Evening star., 1922-12-12

| of Columbia for the right Of national
/ representa- ton in the House, the Sem
ate and the electoral college. For the
! first time since this effort to secure
the Americanization of the Washing
Congress has made a favorable report
on the proposed constitutional amend
| ment empowering Congress to grant
! the desired representation. This re-
, port was made by the District COM
| mittee Of the Senate and is an in
sptratfon to all of voteless Washing
| ton to make redoubled efforts in this
! cause the House judiciary COM
nittee. Congress in general and the
: people Of the states.
| The report of the Senate District
committee is an able review Of the
proposal and of the reasons in politi-
cal equity for its adoption. The text
| Of it. which will be printed in this
i and succeeding issues OF The Star.
| follows:
Your committee having carefully
considered Senate joint resolution
l33 and having held full hearings at
which both the advocates and the op-
| ponents @: this resolution were heard.
report the resolution favorably and
recommend that it be passed. and that
/ the proposed constitutional amend
| mcnt be submitted to the states for
| ratification.
| Senate joint resolution 13S proposes
amendment Of the Constitution OF the
| United States by inserting at end Of
, section 8. article ". the following
words:
The Congress shall have power to
| admit to the status of citizens of q
state the residents Of the District
constituting the seat of the govern
| ment Of the United States. created by
article l. section s. for the purpose Of
! representation in the Congress and
| among the electors OF President and
Vice President and for the purpose OF
| suing and being sued in the courts Of
tho United States under the provisions
! Of article III. section ..
When the Congress shall exercise
! this power the residents of such Dis
+; trict shall be entitled to elect one or
two senator's. as determined by the
Congress. representatives In the
| House. according to their numbers as
determined by the decennial enumera-
f, tion. and presidential electors equal
! in number to their aggregate repre-
! sentation In the House and Senate.
/ The Congress shall provide by law
(; the qualification Of voters and the
F! senator or senators. the representa-
, tive or representatives and the cleo
! tors herein authorized.
The Congress shall have power to
make all laws which shall be neces-
sary and proper for carrying into exc
cution the foregoing power"
! This resolution thus proposes: %
A new constitutional power for Con-
! gress: (2) new right and power for
| residents Of the District, to be en-
| joyed when Congress in its discretion
shall exercise its new constitutional
power.
New Power for ConEresss New Right
for District.
! ]. The new constitutional power
! for Congress which Is sought is the
power to grant national voting repre-
/ sentation to residents OF the District
| in House, Senate and electoral COL
lege. with access to the federal
"a
| the power OF exclusive legislation
| over tho scat OF government given
! by section S. article I, OF the Consti-
tuition; without making state of
the District. and without granting to
residents of the District any other
privileges. powers and attributes of
citizens of a state than those specifical-
: ly enumerated.
2. The privilege, right and power
to be enjoyed by residents OF the
| District. when the amendment shall
have been ratified. and when the new
exercised. Is voting participation by
the District residents on American
principles in the national govern
! ment which taxes them. makes all
laws for them and sends them and
their sons to war. and access like
eral courts, their relation to which is
now, the United states Supreme Court
has said. on a lower plane than that
of aliens.
Ratifcation of the proposed consti-
the impotency OF Congress to grant
national representation to any part
Of the territory belonging to the
United States. by extending this pow
er to the District constituting the
seat OF government Oh tuC SHtleO
States. and will tend to cure the i'm
, potency Of the District to participate
on American principles in the ma
tional government.
Curing Twofold ImDotency.
Your committee is convinced that
both impotencies should be cured
that of Congress at once. and that Of
the District at the fitting time in the
futuresin the judgment Of Congress.
We agree that Congress should not
be impotent to grant national repre-
sentation to any group Of Americans
qualified under the usual tests for
such representation. And We agree
that ths District people should not
be impotent to participate like other
after demonstration Of fitness In
population, resources and other
American attributes. provided such
representation can be secured with
out destroying or impairing the pow
err Of exclusive legislation in the
District now possessed by Congress.
We are convinced that adoption Of
s. ]. Res. 1913 and ratification Of
the constitutional amendment pro-
impotencies. without disturbing in
the least the exclusive legislative
power Of Congress in the District.
We see no reason whatever why
Congress should not approve this
grant to itself of q new constitu-
tional power, extending its existing
powers on logical and equitable lines,