like
that"
Senator Ball" Mr.. Claf1in responded.
Senator Ball was out of the room at
the time, Senator Sheppard of Texas
being in the chair.
Mr.. Clafin continued. He said that
the District. Delegate Association,
which he represented, did not believe
that the Jones constitutional amend
ment resolution could be passed at this
time. He favored the delegate bill.
Protest From New Citizens.
Col. Winfield Jones, chairman of the
National Press committee for District
suffrage, placed in the record letter
from Soterios Nicholson, protesting
against the disfranchisement of nat
uralized aliens who come here. lie
said there were $4,000 aliens here en-
titled TO vote. and that the alien
population was being trained in the
AmericaniZation School to exercise
the right of a vote.
Washington Topham, a resident of
Washington for many years, said that
the District was entitled to some form
of franchise. He said he was for rep
resentation in Congress. but did not
want Il votelesS delegate. He said that
he was closely allied with business
and civic organiza tions here who favor
rational representation, but not u vote
less delegate.
. G. W. Ayers. who opposed suffrage,
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