Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-02-16
VOTELESS CAPITAL CITY
HASKIN TOPIC. TODAY
Daily Letter BY Frederic j. Haskin

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1s.-The
opinion il being widely expressed
her.s ti.,t Wash-ngton's knicker-
booker Theatre disaster may be IN
diractl- connecte . with the CapitaFs
form of government. The claim has
been put forth that such a disaster
would have been fa- less likely to &C.
cur in a city governed by respons-
ibie officials.
In other cities government of1ciais
are elected 10 Office by the people,
and # thay prove to be inefficient the
| people have 1t in their power to elect
| new ones. In Washington, the en-
| tire muricipal government Is IN n
hands Of Fedora. officials who are
! occupied with affairs of nationwide
! interest. The selection of the COM
| missioners of the District IS n
small detail in tie work or II
President, who may or may not
thoroughly understand the needs OF
the Capitol City. Whoever Is ap-
pointed to Office in the District must
be accepted by the people.
SO, in the talk of more rigid build,
ing inspection, renovation of old
buildings, compulsory nova OF
SNOW from the sidewalks and roofs,
and other safeguards against disas-
ter, there a'e also voices raised 10
urge a more fundamental reform
n responsible government Tor the
District.
Two bills and q resolution for a
constitutions amendment, All de-
signed to improve the lot OF the cap
ital city. have for some time peen
before congress. Several senators
-. -.,.r We c,i N ofnnianS Arp lIrG-
ing that one of these measures De
passed as a memorial to the former
conCressmau and other residents OF
Washington who lost their lives IN
the Knickerbocker disaster.
The Senate Committee on the DIS
triot of Columbia recently held a
hearing on the three measures 1or
enfranchising the District, and 1T Is
believed th,t one OF the bills will be
reported out favorabiy.
Constitutional Amendment PROPOSED
OF the proposed measures, the
constitutional amendment. is the
least likely to win approval or con-
gress. It would give the District
two senators. two representatives. III
congress-, based on population anu
votes in the electora! college. Con-
troll of the city's affairs by congress
would be continued as before, put
The people would have representa-
lives with voting powers TO pach
their interests in the capitoi.
Remembering the long n stormy
battles which put through the wo-
man suffrage and prohibition amend
ments the sdherents of District SUI
rage see little hope for any amend
meits to the constitution in the near
future. II has eve been easy 10
amend that document, and the con,
| ~troyers:es oyer prohibition VIII leau
congress to srutinize suggestions LOT
| changes more cautiously than ever
before. -
Getting two-thirds of the members
of both branches OF congress 10 ap-
nroye an amendment concerning d
| city which few of them regard as
home would, it IL realized, prove a
dificult undertaking. And getting
| t~hrce-fourths of the states interested
in ratifyine suci- an amendment
which seems to concern them only
| indirectly would be equally diilcult.
IL is said that the majority OF sen
| ators an1 representatives hrmiy op,,
pose the idea of giving the Capitat
| suffrage in this way. ~.
THE advocates OF freedom for the
| DISTRICT, tnNTNlOTe alC PaihA'5
homes on tho other measures. one
of ,hese would give the District TWO
| delegates Nm congress n aimost
| complete salf-government. n PEG
ple would tie allowed to elect the
commissioners to direct the city :
| affairs, the board of education n
the public utilities commissioners.
There is some sentiment in congress
in favor OF this wide latitude for the
District, but probably not enough 10
| insure passage.
The most promising bill, so far as
enactment IS concerned. is the leas.
liberal. 1t leaves congress In controi
of the city and allows the Distrlc'
people to elect one delegate to con-
| rress. This official would be on a par
| with the delegates from Hawaii, For
10 Rico, Alaska, ami the Philippines
! He would have a voice in congress-
but no vote.
A voteiess delegate is obviously
not SO desirable to a city as a full
ledged representative. But the Dis
tricr of Columbia has get to the
point where it will accept any mea-
sure that gives i. a standing as q
responsible community.