Evening star., 1922-02-03

, ly impotent to act unless thus srurred.
stopped short ana failed to erect
this much h-needed public building
upon the site which it had acquired.
The newspapers may possibly have
assumed that their work was done
!. when they had. as represented. prod
ded Congress into purchase OF the
archives building site. on the theory
that erection Of the building on the
site would quickly and inevita bly,
blundered in this assumption it is
clearly their duty to respond to Mr..
Johnson's suggestion and to renew
the clamor, which Mr.. Johnson, repre-
sent9 to be necessary to cause Con-
gress to abandon inertia, neglect and
hurtful delays, and to push the much
needed archives building to completion.
"Only a few years ago the local
press clamored and demanded that the
property on Pennsylvania avenue, on
the south side Of the street. just this
side of 18th street. should be purchas-
ed for a public building. The clamor
continued until the property was
bought. Instantly after the property
| was bought and the money was paid
! the clamor ended. There stands the
property now where the Poll Theater
Is, end there is no more demand. ex-
| cept. as the gentleman from Illinois
has suggested, that they can sell more
land"
1t thus appears that the local press
compelled Congress to buy this south
of-the-Avenue property as the site
| Of certain public buildings, and then
by ceasing to dominate Congress fur
ther became responsible for the failure
of Congress to appropriate to erect
those public buildings. The theory
| that the local press has such power
over Congress through its clamor and
demands that 1t must bear the bur-
den Of responsibility for congressional
/ neglects and blunders. If IT fails to
exercise this alleged power wisely
and increasingly. is fiattering but un-
! convincing.
II X x +
A slur modifies this f1attery OF the
| local press in the suggestion that its
| sole motive in dominating Congress
! with clamor and demands is sordi
| and mercenary. based upon a selfish
| interest in the sale Of the land bought
by the government. This slur is. The
| Star believes. totally undeserved, un-
just and unfounded. The Star knows
| that the slur is utterly baseless SO
far as it is concerned.
| The action OF the government In
buying these three squares south OF
them as the sites of public buildings
| is distinctly hurtful to the community
| 1t cuts down the Districts tax reve-
nue. by exempting valuable real estate
from taxation. 1t puts Uncle Sam In
| competition with local private in
| ties tax-free in the gOvernment-Own"d
area. II Uncle Sam as hotel owner OF
theater owner. for instance. violates the
law he cannot be sent to jail or the pen
itentiary like his private citizen COM
| petitors
The Star agrees with Mr.. Johnson In
| condemning the governments inac-
tivity in utilizing this area for the
purpose for which 1t was purchased
The local press will doubtless gladly
| Mr.. Johnson's real power to persuade
| or push Congress. our local legisla-
ture, into carrying out thoroughly and
completely the great public projects
affecting the Districts water supply
! Potomac bridges. national archives
velopment Of sites for public build
ings.
| :. + Il =
| OF course, in final analysis, Con-
gress, the Districts legislature. with
its power of exclusive legislation
which it jealously retains and pro-
tects. is solely responsible for legis-
lative sins of commission and omis.
sion, for unwise~ and hurtful 1egisla-
tion and for injurious neglects to leg
islate, whether water supply, bridges
or public buildings are in question.
| Obligation follows power. Sole obli-
| cation follows exclusive power.
/ The cfamorous appeals or demands
! of the local press and of Washington
| in general for legislative action are
| submitted in the wise and necessary
| exercise Of the American right OF
petition, the only American right In
| relation to their legislation which ID
! granted to the totally unrepresented
| people of the District.
y X + X
! If to attract attention and to secure
some measure Of response this right
of petition Is occasionally exercised
by Washington in too clamorous, or
boisterous, or annoyingly persistent
| fashion, share of the blame still at
taches to the Districts legislature
| which. instead Of resenting and re-
pelling with reproacheS :Vashington's
| petitions, should in the exercise of its
| great and exclusive power be exces-
| sively and sympathetically and pa
| tiently considerate of even the clam
| orous complaints of its impotent and
] petitioning constituency.