The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-25
NDED
BILL I D
Be PUT
OVER
Blanton to Conform to New
Plan Changing Time Of Resi-
dence IN Washington.

Advocates Of the District dele
gate bill reintroduced IN the House
Tuesday by Congressman Thomas
Blanton of Texas, with minor
changes from the original Poin-
dexter-Reed draft, are gathering
forces to push the legislation to
successful conclusion at this
session of Congress.
Has Slight Changes.
Behind the movement are
majority Of the civic bodies of
Washington which represent the APP
peal Of the Districts citizenry for
enfranchisement, and a sufficient
number of Congressman who are
in sympathy with plans to assure
the bills passage when it is brought
up for consideration. Is
Congressman Blanton stated to-
day that he wished 1t to be known
that the measure had not been
presented as his own. He intro
dl1ced the bill for Congressman Reed
Of West Virginia, who Is Ill.
The first fight on the measure
Is, expected to take place when
it is Brought up for consideration
before the House District Commit
tee. This probably will be next
Monday. Congressman Reed has
improved so much in the past few
days that it is certain he win be
able to be present at that time.
The bill, as reintroduced by Con-
gresham Blanton, changes the
length Of time the delegate must
have resided in the District from
seven years to twenty-five years,
and obligates the District to pay the
entire cost Of elections. With these
exceptions it is identical with the
measure originally drafted by Con.
gresham Reed.
The Poindexter Reed bill met de-
feat at a meeting of the House
District Committee last week.
motion to table made by Congress-
man Gilbert, of Kentucky, being
carried by vote Of 6 to S. At that
time Congressman Blanton en-
deavored to have Congressman
the committee that he was unable
to attend because Of illness. This;
courtesy is usually extended under
such conditions, particularly when
the absentee is in the city. Is
Majority Favored Bill. "a
At this meeting Of the commits
tee it was generally conceded by
a majority Of the members present
that the District should have repre-.
sentation in Congress. The bills
on the part of a few that a dele.S'
gate was not the proper character
of representation.
Chairman Focht, Of the commit
tee, repeatedly voiced the view that
the authority vested in a delegate
would clash with that vested in
the District Commissioners. He
spoke of the chaos which would re-
suit from such a plan and he was
upheld in his contention by several
other members of the committee.
Many members OF the committee
are now studying a new plan
which has been brought to their
attention since Congressman Blan-
toms bill was introduced and which
they believe will smooth the course
for immediate favorable action by
the committee. It would have the
stacles presented by Chairman
Focht and others Of the committee
who opposed the delegate bill.
While only q tentative draft Of
the plan has been made, it is in brief
as follows:
To change the organic act Of the
District to provide for the election
Of the District Commissioners by
vote. q
To elect four civilian Commission.
ers, who, with the Engineer Commits
sioner, would form the Board Of Cons
missionerS. Il
The Engineer Commissioner to act
with two of them as the Public Utili.
ties Commission.
The chairman Of the Board Of Com
missioners to be the delegate in the
House.
The tentative plan provides that
the civilian elected to the Board Of
Commissioners who polls the largest
number Of votes would be also elected
the delegate.
Advocates Of this plan, both men
and women, and they are growing
rapidly, contend that this method
would eliminate the opposition Of
tered by Chairman Focht. They de-
clare that It would form @ sound
municipal administrative head for the
local government and give to the peo-
ple Of the District real voice In the
affairs of the National Capital.
BlantOn to Conform.
CONGRESSMAN Blanton said today
that he believed the plan to be one
of the best yet presented and that he
would see that it received considera-
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