Evening star., 1927-10-23
BY BEN McKELWAY.

Every now ana then some good citi.
zen suddenly becomes doubly i'm
pressed, first, with the injustice of
government without representation
under which the people of the Dis.
trict live: secondly, with the simplicity
with which this condition might be
remedied: and thinking the matter
over carefully he proposes that some
thing be done about 1t. The last pro.
posal Of the sort has come in the form
of letter from a resident Of Chicago,
Eugene Z. Prussing, in which he sug-
gests to Gov. Ritchie of Maryland
that the quickest and most sensible
way Of relieving this state of affairs
would be to have Congress enact a
law providing that residents Of the
District shall be residents and voters
OF the State of Maryland. Then an
enabling act by the Maryland Legis-
lature and-presto! the right to vote
is given to the citizens Of the District
and the problem is solved. Such re-
current proposals are at once encour.
aging and discouraging to those who
for many long years have advocated
that citizens Of the United States resi-
dent in the District be accorded the
full privileges to which they by right
are entitled. They are encouraging
in their indication that the status of
Washingtonians Is becoming a sub
Ject for thought on the part OF their
fellow citizens who live outside the
District. They are discouraging in
that such proposals are made, com.
mented upon for day or so as inter.
esting, and then dropped and nothing
comes Of them. But Mr.. Prussing' 8
proposal is not as interesting as Gov.
Ritchie's reply. The governor pointed
out, and very correctly. that such a
plan could not be considered until It
had been given full publicity, the pub
licity naturally to result In discussion
which would give full opportunity for
an adequate parade Of all the pros
ana cons involved. Gov. Ritchie in.
cidentally mentioned that the popula-
tion OF Washington, with it's Repub-
lican majority" would destroy Mary.
lands Democratic majority if the plan
were adopted. In other words, chang.
Ing the status of Washingtonians by
enfranchising them is a matter first
to be considered under the head of po-
liticai expediency. And political expe-
diency from the point of view of the
majority party is a legitimate point
of view. 1t is, of course, unfortunate
for Washingtonians that the question
OF political expediency must come
first, and after that has been disposed
OF, the fundamental issue-which is
the right Of Washingtonians to full
citizenship-may be taken UP.
n " =
AS for Mr.. Prussing's plan, 1t can
hardly be called a plan, but rather a
hastily drawn sketch Of the completed
project. The preparation of a plan
which would lead to condition pic.
tured by Mr.. Prussing would require
more time and more thought than Mr..
Prussing has been able to devote to
it, nor Is 1t altogether certain that the
ends to be gained thereby would prove
satisfactory. Mr.. Prussing has sug-
gested what has been suggested be-
fore. His proposal--in one form or
another-has always oaered itself as
the other alternative toward which
Washingtonians might bend their eff.
forts should they fail utterly to ac.
compEsh what has seemed the most
logical and practical step. namely, the
adoption OF constitutional amend
ment conferring upon Congress the
power to grant the people of the Dis.
trict the right of representation in
Congress and in the electoral college,
and In addition the privilege to sue
and be sued in the Federal courts.
The step which Mr.. Prussing
recommends Is not the first of its kind
ever proposed. for more than q CEN
tury ago, when the citizens of
Georgetown and Alexandria had be-
come fully aware that they had voted
away their only chance ever to vote
again by reason of their residence
within the geographical limits of the
original District Of Columbia, they