The Washington times., 1922-12-21
THE D. C.'S PLIGHT IN
CONGRESS
Civic Representatives Snubbed by House
subcommittee Certain of More Courteous
Treatment in the Senate.
BY BILL PRICE.
BY BILL PRICE,

. Mr.. Cramton halls from 4
Michigan town Of less than 5000
people. The municipal problems
Of the town authorities do not
compare with those Of q city of
nearly 100000 people. . city be-
longing moro to the nation than
to- its inhabitants. Yet We
venture that II q local COMMITTEES
from that town were vitality con,,
cerned In q matter In any Of the
appropriation bills. and insisted
upon being heard. its request
would not be denied. The same
thing holds true as to a com.
mittee from any town or city
from any Congressional district
which has . Congressman sitting
on the subcommittee.
No subcommittee Of the House
would deny Congressional col
league the right to appear before
1t for presentation Of any subject
involving his constituency, He IL
the representative of Americans
who vote. District people have
. no such representative. Their one
hope IL that committees chosen in
mass meeting or through their
civic and trade organizations will
be heard.
The attitude Of the Appropriations
subcommittee which framed the
District appropriation bill for the
present fiscal year was not. in
the opinion of District people,
friendly. The hostility OF men
who have never been kindly dis
posed toward the District was
manifest throughout consideration
Of the last District appropriation
bill by. Congress. The charitable
view has been taken that these
men might not have fully under.
stood local conditions. For that
reason there has been q wide
spread desire that real facts should
be impressed where they might do
the most good.
There 10 little use crying over
split milk. The attitude of the
subcommittee toward the District
will be shown when its report il
made to the full committee. The
subcommittee may intend to treat
the District fairly and even lib.
orally. II It does not It win be
up to the Commissioners. school
authorities and citizens to seek
rectification at the hands Of the
full committee.
Later on the District bill win
90 to the Senate which. despite Q
congestion Of work In the last
days Of any session. always man.
ages to find time for courteous
consideration Of the pleas Of rep
resentative local bodies. That is
not the only opening Washinston-
ians will have to make pleas.
There are hundreds Of influential
District people who have personal
friends in Senate and House. men,
bers Of committees and leaders in
legislation. It II possible to make
appointments with these fair-mind.
cd men to discuss local affairs
with them prior to committee con.
sideration. The Senate has not
yet reached its busiest stage, and
until II does % its members are
not likely to refuse courteous re-
quests for hearings from duly con-
stituted committees.
One serious drawback to the Dis
trict IL the large number of self /,
constituted committees and individ.
uals who take up the time Of
Congress on local questions under
the plea that they represent the
community, Genuinely reresen-
tative committees of the District
will not. we believe. have diff
Guilty in reaching individual Sen
ators and Senate committees.