Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-21
CITIZENS GATHER TO PROTEST
AGAINST FRANCHISE INJUSTICE
Board of Trade Meeting Develops Over
whelmine Sentiment in Favor of
National Representation.

House the joint resolution Oh. j..
Res. 20S) to authorize Congress. ia
give TO the people of the District
of Columbia voice in the govern
ment of the United states.
The resolution follows:
Resolved by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United
States Of America in Congress as
sembled (two-thirds of each House
concurring therein), That the follow
ing amendment to the Constitution of
the United States be proposed for rati-
fication by the Legislatures of the sew
eral States. which. when ratified by
the Legislatures of threefourths OF
the States, shall be valid as a part of
the said Constitution, namely, insert
at the end of section 3, Article ", the
following words:
1.-THE Congress shall have power to
admit to the status of citizens of a
State the residents of the District con
stituting the. seat of government OF
the United States, created by Article
], section s, for the purpose of repre-
sentation in the Congress and among
the electors of President and Vice
President and for the purpose of
suing and being sued in the courts
of the United States, under the pro-
visions of Article III, section 2.
when the Congress shall exercise
this power the residents of such Dis
trict shall be entitled to elect one or
two Senators as determined by the
Congress. Representatives in the
House according to their numbers as
determined by the decennial enumera-
ton, and presidential electors equal
in number to their aggregate repre-
sentation in the House and Senate.
THE Congress shall provide by law
the qualifications of voters and the
time and manner of choosing the Sen
ator or Senators, the Representative
or Representatives, and the electors
herein authorized.
1.-THE Congress shall have power to
make all laws which shall be neces-
sary and proper for carrying into
execution the foregoing power.
Gives Congress New Power.
This resolution provides, Mr.. Dyer
explained a new constitutional power
for Congress, and a new right and
power for residents of the District, to
be enjoyed when Congress, in its dis
cretion, shall exercise its new consti-
tutional power. This new power
sought for Congress, to grant national
voting representation to residents of
the District in the House, Senate and
electoral college, together with ac'
cess to the Federal courts, would not
deprive Congress of it's present power
of exclusive legislation over the seat
of Government, the speaker said, would
not make a State of the District and
would not grant to residents of the
District any other privileges, powers
or attributes of citizenship than those
specifically enumerated.
This safeguard, he pointed out, is
contained in section s, Article l, OF
the Constitution, which reads:
ITO exercise exclusive legislation in
all cases whatsoever, over such Dis
trict mot exceeding 10 miles square)
as may, by cession of particular
States, and the acceptance of Con
gress, become the seat of the Govern
ment of the United States, and TIC
exercise like authority over all places
purchased by the consent of the
Legislature of the State in which the
same shall be, for the erection OF
| forts. magazines and arsenals, dock
yards and other needful buildings.
Ratification of the proposed amend
ment, he said, would cure the i'm
potency of Congress to grant ma
tional. representation to a part of the
territory belonging to the United
States. as we'll as tend to cure the
inability of the District residents t
participate, as other American citi
Gems. in their Government.
Cites Justice of Appeal.
Pointing out the justice of the ap
peal of the residents of Washington
| for a voice in their Government, Mr.
Dyer cited the great part residents
of this city have played in subscribing
to the Liberty Loans, in contributing
monumental sums to the support Of
the Federal Government, in paymen
of local taxes and in meeting Other
requirements Of citizenship.
1.-THE City of Washington, the
speaker said, has reached a popula
ton of more than 100000 people, anC
they have Qualified themselves fol
participation in the Government by
doing all the things expected and re
quired of American citizens anywhere
else. 1t has furnished its full quota
of manhood, and more, for defense il
every war in which we have been en-
gagged. 1t contributed more than i
| drives.
THE amount assigned to the Dis
| trict during the World War as it
| quota of the first Liberty loan wa
| $40, 900 900, whereas its people actual.
| subscribed 1921 400. This makes
per capita subscription by the Dis
trict of $3.50. which is nearly four
| fifths greater than for the country a
a whole, which was only $29.29, AM
exceeded that for each of the IL Fed
eral Reserve districts except the sec
ond, which includes New York State
Quotas Greatly Exceeded.
1.-The quota for the District on tn
second Liberty loan amounted to $40
600, 900, while its people actually sub
scribed $22. 1857 $50, a per capita sub
scription of $57.73 against $44.55 TO
the United States as a whole.
ION the third Liberty loan, tn
quota for the District was $12, $4,000
while it's people actually SUBSCRIBE
$25,992.250. This makes a per capit