Evening star., 1926-11-07
CAPITAL TO MAKE
FRANCHISE PLEA
Washington Will Not Take No
for Answer to Radio Ap-
peal, Jose Says.

tor:ly proved that 1.-The principles on
which this Government was estab-
lished are wrong" il was declared last
night by Rudolph Jose. vice president
of the City Club. and member OF the
committee ARA nging the big national
representation" forum at the club next
Saturday night.
On this occasion group OF promi'
nent speakers will broadcast the plea
of citizens of the National Capital for
the right to elect their own represen-
tatives in Congress and to vote in the
national elections.
THE voice Of shington will go
to these listeners straight from the
shoulders of speakers who will giev
them pointed facts most of them are
unaware Of" Mr.. Jose said, then con-
tinued:
"They will he informed Of the fact
that in the CAPITAL City Of Their Coun-
try there dwell a half million people
with no more voice in the affairs OF
the Nation than the inmates Of an in
sane asvlum: with considerably less
control over the government OF the
District Of Columbia than the citizens
of far-away Wyoming or Arizona anu
who have a lesser political status than
the incoming emigrant. who At least
can acquire political status IN the
course of time. other things being
equal.
Voters Unaware OF Facts.
"It Is presumed that every school
child above the fifth grade knows
these facts, but such presumptlon
cannot be made Of the great majority
of voters, for facts ascertalned sno"
startling Ignorance on their part con
cerrine the Government at Wasnlns
Ia
instor and more especially the Poh''
csl rights of the people.
One can prove these facts by aues-
tionine at random any of the many
visitors who come to this city annual
lv Efforts have been expended 10
educate them with reading matter, nut
such efforts at the best are scattered
II takes concentrated mass action 10
get the neople Of the States into the
atmosphere of mass thinking. Nnen
that is done we are on the road to sue
cess and discussion begins to travel.
That is exactly what we hope to &C
cornplsh in this broadcast through
the microphones Of the Radio Corpo'
ration.
Until 1874" Mr.. Jones recalled.
"the District had territorial form OF
government with a legislature which
had a territorial delegate in Congress.
who. Of course, had no vote. All local
legislation passed by the legislature
had to be ratified by Congress
I'm the wears that followed the Civil
War conditions grew from had to
worse and the District was on the
verge Of being precipitated into bank
ruptcy The citizenry besought Con
gress to relieve the situation. which
eventually led to the formation of the
commission form OF government sim
liar to that we now have. The organic
act Of 1874. as amended 1873. pledged
the Federal Government to appropri
ate from its funds one-half of the cur
rent expenses Of the District. The
moldins of this government met the
situation ideally. for the 170, 900 popu-
1ation there we're still one-third
negroes. who for the most part were
uneducated. On the other hand. the
white population consisted IF tran
sfent Government employees. whose
jobs changed with every administra-
ton. No one had perma nent job
under the spoils system
We have no such system as that
nov. Neither is our population large
~ made up of Government transients
or other such classes. Moreover the
Government employe Is not a ma ior
factor in our population for his
strength amounts to but so.s11 out
OF total population Of $4,000.
Conditions Now Different.
Briefly. conditions have changed
so that as Of today we are in exactly
the opposite position TO that of 1879.
Today Washington il a great city.
rapidly expanding and stretching to
the one million mark. 1ts population
ts amply sufficient we're II A territory
to warrant making il a state. In
population as in material resources
It now exceeds At least seven States
of the Union. In matters of educa-
ton. intelligence and patriotism. II is
not only on parity with other metro
politan centers but in most instances
far ahead Of them.
"On a per capita basis in the ques.
tion Of education alone. Washington
Is equal to that of seven cities boast
ing of 1000 600 and over and far
ahead of 80 cities over 500 600 popula-
tion. Illiteracy here is practically un-
known. Is that true Of New York or
Philadelphia Or any other big city?
Why then should community like
this. stacking as high as il does in
ali these things. be denied the right
Of suffrage? There seems to he no
room left for argument
These arc some Of the things which
are going out from the public meeting
at the City Club next Saturday. The
speakers will not ask the people of the
States to turn over the city from Fed
eral control to the citizens OF Wash
inEton, but they will ask. yes demand.
If you please. that as men and women
qualified to sustain the highest ideals
of American citizenship that they be
admitted to the privileges OF citizen
ship which will permit them to vote
in the national elections and further
more be given the right OF represen-
tation in the two houses of Congress
under whose dominion they are ruled
and by whose sole direction the funds
collected In taxes are spent. That Ia
fair. decent and reasonable.
The whole question SINNERS down
to whether the rest Of the United
States want us to have these rights.
If 60. let us have them. Ii not. why
not" A negative answer is not accept
able unless satisfactory reasons can he
conclusively advanced proving that
the principles by which this Govern
n1ent was esta blished are wrong.
The public is invited to come down
to the City Club Saturday night to
hear and see these speakers Because
Of the time limitations the event will
begin promptly at pm. and conclude
at s25. The music will be furnished
by the United States Army Band"