Evening star., 1922-01-20
EASIEST WAY TO
POLITICAL EQUITY
The Vote for Our constitu.
tional Amendment Ought
+, j.
to Be Unanimous.

" oV Ob0tUIttVuOs
(Brom arEument Of Theodore w.
NOyes before Senate District COM
mfttee, January II, 1921 !.
It is suggested that passage Of our
constitutional amendment Is difficult,
almost impossible to secure. and that.
consequently, it will wisely be put
aside In order that we may strive for
something else easier to get, even II
Of less value.
1t ought to be easier to get two
proposition than q minority to ap-
prove any other pending proposal.
I. Because we ask Mt this time
merely that COngreas shall be given
I committing Congress ms to when IT
shall exercise this power. We ask
two-thirds Of Congress to vote to give
| q majority OF Congress q new power
which hArm0nizes with and equltAbly
rounds out the exi.tinE eonstitu:
reason can be assigned why Congress
should not unanimously approve this
proposal to enlarge on logical, whole.
some lines it's own power.
2. Because Congress. II and when
In the future 1T shall exercise this
posVer. will bestow upon the Ameri-
cans of the District the highest privi-
teges right and power Of national
American citisenshID and will relieve
the nation Of the shame Of un-Ameri-
ernment I'm the Capital city under the
nation's exclusive control, without
disturbing i'm the leaSt that exclusive
control, without creating . new
state; without altering the form OF
local municipal governments and
A~ rH1
| q single power In respect to the capi-
tai which 1t now possesses. - -~--as
The provision giving Congress power
to grant national representation to the
residents of the seat Of government. Tin
respect to whom 1t has already the
power to exercise exclusive legisation)
Is appropriately inserted at the end of
section 8, Article ~, which gives to
Congress power to admit new states and
to make all needful regulations respect
| ing the territory belonging to the United
! States. from which these new states are
carved. 1t is under this section that new
| senators. representatives and territorial
delegates come to the Capitol The three
political subdivisions of the United
l
territory (incipient states) and the Dis
trict constituting the seat of govern
ment OF the United States The Con-
! stitutton as II now stands gives Con-
gress power to grant national repre-
| sentation to new states and thus to ter
! ritory belonging to the United States. to
| the entire area of the republic except
the seat of government. When our pro-
| posed amendment is adopted this section
will be rounded out and perfected and
| the power Of Congress in respect to ma
| tional representation will be equitably
extended to all three Of the parts into
which the United States was thus in the
| beginning in effect divided.
Our frankly avowed purpose in Offer
| ing this proposition is to secure quick
congressional action upon a constitu-
! fully run the gantlet of the require
| ment of a. two thirds congressional vote
| and at the same time constitute a prac-
| tical and substantial advance toward
| the goal of real national representation
| for the District :,
! Our amendment does not directly
and Immediately give to Washing
tonians national representation, but 1t
takes that vital privilege from mac
cessibliity and places it within reach.
After it's adoption only a majority
! vote of Congress will be required to do
| equity in this matter. whereas now a
| two-thirds vote Of Congress and three
| fourths vote of the state legislatures are
| necessary.
| We emphasize the fact that the sole
effect of the proposed constitutional
! amendment is to remedy an acknowl-
edged evil and to do equity by en-
powering Congress to declare the po-
litical and judicial status Of the resi-
dents of the seat Of government.
All of the controEerted issues con-
cerning the makeup of the local cleo
torate, the qualifications Of voters and
| other similar questions upon which
Washingtonians radically differ are
postponed to be decided by the ma
jority vote of Congress after the great