Evening star., 1926-04-21
BRANDENBURC SHOWS DISTRICT
ENTITLED TO VOICE In AFFAIRS
Citizens May Pay Taxes,
He Declares, But Not
Permitted to Vote.
Argument Before House
Committee for National
Representation.

ITO remove the anomaly of being
| citizen for the purpose of paying
| taxes and obeying the laws, but not
citizen for the purpose of voting
upon the laws to raise such taxes
! or to participate in the councils Of
the Nation with reference to its af-
fairs" Is the purpose of the organ
lied citizenry of the National Capital,
Edward c. Brandenburg, chief spokes-
man for national representation for
| the District Of Columbia, told the
House judiciary committee yesterday.
He emphasized that the plea to
Congress is made in behalf of all
of the large civic organizations. citi-
zens' associations, labor unions and
| more than score OF other large
, groups.
Mr.. Brandenburg called particular
attention to the fact that the trainers
of the Constitution never intended to
| un-Americanize residents in the Cap
ital City by forever barring them
from the right to vote and participate
In the national councils. He quoted
notably James Monroe, in 1918, and
William Henry Harrison, in 1841.
BY Every Right Entitled.
Contending that "by every right
and principle we are entitled to fran
chise," Mr.. Brandenburg showed that
in matters of population, payment Of
Federal taxes, contribution OF troops,
subscription for Liberty bonds and
other wartime funds, and in postal
revenues the District Of Columbia
ranks better than a number of
States.
He showed that the population Of
the District outnumbers that of seven
States which have % Representatives
in the Senate and House, while the
District has not one.
He rebutted the thought of many
persons that citizens of the District
pay no taxes and that municipal func-
tions are maintained at the expense
of the Federal Government by point
ing out that in addition to taxes paid
for maintenance and upkeep of the
Nations Capital. internal revenue re-
ports show that the District pays
into the Federal Treasury something
like $1S.500 900 year. This is greater
than the combined taxes paid by five
States-North Dakota. New Mexico.
Nevada, Wyoming and Vermont--and
greater than Is paid by any one of
Is States of the Union.
He showed that while citizens OF the
District "are more or less on parity
with an alien, mental incompetent
or criminal so far as the right of
franchise is concerned. which is not
at all conducive to patriotism, yet
when our Nation finds itself in contro-
versy and war our people dn the
District of Columbia) take a second
place to none Of the States in offering
| their sons to fight it's cause"
Contribution to World War.
He showed that in the World War
the District contributed nearly IS, 900
of it's sons, and that the proportion
which the voluntary enlistments bear
to the total number of enlistments
and inductions by way of registra-
ton 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 a
whole.
He showed that not only in con.
tributng It's manhood in defense in
every war, but with the greatest
liberality raising money to carry on
the wars, the District has votelessly
shared the burdens equally Tor better)
with the States that have both voice
and vote in the lawmaking body.
He stressed as a particular illustra-
tion that on the fourth Liberty loan,
the quota for the District was
$27 sos 900, while the subscriptions Of
it's people amounted to $51 ,262 100. or
a per capita subscription of s127.61, as
against $65.94 for the United States
as a whole. In this loan the subscrip-
tions of the District were greater than
that subscribed in any one of %
States, namely. Alabama, Arizona,
Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida,
Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi,
Montana. Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Mexico, North Carolina. North
Dakota, oklahoma, Oregon, South
Dakota. Utah, Vermont and Wyoming.
The number of subscribers in the Dis
trict was greater than any one Of 25
States. According to the Treasury De-
population who subscribed to this loan
was 65.8 per cent, which was much
greater than any one of the 4S States
and about three times as great as the
corresponding percentage for the en-
tire United States, which was 21.9S.
p. O. Business a Factor.
ignoring the fact that three
fourths of the matter handled by the
local postoffice is franked. from
which no revenue is derived by the
Government, Mr.. Brandenburg show
ed that the postal receipts for the
District of Columbia for the year
ending June 30. 1925, were s477o,-
50sS4, which was greater than the
aggregate receipts from all of the
post offices in any one of the follow
ing States, and territory, namely:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas. Della
ware, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi,
Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Mexico, North Dakota. Rhode
Island, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Utah. Vermont. West Virginia,
Wyoming and the Territory of
Alaska. The amount paid the local
office was greater than the aggre-
gate receipts of all of the post offices
In Delaware. Idaho, Nevada, New
Mexico, Wyoming and Alaska, which
amounted to the sum of $4,700,992,45.
Pointing to a very important mat
ter in which the pending resolution