Evening star., 1923-02-19
Americanize the Washingtonian !: l.
Through National Representation

BIZ THEODORE w. MOVES

self-sacrihce made upon Americans
ing and will always render fall,
hearty and unStinted Response.
| WnshInEtonian Disabilities.
| In what particulars are you de-.
prived of the rights and privileges OF
Americans who are citirens Of \
statef NJ,
AS a suitor in the courts OF the
! United States the District resident
has. the Supreme Court says, a lower
standing than an allen. F. :
In relation to national laws the sole
function of the District residents is
! to obey. They take no part in making
! the laws which they must obey. !.
In relation to national taxes their
! sole function Is to pay. They have
nothing to say, like other taxpayers,
! concerning the amount and kind OF
! taxes they shall pay and how the tax
/ money shall be spent.
| In relation to national war their
] sole function Is to fight in obedience
to command. They have no voice. like
! other Americans. in the councils which
no representation in the government
| which requires them to fight, to bleed
! and perhaps to die.
since the 4S7 900 Americans Of the
District pay national taxes. obey ma
| tfonal laws and 20 to war in the ma
| ffon's defense. they are entitled ON
American principles to be represented
In the national government which
| taxes them. which makes all laws for
them and which sends them to war.
How to Cure These Disabilities.
The problem is to cure these dis
! aolilties and to give American voting
representation in the national gov
crnment to the half million Americans
of the District without disturbing the
! exclusive control OF the nations city
f1,A
j which the forefathers and constitu-
ton makers intended the nation to
! exercise forever.
! Our pending constitutional amend
ment solves this problem. The Sem
; ate District committee in reporting
! favorably our constitutional amend
ment bears convincing and impress
| sive testimony to the success of the
! constitutional amendment in doing
political equity to the Washinsto-
mans without diminishing In the
slightest the control by Congress Of
, the National Capital.
! No Decrease of Power of Congress.
| The Senate District committee con
ciudeS its report in these pointed
words:
| The proposed conxtitutionaI amend
ment does not reduce the power Of
Conxress in respect to the capital. hut
| adds q new power; IL does not pro-
pose the admission of the District
| into the Union a sovereiEn state;
~ does not propose the deatructiOB
| OF the ''ten miles square, provision Of
the Constftution, IL does not lessen
In the smallest degree the control by
the nation through Congress OF what
| remains OF the "ten Mules square,: II
does not disturb in any way tho hnan-
cial relation OF nEtiOH and capital; ID
IL not based upon either the aboii-
! tion or retention Of the half-and half
! inw' 1t does not propose or involve
changes In the municipal Soyernme = Z
| OF the District.
1t plans to bestow upon the 437.ooO
| Americans OF the District dis
| tinctive, basic right of the American n
i clttzen-in a government of the peo-
| pie by the people for the people-in
a government which roots It's justice
in consent of the governed-in a rep
arably couples taxation and arms
bearing as soldier with representa-
! t!on.
/ Arms With Power.
This distinctive American privilege
/ decorates the American with a badge Of
honor and arms him with power. Its
/ lack slurs the Washingtonian as unfit
and defective and Slurs the nation as in
! this respect un- american and !inpotent.
| What the amendment proposes is
equitable in iIself and compulsory in
| accordance with American principles
! and traditions. 1t gives to reside nts
of the District rights and privileges
which, under our scheme Of govern
nent. belong to all who pay national
taxes and tight as national soldiers.
It gives 70 residents. of the Dis
trict self-protecting power In the
national councils which is denied to
the resident of no other community
| in all of the mainland and contiguous
United States from Maine to Texas
and from New York to California.
In the matter of access to the fed
eral courts it raises District resi-
dents from a lower plane than that
of aliens TO the status of citizens of
a state.
Removes Shame OF Impotency.
National representation of the District
| will remove from the nation the shame
Of impotency.
1t VIII proclaim to the world that
the great republic is as devoted to
| ernment and as capable of enforcing
them as other republics with CAPT
tails in nation-controlled districts
like Mexico. Brazil and Argentina.
These nations have not found them
selves impotent to give full national
representation to the people of their
capitals.
! 1t will proclaim to the world that
the people of Washington are as fit
to participate in national representa-
de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Mexico
City. Washington will cease TO be the
only capital in all the world whose
people. slurred as tainted or defec-
tive. are unworthy to enjoy the same
national representation as that en-
joyed by all other cities of the nation
Washington will cease to be the
only American community. numerous,
intelligent. prosperous. public spirited
and patriotic, in all the expanse Of
continental and contiguous United
States. whose fitness to exercise ma
tional privileges as well as to bear
national burdens is denied
National representation will clOthe
i the W WnshinRtOnIan with = vital Amer
lean privilege to which he IN undeni-
ably I'm equity entitled, will cleanse
him OF the stfgma and stain OF un-
Americnnism; and. curing his political
fmpotsncy. will nrm him with q GER
tain power.
IT will relieve the nation Of the
shame Of una mericanjsm Mt its
heart md Of iInpOtency to cure this
evil.
1t will fnfict no injury or hardship
upon either nation or capital to eOun- n-
teract these benefits.
/