Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-13
Americanize the Capital
To Benefit Both Nation
~ And Westinghouse

The, constitutional amendment
which We favor does not propose the
admission of the District Of Column
bis into the Union as "A sovereign
State: it does not propose the de-
struction of the "ten.mfleS-SQuare'
provision OF the Constitution: 1t does
not lessen in the smallest degree
the control by the Nation Of the
ten miles square"
1t does not disturb in any way
the financial relation Of Nation and
Capital. It is not based upon eitht I
the abolition or the retention of the
half-and-half law.
It is not complicated with changes
in the municipal government OF the
District in respect to which WASH
ingtonians widely and radically
differ.
1t repeats nothing: it DESTROYS
nothing. 1t alarms no one. alienates
no one, wounds nobody's sensitive
ness.
What the Amendment Does.
This constitutional amendment as
sumes that the Nation will continue
to control its Capital through Con-
~ gress and asserts that the time j;
= close at hand when the people If
the Capital should be represented
IN that Congress. The ten-mileS-
square provision of the Constitu-
ton set up peculiar political en-
t!ty-not State. not a territory.
under the exclusive control of the
Nation. This amendment is supple
mentary to the teu-miles-square
provision. It says. in effect. that.
after q century OF increase and de-
velopment. the Americans collected
in the seat of government. entitled
at all times TO every American right
and privilege consistent with con-
tinued national control of the Cap
itai. are now or soon will be en-
titled TO representation in the Ma
t;onal Government.
II enables Congress to make
Americans Of q community OF half
million people. who are now polite
ally aliens: and to naturalize them
for the purpose Of representation In
the National Government.
The constitutional provision es-
tablishing the ten miles square is
responsible for the monStrous para
dox of unrepresentative government
at the Capital of the great republic.
This constitutional amendment will
ultimately correct it.,
Our proposed legislation is sup
Elementary to existing Law. adao,-
ing the latter better to the cond.-
tions and needs Of today. 1t is
thoroughly constructive 1t is not
! in the smallest particular destruc-
tlye.
It leaves undisturbed and con-
firms the national control OF the
Nations City and the correspond
ing national obligation of adequate
financial participation in the MAIN
tenance and upbuiiding of the Ma
:ional Capital. The act Of 1878
and the exclusive legislative clause
Of the Constitution are alike un-
touched.
1t enables Congress to make
American citizens of the people Of
this community. giving them efec-
tive representation in Congress.
their local and national legislature.
which may deprive them Of their
property by taxation. and OF life o.
limb by sending them to war. Such
representation is not inconsistent
with the exclusive power Of legisla-
ton concerning the District pos
sessed by Congress. On the con-
trary. such representation is the
more essential since Congress is not
only Washington's national iegisla-
ture. but its municipal and State
legislature. The effect Of this
amendment is not to admit the Dis
trict into the Union as q State. but
taHA e. rtx - h.s
half million Americans residing l..
the ten miles square under the ex-
elusive control Of Congress the same
representation as citizens OF State
in Congress and the electoral COL
lege.
A New Political Status.
Not q new State. but a new politi-
calstatus Is to be evolved. This amend
ment operates as supplement OF the
n-miles-square provision. empower
ing Congress TO define explicitly. in
view of the changes OF more than a
century. the political status OF the
residents of the Federal District. 1t
will alter the existing Law Of con-
gressional and electoral college rep
reSentation and win create a new
American constituency with repre-
sentation in Congress and the cleo
toral college: not q new State. but q
politically uplifted District Of CO.
lumbia. an enfranehised ten miles
square already created and made
unique by the Constitution. This
new factor In our scheme Of National
Government representation may be
unusual. peculiar. extraordinary: but
it 10 not 50 unusual. peculiar and
extraordinary as the original crea-
ton and present-day retention by
the great republic Of the totally un-
represented ten miles square. the seat
OF Government. q district physically