Evening star., 1923-02-19

Gardless Of differences of opinion con-
corning the best form of municipal
government and concerning the value
OF voteless delegate, combines to
favor District national representation
through constitutional amendment
National representation means for the
Washingtonian the status of Ameri-
can citizens and citizens Of a state
solely for the purpose of voting rep
resentation in House, Senate and elec-
toral college, and Of access to the
courts of the United States.
BY the pending constitutional
amendment we ask the people OF the
United States to empower Congress
IN its discretion to grant us this rep
resentation. When this power is
given to Congress BY two-thirds
vote Of Congress and three-fourths
vote of the state legislatures we shall
seek to persuade a majority of Con-
greSs OF the justice and wisdom OF
the speedy exercise Of this power. BE
the constitutional amendment ma
tional representation Is taken from
inaccessibility and made possible. BY
the subsequent action Of Congress
District representation will be made
reality.
A Distinctive Basic American Right
On what ground do you seek national
Representations
1t is a distinctive. basic right Of the
American citizen-in government OF
the people by the people for the peo-
ple-in d government which roots its
justice in consent of the governed
in d representative government which
! inseparab bly, couples taxation and arms
ton
SO far as we $4,000 residents OF the
District are concerned. the American
government is not government OF
all the people by all the people for al a,
! the people. 1t is government or all
the people by a part Of the people.
The $4,000 District residents are
among the people who are governed
but not among the people who govern
The $4,000 Americans Of the Dis
trict do not give their consent to their
national government through elected
representatives in accordance Win
the American principles like all other
Americans of the continental and con-
tiguous United States.
in respect to the $4,000 Americana
OF the District representation is di-
vorced from taxation and soldier
service. We bear all the national
burdens Of citizens of state in ma
tional taxes, in subjection to national
laws and as national soldiers sent To
war. In genuine representative gov
ernment rights and obligations are
inseparably welded. We meet fully
the national obligation. We bear
cheerfully our share of the nationa
burden. We are entitled to all vital
national rights and privileges
We Meet All National Obligations.
In what particulars ure you meet.
ing the same national obligation a'
Americans who arc citizens of q
statef
In these days of exalted American
ism w Washingtonians are In the front
rank OF devoted Americans. They
have ever been foremost when Amer
icaniSm meant loss instead OF benefit
when to be Americans meant to place
both sacrifice of treasure and blood
sa crifice upon the nations altar
Washingtonians have paid their
proportion of every national tax. di
na tion. The only national taxes tina,
fall directly and In ascertainahi e
amounts upon the Americans are the
internal revenue taxes. including the
excise and income taxes. In total
contribution In 1919 to these taxes
Washington exceeded fifteen Of the
states, though it exceeded In popula
ton only seven of them. Its contri-
button was greater than those of five
Of the states combined.
Blood Sacrifice on Nations Altar.
Washingt onians have risked life
ard shed their blood in every national
war. To preserve the Union the first
volunteers came. from the capital. and
WaShingtoniaus supplied greater
percentage Of troops in excess of their
quota than nearly every state in the
Union. In the war with Spain they
sent to Cuba d fine regiment. exceed
ing their quota in numbers. The
same response was made when the
summons to the Mexican border came.
At that time the percentage Of men
Of military age enrolled in the
organized militia was greater in the
District than in any state of the
Union. Washington sent more soldiers
to the border than twenty-five of the
states.
In the world war no other American
community responded more enthusi-
astically and effectively 20 the call
to arms and universal service. Wash
inEtonians We're eager volunteers of
money for war through the Red Cross
and other agencies. and of personal
Navy, National Guard or Home De-
fense League. They showed patriotic
readiness to bear the burden of con-
scription, whether in the shape of
taxes or in the shape OF universal
personal service and the selective
draft.
Fine WOrld-War Record.
In the world war the District or
Columbia has made a record of which
the nation should be proud. The total Of
voluntary enlistments in the Army,
Navy and Marine Corps for the Dis
trict vas 1914. number greater
than that in eight states. viz. Nevada.
Delaware. Arizona. Wyoming. Yer
mont. New Mexico and New Hamp-
shire. and only trifle less than three
other states. The number of men
indicted into the Army, under the
first and second registrations. was
1851, making total Of voluntary en-
listments and inductions into the
service Of the government of 17,945.
In other words. the percentage OF
voluntary enlistments was 1888 per
cent of the total inductions into the
service.
The proportion which the voluntary
enlistments bear to the total mum Der
Of enlistmeuts and inductions by way
Of registration was greater for the
District of Columbia than for every
state of the Union except Rhode
Island. Oregon, Washington, California
and Maine, and more than one-third
greater than the percentage for the
country as q whole.
To every demand Of devotion and
MASS Meeting RAISES