Evening star., 1923-11-16
Americanize the Washingtonian

sons for it's enactment are we'll set
forth in the concluding paragraphs Of
the Senate District committees ap-
proving report as follows:
The proposed constitutional amend
ment does not reduce the power Of
Congress in respect to the Capital.
but adds new power; it does not
propose the admission of the District
| into the Union as a sovereign state: !:
1t does not propose the destruction OF
the ten miles square provision OF the
Constitutions; 1t does not lessen in the
smallest degree the control by the
nation. through Congress. of what re-
| mains of the ten miles square; 1t
does not disturb in any way the imam
cial relation of nation and Capital /;
it is not based upon either the aboli.
| tion or retention of the half-and-h
law: it does not propose or Involve
changes in the municipal government
Of the District.
A DestInctiee Basic Right.
TT plans to bestow upon the $4,000
Americans of the District distinc-
tive. basic right of the American
citizen-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
resentative government which insepa-
rably couples taxation and arms bear
ing as soldier with representation.
This distinctive American privilege
decorates the American with badge
of honor and arms him with power.
It's lack slurS the Washingtonlan as
unfit and defective and slurs the ma
ton as in this respect un-American
and impotent.
What the amendment proposes is
equitable in itself and compulsory IN
accordance with American principles
and traditions.
TT gives to residents of the Dis
trict rights and privileges which, un-
der our scheme of government, be-
long to all who pay national taxes
and fight as national soldiers.
1T gives to 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.
I'm the matter of access to the
federal courts 1t raises District resi-
dents from a lower plane than that
n state.
No National ImpOtency.
"NntiOnnl representation of the Dis
trict will remove from the nntiOn the
shame Of impOtency.
! "It will proclaim to the world that
the great republic is rs devoted to
F, the principles Of representative gov
! ernment and ms capable Of enforcing
them as other republics with cnpf-
J 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 theiI
| capitals.
| "It will proclaim to the world thnt
| the people OF Washington are as nj
to participate In national Representa-
tive governments as the people OF RID
/ de JnneirO, Buenos Aires and Me xicO
City. Washington will cease to be
J the only capital In all the world
whose people, slurred ms tainted OF
| defective. nre unworthy to enjoy the
| snme national representation as that
enjoyed by all other cities OF the
nation.
"WashfnEtOn will cease to be
| the only American cOmmunfty-nu-
! merOus, intelligent, prosperous. pub
lie spfrfted and patriOtic-in all the
I expanse of continental md con-
/ tiguOus United states whose fitness
| to exercise national privileges nv well
ns to bear national burdens iS de-
MED.
-NatiOnal representation will clOthe
the WashingtOnfnn with vital
Anne rican privilege to which he IL
unde deniably in equity entitled; will
cleanse him Of the stigma and stain
Of un-Americanism, and, curing his
political impOtency, will arm him
with q certain power.
"It will relieve the nation OF the
shame of un-Am ericanism at it's heart
and of fmpOtency to cure this evil.
cit will fn1ict no injury or hard
ship upon either nation or capital
to cOunternct these BENEFITS"