Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-14
Empower Congress to Grant
D. C. Political Equity; Do
Not Try to Command 1t

prohibitionists or anti-prohibition-
lists: OF those for or against a liquor
referendum. or any other kind OF
referendum; OF those who either
favor or oppose votes for women; of
those who advocate or oppose an
educational or property qualification
for voters; OF those who favor or
condemn q change in the form of
local government: Of single-taxers or
anti-single-taxers; Of champions or
belittlers Of the half-and-half law.
and Of those who either advocate or
abominate the new Matchmaking"
of Washington.
In short. any active group OF
Americans. sufficiently strong to be
able to influence one-third of either
house OF Congress. can defeat this
constitutional amendment.
Our proposition. however, is now
so stripped of every strife breeding
feature and so centered upon a sim
gle principle of undeniable equity.
that all Of Washington can and
should enthusiastically get behind 1t
and push 1t to success. It Is so
worded as to reduce to a minimum
opposition to It's immediate passage
in Congress. Our legislators may
reasonably be expected to favor this
just enactment.
Rounding Out Power Of Congress.
This provision giving Congress
power to grant national representa-
ton to the residents of the seat of
Government tin respect to whom 1t
has already the power to exercise
exclusive legislation). Is appropriate
ly inserted at the end of section 3.
article Nv. which gives to Congress
power to admit new States and to
make all needful regulations re-
specting the territory belonging to
the United States. from which these
new States are carved. 1t Is under
this section that new Senators, Rep
resentatives and territorial delegates
come to the Capitol. The three
political subdivisions Of the United
States under the Constitution are
States. territory (incipient States),
and the District constituting the seat
OF Government of the United States.
When our proposed amendment Is
adopted this section will be rounded
out and perfected and the power Of
Congress in respect TO national rep
resentation will be equitably extended
to alt three Of the parts into which
the United States was thus In the
beginning in effect divided.
The Constitution does not define
the political status of the future
population of such District tnot
exceeding ten miles square). as may
by cession OF particular States and
the acceptance Of Congress become
the seat Of the Government Of the
United States" Nor does 1t ex-
plicitly and undeniably give the
power to Congress to define or
change this status so that 1t shall
approximate gradually the status OF
the citizens Of State.
In Status Less Than Aliens.
It has resulted from this uninten-
tional omission or oversight that the
residents Of such District" have a
standing as suitors in the courts OF
the United States which the SUI
preme Court has said Is less than
that of aliens and a relation to par
ticipation In national legislation and
presidential elections which Is the
same as that of aliens.
It was not intended that such
District" should remain uninhabited
The United States advertised its
washington lots for sale not only in
the republic. but In Europe. and at
tracted settlers and lot purchasers
here by glowing assurances. George
Washington predicted that the Capt.
tails population would in a century
be certainly exceeded only by that
of London. 1t was not intended that
these inhabitants should be from
any point Of view permanently
aliens
II was not intended that the peo-
pie OF the Capital should forever re-
main politically outside OF the
United States. no matter what the
number and character Of the popu-
lation Sympathetic comrniseration
OF the Districts lack Of national rep
resentation has been expressed in
Congress and the White House at
intervals from 1900 down TO the
present day.
When 1t had only the population
and resources which entitled its peo-
pie to the nominal representation of
a territorial delegate. voteless leg
islative agent in the House mot con-
templated by the Constitution). that
representation was vigorously urged
by President Jackson. was heartily
seconded by President johnson and
was given under President Grant.
District National Representation.
The words of these Presidents and
Of a long series OF National legisla-
tors and other statesmen. who argued
forcibly and convincingly for terri
torial representation for the few
residents of the District in their
time. are today equally sound and
convincing arguments for voting ma
tional representation for the present
District.